This offshore fishing trip by the partyboat Capt. John was one of those of the 36 hour variety. Leaving Galveston's Pier 19 with 38 fishermen aboard and later entering the open Gulf, the offshore trek in a southerly direction began with Capt. Tony Langston at the wheel. Aboard as the second captain was Capt. Mark Yamaguchi.

The first stops made Thursday were at a production platform and rock formations in 300 ft. of water. This area produced snappers, grouper, barracuda, rainbow runner, etc. A move was then made in the direction of the platform where overnight fishing for yellowfin and blackfin tuna was to be done. This platform, the Boom Vang Spar is about 127 miles south of the island in 3,450 ft. of water. Numerous drifts were made overnight from near the platform to about a mile down current, and blackfin and yellowfin tuna were there. Jumpers were seen throughout the night and they were eating. Unfortunately, breakoffs, pulled hooks, tail wraps, etc. held the yellowfin catch to a nice number of seven. They ranged from 60 to 80 lb. Blackfin tuna taken went to 18 lb. and 184 of them ended up in the fish boxes. Most of the blackfin tuna hit chrome diamond jigs, Shimano Butterfly jigs, Tuna Hunters or Spanish sardines. The yellowfin were taken on Islander Tackle's Tuna Hunter Topwater (5), O.T. Topwater (1), diamond jigs (1). Obviously, most of the yellowfin action was directed at those topwater poppers; their imitation of an injured target, plus the sound of tuna feeding, attracted the strikes. The key to using these types of lures is tackle with the castability to reach just beyond the lights coverage on the water. That's really the easy part using the right tackle and technique, after a solid hookup the fight and fun begins.

Overnight, the seas began to "pick up", to say the least. This set up a long run inshore on Friday morning after sunrise. This nearly 100 mile run ended at wrecks of the old Buccaneer Field and its 75 ft. deep water. Taken there were lane snapper, red snapper, blue runner, Atlantic sharpnose sharks, etc.

Despite the somewhat bumpy conditions they all had to deal with, another of those multi-species catches ended up iced down in the various fish boxes. The yellowfin tuna fishing resulted in the highest number being decked on one of these 36 hour trips. Blackfin tuna also greatly contributed to the tuna catch. Overall, the catch was a good one and made up of the following:
?Ģ 7 yellowfin tuna 60 to 80#
?Ģ 184 blackfin tuna to 18#
?Ģ 77 red snapper to 14#
?Ģ 11 lane snapper
?Ģ 3 great barracuda to 21#
?Ģ 21 blue runner
?Ģ 1 rainbow runner
?Ģ 3 Atlantic sharpnose sharks
?Ģ 1 silver sea trout

Sam Rosas, Sugarland, had the trip's heaviest yellowfin tuna, a nice 80 pounder that hit a Tuna Hunter Topwater lure. He also had 5 blackfin tuna on a diamond jig and a double red snapper limit on Carolina rigged Spanish sardines.

Jennifer Jackson, Sugarland, with 3 blackfin tuna, red snapper, Atlantic sharpnose shark and rainbow runner.

Reuben Villareal, Houston - his three yellowfin tuna from 60 to 70# were the high mark for the trip. Two were taken on Tuna Hunter Topwaters and one hit an O. T. "Wombat" Topwater. He also had red snapper and 3 blackfin tuna.

Tom Au, Houston - he had one of the yellowfin tuna, a 65 pounder that also hit a Tuna Hunter Topwater. It went along nicely with his 20 blackfin tuna that hit Shimano Butterfly Jigs.

Brett Cornelius, Dallas, with 4 blackfin tuna on diamond jigs and a double red snapper limit.

John McCracken, Nederland - 4 blackfin tuna plus red snapper and vermilion snapper.

Gary Lee, Dallas, red snapper and 4 blackfin tuna.

Billy, Dallas, double red snapper limit to 14# and the 4# rockhind grouper.

Douglas TigTig, Houston, 5 blackfin tuna on chrome diamond jigs and a double red snapper limit.

Gerry Deguzman, Houston - a 60# yellowfin tuna on one of those Tuna Hunter Topwater lures, 6 blackfin tuna on diamond jigs and a double red snapper limit.

Alvin Calloway - 2 blackfin tuna, red snapper and silver sea trout.

Rita Baumann, Texas City, with 8 blackfin tuna on diamond jigs and Carolina rigged Spanish sardines fished deep. She also had a double red snapper limit to 14#.

As is usually the case, the catch is shared by a variety of fishermen, from the person on their first 36 hour tuna trip to the veteran. The fact on this trip, the tuna, etc., were there. Again, as usual, numerous hooked fish were lost for various reasons. An absence noted was in the grouper caught; only one was brought back, a nice four pound rockhind. These stops at 300' would normally give the fishermen a chance at Warsaw, gag, scamp grouper, etc...that's why it's called "fishing" and not "catching". All in all, the catch was a good one, especially the yellowfin total.

Give the Capt. John's office at Pier 19 a call to make your reservations on one of these exciting 36 hour tuna fishing trips. The great attraction of any offshore partyboat fishing trip is the question of who's going to catch what. You never know who's about to get their string pulled like never before. Make the call today to 409-762-8808 or 713-223-4853, the friendly and informed office staff is waiting to assist you in making one of these great trips happen for you. Right now, there are seven more scheduled in the next three months. The tuna, etc., need your company out there.