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Freeport Offshore Fishing Trip 7-31-10


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Left the jetties early and got a jump start on the other boats and we ran out approx.50 mi.in a 26'twin V Catamarran w/twin 175's and like the norm the weatherman misses the forecast as waves were predicted for 1-2 & they're 2-3 in close intervals w/a stronger west wind that was forcasted.1st stop on a grass line p/u 20 chicken dolphin+ 1-20# ling and a nice bonita.Our efforts the remainder of stops over structure/wrecks/rigs in the hunt for grouper,amberjacks,ling,dolphin was tuff staying on it from very strong currents.We put on heavier weight to make the bait get down in 175+ feet of water.Although fishin was tuff we hooked/vented & released 6 red snapper 12-20 lbs as federal waters season is closed(man those were some beauties)and my friends son 11 yr.old Blaine was hard at it all day crankin em up.No shrimp boats dragging but many in the area.On the way in we stopped near the 1st stop on yet another weed line drifting p/u another 30 chicken dolphin-a triple tail and inside state waters p/u a few smaller legal snapper.BH 89-2 and our deck hand went above and beyond working hard on our behalf to give us a great trip.At the dock we laughed and downed some brewski's while our catch was cleaned.All the others catch coming in were less than ours and all were looking @ our haul as nobody else had any chicken dolphin or ling.If you get a chance to go out with these guy's I promise you nobody will work harder to show you a good fishin trip as we ran a total of 162 mi.roundtrip.
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Most offshore shrimpers shrimp all nite and cull usually at daybreak then sleep most of the day, if you get there early AND are the first boat you should do good. Something fun to do at a shrimp boat, usually there loaded with Remora, talk someone into (or surprise) and stick one between their shoulder blades, will stick good and leave a GOOD small football sized hickey. Another thing is most will fishermen will try and trade shrimp for beer, better to trade beer for #s of new hangs or wrecks, that is worth WAY more than some stinking swimps....
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[quote name="liltex" post="822444" timestamp="1280711172"]
I'd post some pics if I knew how.I can barely do this w/a computer.My grandkids could shame me when they were 4 lol.
[/quote]

Go to photobucket or imageshack. They are free services (although they all try to sell you something) that allow you to upload photos or videos to your personal media page. Each photo or video has its own webpage and you can post that webpage on here but putting [img][/img] around the page. I know on photobucket, you click on the post photo option below the picture and it adds that automatically for you.

I use photobucket. Go to that and sign up for the free account much like signing up for this forum. Then start posting away.
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Thanks Liltex......!!!!  Steve and I had a blast.  Yeah, the weather man in Texas are usually not right (wink Coop).  That west wind is NOT good at all for fishing or current.  Hopefully snap season will reopen in a few weeks and we can get those big ones back to the dock for a snapper feast.  Season ended week before last so many spots have been hit really hard.  The big grouper eluded us this time, but maybe next they wont.  By the way, my back confirms we ran 175 miles......LOL   

     
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[quote name="westend1" post="822499" timestamp="1280760794"]
Question for you offshore guys.  I'm looking at a 2005 Robalo r240 with twim yamaha 150's.  What is your impression of this boat for light offshore(Maybe up to 50 miles)
[/quote]

I have been out to about 30 miles in an 18 foot with a single 135 Merc on the back (not that I was intelligent). I would think the R240 with two Yamahas would be easily a good offshore boat.
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About the only issue I would think is the fuel cap., the last few days you could have ran most anywhere WFO. If the price AND theres not over a cpl hundred hrs on Yams IMO you can't go wrong. You mite have to go to a Yam dealer and let them plug it in to get the hrs, I'm thinking thats the only way to get the hrs off a Yam.....
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[quote name="westend1" post="822499" timestamp="1280760794"]
Question for you offshore guys.  I'm looking at a 2005 Robalo r240 with twim yamaha 150's.  What is your impression of this boat for light offshore(Maybe up to 50 miles)
[/quote]

Here are some important tips about boats for offshore.  Don't mean to sound so simple, just trying to include more detail. Rabalo is a good boat.

1. Decide how far you want to go out.  This depends a lot on where you live.  The summer months are hot and when the water gets above 80 degF the fish start moving out deeper (most fish).  If out of Galveston, you need t go at least 55-65 miles during hot months to be consistently productive.  Freeport 50 miles minimum.  Sabine all depends on which direction you run, but similiar to these two.  After about June I personally like to fish water 150 feet or deeper.  After snapper runs out I am targeting grouper, mahi, ling, amber jack, wahoo, etc..... Most of that list prefer blue water, which is normally deeper/farther out. 

2. If you don't have twin engines, then you really should have a friend budd-boat if you are going very far at all.  At least buy a kicker motor.  Personally I would not go outside 20 miles or so without two engines. 

3. Your fuel consumption is critical.  4-stroke engines are more economical than 2-stroke.  You need to make sure your props are properly sized/pitched, and your boat is tested to see what the consumtion rate is.  Most center console outboard boats are going to run between 1.0 and 2.5 miles per gallon.  The hull design, weight of boat/engines, weight of people/cargo, weather, and type of motors has a lot to do with this.  Always leave yourself at least 10% extra fuel than what you need.  Also consider the boatis likely not going to be able and burn 100% of the tank capacity.  For eaxmple, my boat has 120 gallons, I know it won't pull the last 10 gallons, so I add a little extra safety to that and only rely on 100 gallons.

4. Whatever you do, spend a few hundered bucks on good safety equipment.  An EPERB is a device you should always have and keep a subscription for.  In a real emergency you can turn it on and signal the coast guard for help.  An extra hand-held GPS is a nice addition.  Good life-vest with flashing beacons attached are helpful as well. 

5. Electroics:  Don't go cheap here if you are a serious fisherman!  Furuno and Garmin both have great offshore systems.  Spend the extra money on the better tansducer too!  Have a marine radio and good antena (know the range).  I like to have my a bottom machine (fish finder) and a navagation machine seperate.  I have a Navnet system for navigation and radar and a furuno bottom machine for fishfinder.  Buy a color system if you get one, they will help to identify types of bottom and fish types.  As an example, fish with a swim bladder (grouper, snapper, etc will show up one color and fish without (sails, amberjack, kings, etc... may be another color).  Soft and hard bottom will also show differently.  A fule economy system and auto pilot are nice, but you can do without them.  If you geta good machine, you can also add sirus weather and some units will over-lay this onto your navigation screen.  That allos you to see where the rain is as compared to your position and/or fishing spot your headed too.   

6.  You want a fish box or large cooler sufficient for what your looking to bring home.  Bigger the better. 

7. Make sure you have at least one 2000 gph bildge pump and maybe one smaller with an automatic and manual setting/float.  A lot of boats have less and it's not enough when the weather tunrs bad.  I saw 2000 gph pumps at walmart recently for 69 bucks.  That cheap.  You can pay over 150 for the same at a boat store.

8.  Invest in some good maps and fishing spot books.  One of, if not the best, if made by a fisherman names Rick Jacobsen.  Check out www.redsnapperfishing.com and look for the 2010 book.  It's a very nice book and will help you catch more fish.  The guy is also an electronics goo-roo and for about 300 bucks will go offshore with you and help you use your electronics better. 

9. and 10.  SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY.  Don't go if the weather is questionable or if things start going wrong early.  Plan ahead and make sure everything is checked twice.  A fish is not worth drowning.               

     
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[quote name="bullets13000" post="822520" timestamp="1280773653"]
let me know the next time y'all are headed out, if the timing is right, i'd definitely be interested.
[/quote]

I go all the time offshore.  Find 3 or 4 buddys and send me a PM.  Cost vary depednign on distance traveled.  Normally about $900 divided by the # of people fishing. 
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[quote name="bh89-2" post="823388" timestamp="1281116936"]
[quote author=bullets13000 link=topic=71345.msg822520#msg822520 date=1280773653]
let me know the next time y'all are headed out, if the timing is right, i'd definitely be interested.
[/quote]

I go all the time offshore.  Find 3 or 4 buddys and send me a PM.  Cost vary depednign on distance traveled.  Normally about $900 divided by the # of people fishing. 
[/quote]

i'll see what i can do!
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I'll go again but I want to go when they announce a re-opening of a special red snapper season sometime in sept.they will announce.BH 89-2 knows the spots out of freeport where some big ones are.4 adults and a 11 yr.old shared a room @ La Quinta next to the pool in Clute for $62.00 +tax and they gave us a rollup bed for the youngster and good mexican food right there.
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[quote name="643" post="823702" timestamp="1281239076"]
Afew yrs back they had a rest. just N of Freeport that would cook your catch, they did some good Grouper and Mahi for us on a cpl of occassions, could be the same place??
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There are a couple placed down there that will do this for you.  I also have access to beach house property though a broker in the area for cheap.  Most weekend (peak season) properties cost between 1000 and 3000 for a 4 day weekend.  There is a place on the water, just of the intercoastal we can get for about $550 and it sleeps 9.  Sleeps 5 if everyone has their own bed.  [url=http://www.beachresortservices.com/Blue%20Wedge.htm]http://www.beachresortservices.com/Blue%20Wedge.htm[/url]

Some of those Dayton folks like to cuddle so not sure about how they feel........ ;D ;D

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