A Trip Down Memory Lane

June 1st, 2015

The author, Joe Kent, with a bontio (false albacore) in 1973.

The author, Joe Kent, with a bontio (false albacore) in 1973.

The evolution of electronics for recreational boats

By Capt. Joe Kent

Not long ago I upgraded the electronics on my offshore boat and while browsing around the marine supply store my mind wandered back to when this ancient mariner began his passion for fishing and owned his first boat.

While only the old salts are going to relate to this trip down memory lane, younger mariners should find the evolution interesting and ask how we managed on such primitive equipment.

The focus of this article is on boaters with smaller seaworthy vessels and not the larger ones in lengths beginning around 30 feet.

In the early 1960s when my boating started, most boats not considered cabin cruisers or yachts had only a compass for navigation.  In fact, a large number of the big boys used only compasses for navigation at the time.

Ray-Jefferson Model 410 Marine Radiotelephone

Ray-Jefferson Model 410 Marine Radiotelephone

Marine UHF ship-to-shore radios were part of the essentials of larger boats; however, the smaller guys could not handle their size or electrical requirements, much less the cost.  Soon, the smaller VHS marine radio became popular; however, the price still was out of line for the smaller guys with limited budgets.

I recall in the early 1970s contemplating the purchase of a VHF radio for my 19-foot boat that I used occasionally for offshore fishing. When comparing the price of that to a smaller horsepower back-up outboard engine, I chose the outboard as it was about the same price.

1959 Ray Jefferson model 635 Transceiver

1959 Ray Jefferson model 635 Transceiver

When the VHFs started taking over, an economical alternative became popular with the mosquito fleet and that was the Citizen Band Radio or CBs, as they were called. CBs were affordable, easy to install and worked off of a 12-volt battery.

While the Coast Guard did not monitor CBs, a boat in distress could usually make contact with another boat, often a shrimp boat that would either come to the rescue or call the Coast Guard on their ship-to-shore radio.

CBs were popular among shrimpers and commercial fishermen as they could carry on endless conversations with each other without tying up the limited frequencies on the marine radios.

Early on, depth indicators or sonars were popular among the well-to-do boaters; however, they still were a bit expensive for the smaller guys.  During the 1970s lesser expensive models began hitting the market and more and more of the smaller boats started installing depth indicators.

While marine electronics for communication, distress and a few other needs were being refined and upgraded, the compass was still the main instrument used for navigation.

That began changing in the 1970s with the introduction of the Long Range Navigation System known as LORANs to the recreational boating market.  Like most first runs of a product, LORANs were not affordable to the smaller boating crowd.  Soon that changed and about that time, a more sophisticated form of navigation was hitting the market and that was the Global Positioning System known as GPS.
Boaters that had invested in

LORANs were taken back when it was announced that the GPS system was taking over and that the U.S. Government’s maintenance of LORAN land stations (transmitters) would be phased out.

Early GPS systems were expensive; however, like all other trends in electronics, the prices gradually creeped down.

Electronics like the Garmin® GPSMAP® 500 and 700 Series Chartplotter and combo units are a far cry from marine electronics of the 1970s.

Electronics like the Garmin® GPSMAP® 500 and 700 Series Chartplotter and combo units are a far cry from marine electronics of the 1970s.

From the mid-1980s on, a revolution of new marine electronics hit the market including sophisticated fish finders, depth charts, chart plotters and combo packages.  Typically, when first introduced the prices were much higher than after waiting a few years to make the purchase.

The shopping trip that triggered this article was for new electronics for my 25-foot boat that I use largely for offshore fishing.  The package included radar and a chart plotter that had a GPS, water temperature gauge and weather alert built in.

Back in the early days, about the only one of those available was the radar and those systems were limited to just the larger boats whose owners had the finances to afford them.

Wow, how boating has changed over the years.  Today, boaters look upon most of the items described above as essentials; however, back when I started, the compass was the only item considered necessary.

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The wade fishermen’s time of the year

May 1st, 2015

fishing at sunriseBy Capt. Joe Kent

May always has been noted as the wade fishermen’s time to hit the water.  It is one of the months that wind tends to be a factor as May is known as the second windiest month of the year along the Texas Gulf Coast behind April and ahead of March.

While the wind velocities may keep boats from their favorite fishing spots, wade fishermen have numerous choices.  The surf is alive with action beginning around Mother’s Day Weekend and all of the bays offer good wade fishing.

During windy days, the surf usually is sandy and off color; however, protected shorelines of East and West Bay often hold fishable waters that are beaming with bait and predator fish following after them.

While in earlier months of the year insulated waders are a must for wading, May is the month when many fishermen shed the waders for wading pants and shoes.

Southern stingray feeding on crustaceans on sea floor

Southern stingray feeding on crustaceans on sea floor

Along with the gamefish, stingrays hit the shallows and are in prime position to be stepped on by wade fishermen.  For that reason it is imperative that these anglers have protection from the nasty barbs of the rays.

The best form of protection is wading leggings which wrap around the lower extremities of the leg with a type of “bullet proof” material that prevents a barb from penetrating.  Along with the leggings are wading shoes of thick canvas type material that likewise heads off a barb.

Wading pants (any light weight pants will work) are desired to prevent stings from jellyfish that are plentiful in the bays and surf during May and often brush up against waders while moving through the water.

Now that your protective gear is set for wading, where do you go?

Ask the Wind Gods. as the fresh winds of May dictate that answer.

We mentioned earlier that when the wind is up, the surf usually is unfishable therefore that leaves the bays and their protected shorelines.

Protected shorelines along West Bay include the South shore line of West Galveston Island and leeward shoreline of the Spoils along the Intracoastal Waterway.

In East Bay all along Bolivar Peninsula’s south shoreline are good spots to find fishable waters.

Contrary to winter fishing when baits need to move slowly, during May the water is usually warm and fish are aggressively feeding at fast pace.  Artificial baits like soft plastics and hardware such a Mirrolures are worked faster.

Live shrimp fished under a popping cork also is excellent bait.

For surf fishing the tried and true spoon is a favorite of many anglers.  Both gold and silver work well depending on what baits fish are feeding upon.  When the surf is full of mullet, silver spoons tend to be the favorite while for other baits the gold spoon is the popular choice.

All of those baits work well in both the surf and in the bays this time of year.

On those limited days when the surf is calm and the water green just about any species of saltwater fish is a candidate for taking your bait.  Trout, reds, Spanish mackerel, pompano and many others are caught including pelagic fish that are in close and feeding.

In both areas, bay and surf, tidal movement continues to play a major role in the successful fishing trips.

For the surf an incoming tide is the preferred tide while in the bays, tidal movement whether incoming our outgoing is desired.

Anglers fishing shorelines tend to prefer the incoming tide while others fishing the mouth of drains, creeks and bayous prefer the outgoing tide.

For those new to wade fishing, safety comes first.  The Cardinal Rule is to not wade alone.  Have a companion fishing nearby that can quickly come to your assistance and vice versa.

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An overview of the 2015 fishing season

April 1st, 2015

Polly Kent's big speckled trout.

Polly Kent’s big speckled trout.

By Capt. Joe Kent

Anglers welcomed the arrival of April after a long, cold winter that kept all but the hardiest of fishermen off of the water.  

What effects did the long winter have on fishing and how does the rest of the year size up?  We will take a look at all of this as far as fishing goes around the Galveston Bay Complex.

While there is a lot of good fishing during the winter, the majority of anglers fishing the Galveston Bay area are warm water fishermen.  For that group April has been the key month to get back in the battle.

A survey of local fishing guides indicated that trout action during the first quarter of this year was excellent.  A good number of quality trout, including some trophy fish in excess of nine pounds, were landed.  That news should be encouraging to trout fishermen who overall complained about lower catches than normal during 2014.

Several of the guides said that some of the best action took place during terrible conditions as cold fronts were blowing through.  While for the most part late afternoon wade fishing offers the best action, the mornings of the cold front arrivals were the times to be fishing.

The sustained cold water should have offered a big boost to last fall’s flounder spawn.  Cold water helps sustain the young hatch as they make their way back to the bays.

Looking ahead to warmer weather, April is considered the start of the saltwater fishing season in that it is at some point during this month that we see the first sustained 70 degree temperature readings in the surf.

Anglers refer to this as reaching the magic 70 degree mark.  The significance of this is that at that point and higher our summertime fish, including the migratory pelagic fish, start appearing.

April fishing is usually handicapped by gusty winds as the month has the dubious honor of being the windiest along the upper Texas Coast.  Still, during windows of fishable conditions a wide variety of fish are caught.

April is known for a big run of gafftop in the surf, and at some point during the month, the first ling appear in the surf and around the jetties.  The first jack crevalle of the year also appear and often are caught as far into the bays as the Galveston Causeway area.

As the year progresses, fishing will continue to improve with the incremental increases in water temperature.

Based on the winter trout action reported by the guides, the outlook for the warm months is excellent.  April and May often produce some of the largest trout of the year, and during the summer the school-sized trout start their aggressive feeding pattern.

One of the biggest encouraging factors for a good year of fishing is that we avoided a fish killing freeze this past winter.  While the season was long and cold, we did avoid a harsh winter like much of the north and east USA experienced.

One key to a successful year of fishing will be the amount of rainfall.  Salinity levels in the Galveston Bay Complex over the past several years have been high.  A balanced level of salt in our waters will do wonders to help fishing and the reproduction cycle in the wetlands.

April should provide some excellent opportunities for outstanding fishing, if the wind allows.  During May, we have the first big run of speckled trout at the jetties, which should definitely make you feel like you are back in the battle.

Everyone is optimistic that 2015 will be better for fishing than last year.

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Surf Fishing Techniques Along the Upper Texas Coast

June 1st, 2014

surffishingBy Capt. Joe Kent

June is the beginning of active surf fishing along the upper Texas Coast.

The beachfront from High Island to Surfside is filled on days when conditions are right with anglers with lines in the water.  Many wade-fish the first through third sand bars while others use their kayaks and most recently bait launchers to go after that big fish.

Anglers, especially newcomers to the Galveston Bay complex, often ask for tips on how and when to surf fish and what equipment to use.  Hopefully we can shed some light on this and contribute to a successful surf fishing trip for you this summer.

Fish are found in the surf year round and the species vary in size and numbers with each season that passes.  June through November and often well into December is the most active time.

During the summer months, speckled trout will roam the surf and experienced anglers know when and where to target this popular game fish.  Wind and water clarity are two of the key components to a successful trip, with tidal flow being of equal prominence.

My experience has shown that July and August are the best months for catching specks in the surf.  Days where light winds prevail and good tidal movement and water clarity all come together are almost a given for catching a nice stringer of specks.
The best time to hit the surf is just before daybreak or at dusk.  An incoming tide is the best and when the specks are running, other fish will be as well.

Live shrimp fished under a popping cork likely is the most popular bait; however, small finfish like croaker work equally well if not better at times.  Artificial baits tossed by experienced fishermen catch their share of fish too.

Choosing your days is a big part of having success.  If there is a strong wind from a southerly direction, the surf is usually choppy and the water off color for fishing.  When the wind velocities drop to less than 10 knots, it is time to hit the surf.

So, what else besides specks can be expected during the summer?  The answer is lots of other fish.  Spanish mackerel and reds like the same terrain and during the peak of summer, just about any of the offshore species might come visiting.  Sharks are prevalent in the surf during warm weather.  Tarpon often are hooked by trout fishermen who have a live finfish dangling from a popping cork along one of the deep guts.

After Labor Day, specks are usually headed back into the bays for their fall transition.  Another transition hits the surf at the same time and that is the arrival of spawning reds, especially bull reds.  September through early December is a time when reds are just about a given along the beachfront.

The bull red run, as it is often called, takes place from late September through November and along with the big bulls are good numbers of sizable sharks like bull shark, blacktips and others.  Jack crevalle love the same stretch of beach and along with sharks, bull reds, tarpon and others can be found from one to 12 miles out.

Tarpon Alley is a mythical term coined by Capt. Mike Williams of Tarpon Express Guide Service.  Williams designated the area from just off of the beachfront to approximately 12 miles out as Tarpon Alley, as that is where he has found countless tarpon, sharks and other pelagic  fish roaming for many years.

The alley extends from near High Island to the middle Texas Coast.

With live shrimp and small fin fish being the bait of choice for trout, what about the bigger fish?

Large fresh ribbon fish and shad along with live bait such as mullet are excellent for going after the big ones. Hunks of bonito are one of the best shark baits.

Keep in mind that conditions need to be good to enhance your chances at catching fish.  Green, clear water along with light to calm winds are the best.  Water clarity is probably the most important of the group.

One thing to keep in mind, if you wade fish the surf be sure to have an extra-long fish stringer as sharks often mutilate stringers of fish and in the past have taken a swat at an unprotected leg. Stingrays also pose a problem during warm weather and that necessitates careful movement or ray guards over your ankles and calves.

While the first part of the year tends to be slow in the surf, during times of calm conditions in January through March, whiting provide a lot of entertainment and good table fare.  Whiting are easy to catch and one of the best baits is fresh dead shrimp with the cartilage peeled.

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