What do you recommend? Is the summer too hot to do it (with regards to actually catching some)? Ballpark how much per person (for say 4 people)? Do they put us on a boat with a bunch of people? We don't mind if so.
Summer time can be the absolute best. There are "head boats" where you go with a mass of people on a barge (they charge by the head) and then there are private charters where only you and your buddies and a stripper go out. Head boats are cheaper and private charters are more expensive. The larger the private boat, the more expensive. I'd say you are looking at $750 minimum for a private charter. Larger boats have amenities like air conditioned cabins and they are almost always a better ride (not as much seasickness). I won't go out in the gulf on anything shorter than about 32' and lots of people won't do less than 35'. Towards the end of this month and August, you might have water that looks like glass it is so calm and will yield fish much closer in than the rest of the year. Summer is a good time to go deep sea fishing in Texas.
Nick do you mean $750 total? If split four ways or more that's pretty nice. And does that include all the rods, reels, bait, and equipment?
Yeah, $750 or so for 4 people which includes bait, tackle etc. You usually tip them on top depending on a lot of factors. Bring your own food and drinks. They might have gone up a little in price due to the cost of fuel. Head boats are $50 -85 a head or so.
The stripper doesn't come with the $750 and, frankly, she probably won't come at all. There are 2 main headquarters for charters/head boats: Fisherman's Wharf and Deep Sea Headquarters. Opposite ends of the harbor. Both have head boats and private charters. As summer lingers, the seas get flatter and the good water gets closer. It also gets hotter than f**k. I'd rather be hot and drunk and close to shore than cool or sober and far out in rough water. I don't really give a **** if a fish dies while I'm on a boat.
Expect to pay $800 - $1,000 for a private charter out of the gulf (full day). This is on a 36' or larger sportfish & they'll provide the tackle, lures/bait & some beverages. Expect to tip about $100 or more to the captain and $50 to the mate for their hard work. The summer is generally the best time to fish in the gulf - this is when all the big money tournaments are held. I'm not sure about Port A or Rockport, but South Padre is really good. A great boat down there for charter is The Master Plan. Their site: Master Plan Another good location is Venice, LA. You can check out the 2cool message board for recs too:2cool
You'll find plenty of recommendations here. With the price of fuel so high, a private charter will be closer to $1000 as pointed out. The summer fishing can be awesome and the seas are calmer. It will be hot, but that's just how it is. Wear lots of sunscreen. In case this is the first time for some participants, be aware that seasickness has ruined many a deep sea fishing trip. With four people, chances are at least two will become seriously seasick. I highly recommend asking your Dr for a Transderm Scop prescription--typically 4 doses good for 3 days each come in a package. These are patches that you put behind your ear the night before the trip and will reduce your chances of seasickness to near zero. NASA uses these for their astronauts; no other method to prevent seasickness comes close in effectiveness. Dramamine, etc. are a joke. Also, it's a good idea to avoid beer the night before and during the trip. I know, sounds like sacrilege, but being seasick when you'd rather be fishing is no fun. If you can't relate, imagine puking your guts out and your head spinning for 12 hours straight. And that's without the beer.
dude, I wanna know where all these $750 private charters are taking off from. leaving on a trip in august and I'm paying north of $1,300. we are going about 75 miles out.
Best fishing bet will probably be to go out of Venice and slaughter the yellowfin tuna with Captain Eddie. You also have a good chance at picking up some dorado (maybe a sword if you do an overnight tuna trip with him). The water off Venice drops off a lot faster, therefore you don't have to go out as far as you do from Freeport, POC, Port A.
Lat22, Are they sending good boats out Packery? Not that it would send the price of the boat down, but it might make it a little more convenient.
I'm really don't know Nick. I haven't heard anything. I think most still leave from Port A. I don't know what that bridge clearance is to get through Packery. I don't think it's real high, but I've never been through it.
That would be incredibly short-sighted to invest so much in Packery and not have the bridge be high enough for the people with enough money to buy a big boat and big house to not get out into the gulf from there. But, then again, more foolish ventures have been part of our lives.
$1000 minimum, all day (12 hours) can easily run $1500. These boats will let you take 6 (8 person max), but 4 is the sweet spot for fishing and cost. sport fishing is an expensive hobby, er habit, but it's much more expensive to own the boat, pay the gas, etc. $3000 for 2-3 trips a year ain't half bad if you're hooked. Heck, UT football can easily be more expensive than that when you talk tailgating, tickets, LHF donation, etc. oh, and the summer is great. calm seas, variety of fish. the only thing you won't catch is tuna. that's better in the fall/winter.
I think that we are going to do bay fishing instead. I have been saltwater fishing once so to get a taste for it, bay fishing is alot more affordable (plus I dont' need to sweat getting sea sick). Looks like ~$450-550 for a boat with ~3-4 people for a day. Going fishing for reds and trout likely. Going to call up some of the recs on here. Thanks!
I have been recommended Jackie Pace and "Captain Redfish" from a friend of a friend (for bay fishing for reds and trouts). Any of you guys use either of them?
tropheus - you will catch tuna in the Summer too, maybe not as many as in the Winter, but there are a lot of YFT caught in the gulf in the Summer months. Lots of 'em off Venice & a 160+ pounder was caught a couple weekends ago out of SPI.
Jackie has been down there for a long time. I do not have personal knowledge, but have heard he can be an ***. I have a good buddy who recently went out with this guyThe Link and had a good day. Frank and I played little league baseball together.
For houses, Martha Dore is about the only broker. Google Life in Paradise and Port Aransas. For inexpensive hotels, there is a Plantation? Inn? Best Western. There are a zillion condos, but I've never felt they were worth the cost. There are no houses on water that will rent for less than a month as far as I can tell. There are some new condos at Island Moorings, but they are selling for $750k so they will be very expensive to rent.
It really depends on what you want to do. For just a decent inexpensive place to sleep, there are a few chain motels in Aransas Pass. For nostalgic reasons, the Tarpon Inn is interesting. If you want a nice pool and/or beach access there are several nice condos on Mustang Island. Port Royal has an awesome pool, but it's pricey if you're not going to be there much. There are also rental homes and Mom-and-Pop motels in Port A and Aransas Pass. If you're going with a guide, find out where they prefer to pick you up. Many of them will meet you on the causeway between Aransas Pass and the ferry so you'd be better off staying in Aransas Pass to avoid the ferry first thing in the morning. For bay fishing you may also want to consider working out of Rockport. With all the rain the bay fishing for specks and reds has generally been pretty tough all summer. If there's a break from the rain for a week or two it should improve.
Thanks. A place with a kitchenette might be best. I bet we mostly sleep, rest and drink some beer. I'll check some of those out. I have mostly found CC but I would prefer to stay closer. I think we are going in late August so hopefully it does dry up.
I don't know of him. He might be a great guy/guide, but... Those are really old pics Lots of those fish appear undersized Not much power for a 24' Carolina Skiff Casting for you? Catching his own bait. I went with a guide who did that, but he couldn't catch any bait so he bought frozen bait. All we did was feed the perch. I just don't get a good feel for the guide and I wouldn't book with him unless you get a good reference from a real client. Another guy you could try farther down south is Jon Fails. The Link He would pick you up at Marker 37 or Bird Island.
Anyone use Hap Gamewall or Pat Hunt? They were recommended to me by Wally Mayer (who doesn't have availability for the dates we are looking at).
