Any offshore fishermen? Current fishing report?

[SB09]

We were looking at surf forecast for this weekend and started thinking about heading to the coast to try and catch some fish offshore this weekend. Problem is we are used to chasing Kingfish and we are thinking we are too early in the year. I just wanted to try and see if anyone who has been offshore recently had any information on what they're catching at the moment?

[AtTheWall]

It's a bit early for near shore Kingfish action. Lot's of Jack Crevalle in the upper water column and if you get out around some of the near rigs, you should find some big sheepshead and potentially pockets of Texas State water red snapper.

[glen]

If the window is right you gotta try it

[Chase This!]

I saw someone on 2Cool with a kingfish report ~9nm off Freeport. If they aren't home, could always try for snapper.

[courtatlawjudge]

We rarely catch kingfish until around 1st to mid June. I've caught a few earlier. I'm not sure why I still insist on catching kingfish as, in my opinion, I don't have anything once I catch them. Sure is fun to hear that line sing cutting through the water though!!!

[LiftAndShoot]

Not entirely sure about Texas GC, but coming from Florida and off shore fishing a ton, right now you'd be hard pressed to (typically) beat the spanish bite right now, and you may be at the tail end of the best cobia action. Kings will kick up around June over there, so maybe...next month, here?

[SB09]

That pretty much confirms what I was afraid of. I will hold off until June probably. Thanks for the help everyone.

[rockyraider]

Where are you fishing out of? We fished Port O'Connor this past weekend, we heard the state snapper fishing is awesome right now. You gotta know where to fish though and I can't help with that.

[npe001]

King fish are probably still way out. Still early for them to move in, not saying its impossible, just unlikely.

[spliffnwesson]

Was out this last Sunday. Caught one dodo at a rip we decided to troll around 12 miles. A kingfish around 30 miles. And numerous endangered red snapper. A couple lesser AJs fell to the jig. Was quite a bit rougher than we hoped for but had a great time. Never did hit clear water. Due to the fact we stayed in close. Kingfish were caught by other boats in the middle bank and east bank area. Seas will be nice this weekend. If I were you I'd saddle up. We are going to be headed out 70 miles or so Ssturday morning.

Good luck and tight lines.

[postman]

Saw a nice catch of red snapper caught out of Pt. Mansfield this last weekend.

[stickman]

I got word from a few buddies that kings have been hammering bait at the end of the packery jetties when the weather was right. I thought it was a bit early but these guys are legit jetty dwellers.

[npe001]

I got word from a few buddies that kings have been hammering bait at the end of the packery jetties when the weather was right. I thought it was a bit early but these guys are legit jetty dwellers.

Kings or Spanish mackerels?

[WCI]

Just a bit early for Kings. June +/-. I am wondering just why someone would target them other than a tournament. Yes, they are some hard fighters and shoot out the water like a missile. Not the best table fare IMHO. Ok I get it. I also recommend 2coolfishing for some reports. Just a thought but the small nickle plated shiny spoons will produce like magic on them and also spanish. Just what we do.. Good luck

Wilk

[AtTheWall]

June is the month - shrimpers haven't started their offshore trolling routine so the Kings will round robin nearshore rigs. If we have a lot of Sargassum sea weed mats as we did last June, take a light tackle spinning rod and a pint of live shrimp offshore with you. Drift upwind of the weed and stand on the highest point of the boat, with the sun at your back, and find the TRIPLETAIL. They will be out there in June and I got into several of them last June out of Port A. I managed to trick a couple of them to take a New Penny Gulp jig but had I thought about live shrimp, it would have been on like Donkey Kong! Found dozens of them chilling under the grass.......many cuss the grass, I don't at all.

If you drift huge mats of Seaweed, setup a Carolina rig Kingfish rig and send down a ribbon fish, smack dab down between the thickest pile of seaweed you can find and drift right over it, dragging your line in the lee side of the boat's drift. This will keep the seaweed from fouling your line as the boat pushes it away as you slowly drift through the mats of weeed. Below - huge kingfish and the largest jack crevalle the GOM has to offer. They circle that patch of weed like wolves and tons of bait are up under it at all size levels.

You can do this with near oil rigs in the mix. Kings will swim from rig, to the huge piles of seaweed, and off to another near shore rig, swimming on patrol. Open water is less productive than weeded up water when the seaweed is present.