Pattern of good fishing action likely to be interrupted
Both offshore and inshore fishing has turned on, with the warm weather and light to moderate south to southeast winds. This pattern likely will be interrupted as strong winds are in the forecast from several days ahead.
Thursday, winds were light and from the southeast early, then picked up as the day went on.
Thursday morning, Silas Morgan and Billy Cross fished the North Jetty and landed a mixed bag of fish that included sheepshead, black drum to 22 inches, sand trout and a pompano. Morgan said that this was the earliest he has caught a pompano, as he has found that the action on that popular fish usually does not start until May.
Greg Hagerud fished the Galveston Harbor with his wife Stephanie on Wednesday and found the water levels low with lots of glass minnows working. Hagerud said that the concentration of reds that had been in the 16- to 19-inch range have jumped to 19 to 21 inches, as they were able to land some keeper reds. Sheepshead made up the only other fish on their stringers.
Capt. Paul Stanton said they had to fish up to 1/10th of a mile from the rigs to avoid numerous red snapper and triggerfish, and that the kings were the first they have caught this year within 30 miles of the jetties. A huge hammerhead shark kept making its presence known as they trolled.
While the forecasted windy conditions ahead likely will set surf fishing back, once the wind drops, look for more and more of our summertime fish to make their appearance. The water temperature has surpassed 70 degrees and that is one of the key factors.
