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joejoe7716 · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 3:51 pm Post subject: Packery offshore 7/18 7/19 7/20

Until the end of the week, the offshore forecast wasn't looking to good. At the last min , with a sudden change in the forecast on swellinfo, we decided to take my off shore boat instead of fishing the bay. After hearing about a couple cancelled tourneys, we were unsure how the weekend would pan out.

We broke packery jetties at first light friday and we were greeted with 2-3 foot seas. We stayed close as there was a big storm heading our way. We figured we had a few hours before it hit. We picked up some nice ling. My buddies Eli and Luke each caught their first ling. As the storm inched closer we decided to head in early as it was starting to drizzle.

Another Early start on saturday. Our plan was to check out a few reefs to try and get some state water snaps. We trolled around some shrimp boats for an hour so and got broke off on a stretch 25 above my wire leader and the line was frayed. As we were drifting behind a shrimp boat, we see a Cat style party boat heading in our direction. They are approaching us very quickly and it doesn't look like they are slowing down at all. As they get closer, I can hear the diesel motors still revved up. I had to slam the motor into gear while everyone still had lines in the water. If I didn't punch the throttle, they would have hit us. As soon as they get to where we were, we hear the diesels idle down. We see every one start dropping ribbon fish. I couldn't believe the Capt. just did that. They literally just pushed us from our spot behind the shrimp boat. What a way to set a bad example to all of those people onboard and put our lives in danger. BTW, we were in state water....maybe I'm wrong but I didn't think head boats could fish state water.

We hopped around a few more rigs and picked up some sand trout, spades, and ling. There was a school of 20+ ling. It was pure chaos on the boat as we were fumbling with bait nets and rod and reels flying everywhere. I lost the biggest ling I have ever seen. It hit a 12" jack that I had just caught on a butterfly jig. After he swallowed it whole, I gave him a good 5 count before setting the hook. As soon has he felt that hook he made a B-line for the rig and there was nothing I could do to stop him. The reel was at max drag and peeling line from under my burning thumb. He quickly broke off in the rig and I was in shock at the size of it. Shocked

We went back to the same rig this morning for an hour or two. Only caught under sized ling. We decided to get an early start home as Luke had to drive back to College Station.

Frederick dunphey · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 4:53 pm Post subject:

TFTR. Nice job on the ling. Conditions looks better than forecasted. Head boats have permits for state and federal waters. Next time video tape and report them. Very Happy

Matt · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 5:29 pm Post subject:

There's only two cat-style boats in the area so not hard to figure out who it was.

Almost ran me down one day. I had the boat on auto-pilot and watched them correct course to interfere with my heading. We weren't even going to the same spot.

File a report with the Coast Guard. Might not do any good, but it will once the complaint box starts filling up.
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I'd rather be fishing

Johninaustin · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 1121

Been business as usual with those guys forever. My first negative encounter with them was almost 20 years ago.

MECE · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 7:33 pm Post subject:

Nice Catch, thanks for the report

shallowsport · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 8:14 pm Post subject:

X2, great catch!

MakoJJ

Beautiful Ling! TFTR!

critter getter · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:19 pm Post subject:

If i'm on a spot i'm not moving for them they can kiss my entire $$$. i can't stand those FAHS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Central Scrutinizer · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 7:42 am Post subject:

Wish I would have known you were targeting lemonfish (and a good job on that!!! from the pictures). There was a pair of researchers from LSU that have been making the rounds of some of the offshore tournaments to collect fin clips (its a genetic study, so they need only a small fin clip). I was able to get them some samples at the Deep Sea Roundup, and they may make a return trip later in the summer.