Recommendations for Deep Sea fishing charter?

[FoldedSpace]

I was thinking of taking my Dad out to do some deep sea fishing. Does anyone know of a good charter that's not packed in elbow to elbow, but doesn't charge an arm and a leg?

[Manu4Mayor]

Well, I wouldn't look at the Wharfcat throughout the summer. I went out on it with my brother and folks about four years ago and I was really disappointed. It was very affordable but unfortunately, it felt like it was "packed in elbow to elbow" on the lower deck and the captain was always wanting to move from spot to spot (it seemed like moving to try and find fishing hot spots used up more than half of our time). There was lots of space on the upper deck but it's hard to fish from that high up.

My suggestion, be willing to pay for a small, private charter. If you're serious about fishing, this is the only way to go, IMO.

[Cruzan2k]

I did the wharfcat a few years back myself. It was okay, but not the greatest.
I did catch my limit tho..

[Manu4Mayor]

Originally Posted by Cruzan2k

I did the wharfcat a few years back myself. It was okay, but not the greatest.
I did catch my limit tho..

I'm glad to see you did well Cruzan (catching your limit). I wish we could have. If we didn't move so much, we might have had that chance.

[Cruzan2k]

Yeah I do remember moving around allot. Its like Drop em, and 5 min later,
Reel em in, where gonna move to a better spot!. I had this old lady next to
me pulling in 30inch amberjacks like they were nothing, and my 26inch amberjacks
had me out of breath lol....SHE WAS KICKING MY AZZ!!!

[Manu4Mayor]

Originally Posted by Cruzan2k

Yeah I do remember moving around allot. Its like Drop em, and 5 min later,
Reel em in, where gonna move to a better spot!. I had this old lady next to
me pulling in 30inch amberjacks like they were nothing, and my 26inch amberjacks
had me out of breath lol....SHE WAS KICKING MY AZZ!!!

I know. There was a few times I didn't even have the chance to throw my line out. My Mom was getting hers tangled a lot. We were packed in pretty close and she kept wrapping her line around my Dad's and brother's lines shortly after they had cast. By the time I untangled her it was time to move on. At least we left with one 20 lb fish. Too bad the thing wasn't very tasty and worth taking home. We ended up giving it away to a local fisherman who cut it up and use it for bait.

[Cruzan2k]

I had a friend catch a huge Tuna that day. I also caught a couple of blacktips.
They made for good shark steaks.
I used to go down every summer with a good AF buddie.

[ladyspur]

Does it make you seasick?

Im just wondering cause Ive never done deep sea fishing.

[Cruzan2k]

Originally Posted by ladyspur

Does it make you seasick?

Im just wondering cause Ive never done deep sea fishing.

I grew up near the beach, Did allot of fishing when younger, so
Im pretty used to it. But if your stomach isnt feeling too well,
or you havent eaten something, I dont care how sea worthy you
think you are, you still might get sick.

[ladyspur]

Originally Posted by Cruzan2k

I grew up near the beach, Did allot of fishing when younger, so
Im pretty used to it. But if your stomach isnt feeling too well,
or you havent eaten something, I dont care how sea worthy you
think you are, you still might get sick.

I guess maybe getting some of that motion sickness medicine might work, huh?

[Cruzan2k]

Originally Posted by ladyspur

I guess maybe getting some of that motion sickness medicine might work, huh?

That helps some people.
I remember taking my son fishing once,,,He took those. Didnt up-chuck,
but still ended up feeling like crap. I had a great time fishing tho

[ladyspur]

Originally Posted by Cruzan2k

That helps some people.
I remember taking my son fishing once,,,He took those. Didnt up-chuck,
but still ended up feeling like crap. I had a great time fishing tho

They work for me when Im flying.

[Hec]

It's not deep sea fishing, but you can catch alot of fish (shark included) and it is cheap. The place is in Port Aransas, by the ferry landing (right across from Whataburger) it is called Woody's. It was like $12 and they took you for 2-3 hours out to the bay. There wasn't too many people, they only take so many. You didn't have to bring anything with you, they provided it all. An ice chest is a good idea though because you do catch a lot of fish. Most of the fish caught were 2 foot sharks, spadefish, lots of reds, sea trout and of course hardheads. There were some other fish that were pulled out, but I don't remember what they were.

My boys are 12 and 13, so this trip is fine with them. We go to Port A for about 3 days and we go out on 2 occassions, once in the morning and once at night. They have a blast. If you're a hardcore fisherman that likes to land marlin and other big, big fish then this isn't the trip for you. I think your dad may enjoy it though.

[Cruzan2k]

I never did do that, but sounds great!

[FoldedSpace]

I was kind of hoping to book a 6 or 8 hour trip. What do you do if you want to throw the fish back? I love to fish, but just don't want to eat anything I catch.

[Cruzan2k]

Just be careful when bringing them up. Dont rush them to the surface, there bladders might blow out of their mouths and you can kill them.....Just bring em up gently and
once in your hand remove hook, most deck hands carry pliers with them. I suggest
you take a pair of needlenose with you. Remove hook and toss it back carefully.

[Crashtec8]

About 10 years ago my Dad took me, my Brother, and two of my friends on the Warfcat. There were 8ft swells that day and the catamaran was climbing up those swells and CRASHING down them over and over.....and over....and over....and...Well we were all sitting inside and CRAMPED because the water was gushing over the boat as we were crashing each time and no one could be outside without being swept off the boat.

(Sitting here in my chair right now thinking about it, I almost feel the terrible motion of that craft)

We were sitting at a booth inside and I was crammed between my two friends. We all took the motion sickness pills the night before but I could tell I wasn't going to make it. I had no idea where the restroom was and there was no way I could make it to them without falling over people so I took off my Longhorn baseball cap and looked at the inside and realized this was the only thing I had to try to prevent everyone from being covered in my puke. I let loose and I felt like Chunk on the Goonies, hurling, making a horrific noise and everyone looked over and people began getting sick all around us. It was unfortunate that the baseball cap has the little holes in the top as the puke began running back and forth over the table as the craft shifted up and down.

We made it out to the fishing spot near an oil rig out in the gulf and by that time the chain reaction had caught nearly half the passengers including my two friends. My Dad used to be a Paratrooper and has an iron stomach for motion sickness. My brother didnt puke but he was still too sick to fish and slept inside on the bench the whole time.

I tried to go outsideand get some fresh air. I looked at the horizon and saw nothing but water and an oil rig. I looked all the way around us and there was nothing I got freaked out and moved between a family fishing and hurled. I sat down and decided not to look at the horizon and just look at my feet on the bench with my head down. I only saw my feet and started to feel the rocking over and over again and I jumped up and hurled. Luckily I was hurling over the side of the boat. One of my friends wasn't as lucky and decided to go to the bow of the boat and hurl. Unfortunately he hurled when the Bow was at its peak in the rocking and was coming down and his puke came right back in his face.

I was feeling a bit better after a while. I was walking around green in the face and looking at what people were catching. I noticed a woman caught a sheepshead and the deckhand came over to put it on the stringer. The sheepshead are very thin fish with eyes on either side of its head and the deckhad simply slammed the stringer through one eye and out the other eye and then threw it back in the water. I hurled.

I was so happy to get back to dry land. I felt bad for wasting the trip and the money my Dad spent on it but I didn't know I'd get sick. He had a good time fishing though, while the boys and I fed the fish our gumbo from the night before.

[Rancher]

Originally Posted by Crashtec8

About 10 years ago my Dad took me, my Brother, and two of my friends on the Warfcat. There were 8ft swells that day and the catamaran was climbing up those swells and CRASHING down them over and over.....and over....and over....and...Well we were all sitting inside and CRAMPED because the water was gushing over the boat as we were crashing each time and no one could be outside without being swept off the boat.

(Sitting here in my chair right now thinking about it, I almost feel the terrible motion of that craft)

We were sitting at a booth inside and I was crammed between my two friends. We all took the motion sickness pills the night before but I could tell I wasn't going to make it. I had no idea where the restroom was and there was no way I could make it to them without falling over people so I took off my Longhorn baseball cap and looked at the inside and realized this was the only thing I had to try to prevent everyone from being covered in my puke. I let loose and I felt like Chunk on the Goonies, hurling, making a horrific noise and everyone looked over and people began getting sick all around us. It was unfortunate that the baseball cap has the little holes in the top as the puke began running back and forth over the table as the craft shifted up and down.

We made it out to the fishing spot near an oil rig out in the gulf and by that time the chain reaction had caught nearly half the passengers including my two friends. My Dad used to be a Paratrooper and has an iron stomach for motion sickness. My brother didnt puke but he was still too sick to fish and slept inside on the bench the whole time.

I tried to go outsideand get some fresh air. I looked at the horizon and saw nothing but water and an oil rig. I looked all the way around us and there was nothing I got freaked out and moved between a family fishing and hurled. I sat down and decided not to look at the horizon and just look at my feet on the bench with my head down. I only saw my feet and started to feel the rocking over and over again and I jumped up and hurled. Luckily I was hurling over the side of the boat. One of my friends wasn't as lucky and decided to go to the bow of the boat and hurl. Unfortunately he hurled when the Bow was at its peak in the rocking and was coming down and his puke came right back in his face.

I was feeling a bit better after a while. I was walking around green in the face and looking at what people were catching. I noticed a woman caught a sheepshead and the deckhand came over to put it on the stringer. The sheepshead are very thin fish with eyes on either side of its head and the deckhad simply slammed the stringer through one eye and out the other eye and then threw it back in the water. I hurled.

I was so happy to get back to dry land. I felt bad for wasting the trip and the money my Dad spent on it but I didn't know I'd get sick. He had a good time fishing though, while the boys and I fed the fish our gumbo from the night before.

Try Deep Sea headquarters, and the Dolphin Docks. Both have party boats and are OK,

The Gulf Eagle out of Deep Sea Headquarters is what I like to go on, and the good thing is most people get sick so there is more room.

If you have the coin, temptation charters is Very Nice, good boat, great captain.

[TjMaxx]

Try these guys. There are out of Port Aransas and very reasonable. The captain is a great fisherman. We always do well.

http://www.gsmarineinc.com/

[FoldedSpace]

How crowded does the Gulf Eagle from DSH get?

And how much does G&S Marine charge for a charter?

Thanks!