# What are these boats doing?



## Fishin' Soldier

I was messing around with google earth looking at past images to look for structure and other stuff at low tide. Using the historical imagery tool, I found these boats doing donuts all over the bay. Any one know what they are doing? 3 were on the same day. One was from 2008.


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## Bayman

Oyster boats.


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## JPO

Tending to crab traps is my guess


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## iridered2003

Bayman said:


> Oyster boats.


yep


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## Fishin' Soldier

iridered2003 said:


> yep


I was thinking that but didnt know how exactly they harvested the oysters. Guess this will point out the reefs pretty quick.


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## Ag03Aj

making oyster bed circles similar to crop circles


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## CaptainHebert

Yep oyster boats. Round and round all day.


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## iridered2003

Fishin' Soldier said:


> I was thinking that but didnt know how exactly they harvested the oysters. Guess this will point out the reefs pretty quick.


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## Aggie2000tx

That is interesting


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## saltwatersensations

Yep oyster boats.


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## Tortuga

and if you're fishing Hannas Reef don't get in their way... they will run you right over...and even go a little out of their way to do so if they want to...lol


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## merle

Aliens. Those are water circles so other aliens will know where to go and catch all our fish.


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## Shady Walls

Dang potlickers!


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## scend irie

I do that every time I go out. Thought everybody did.


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## justletmein

That's what I do when a potlicker shows up. :mpd:


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## bigfishtx

Pulling dredges. Google Oyster dredge.


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## jtburf

Just kids out on their dads oyster boat doing donuts!!!!


John


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## MARK MACALUSO

Dragging for either shrimp or oysters...


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## HTownBoi281

Oyster boats


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## WillieT

I learned something. Thanks.


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## fultonswimmer

Looks like recent activity in Copano and/or Lavaca Bay. Pretty soon all those reefs will be history!


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## slabseeker

Yep, oyster boats, was fishing with A Guide a few years back on Hana's reef in EGB. Saw this boat come out in front of us about 500 yards and drop this buoy marker. the next thing we new, there was about 30 ouster boats coming right at us and going everywhere. it was the start of the ouster season we guessed. it was crazy. we had one boat almost run us over. we had to move to a different location. crazy....


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## Trouthappy

Looks like the bays have ringworms. The oyster boats rip up the bottom and keep the bay nice and muddy. Oysters actually filter the water and clean it. So do menhaden, but they're heavily targeted too.


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## troutsupport

fultonswimmer said:


> Looks like recent activity in Copano and/or Lavaca Bay. Pretty soon all those reefs will be history!


While it does some damage, oysters can regrow new reef in less than 3 months. As long as there is enough oyster remaining on the bottom after a dredging, then the juvenile 'spat' can attach themselves and continue to form new oyster and reef. Fortunately for us, there raking systems aren't the most efficient and frequently leave plenty of oyster shell remains behind each time. They'll also dredge up oysters that were covered with mud and thereby extend the life of the reef. It's all good.


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## The Last Mango

Oystermen are yall's friend, believe it!


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## Fishin' Soldier

troutsupport said:


> While it does some damage, oysters can regrow new reef in less than 3 months. As long as there is enough oyster remaining on the bottom after a dredging, then the juvenile 'spat' can attach themselves and continue to form new oyster and reef. Fortunately for us, there raking systems aren't the most efficient and frequently leave plenty of oyster shell remains behind each time. They'll also dredge up oysters that were covered with mud and thereby extend the life of the reef. It's all good.


Im not complaining, I sure do love to eat em!!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk


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## speckcaster

donuts.......of course!


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## big3slayer

******* off potlickers


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## Txislandguy

scend irie said:


> I do that every time I go out. Thought everybody did.


Funny!


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## reelgame04

big3slayer said:


> ******* off potlickers


One way of doing it to keep them away

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk -


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## Fishin' Magician

You'll know when they're close, sounds like banging trash cans.


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