# Texas Party Boats in La Waters



## whos your daddy (Jun 2, 2004)

FYI- Interesting read about Texas Party Boats in La waters.

http://www.thehulltruth.com/gulf-coast/319431-texas-party-boats-fishing-la-waters.html


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## chuck richey (May 22, 2004)

Mark, I've been watching that thread since it was started. I guess that they think they own all the fish off of the La coast and no one else can fish for them.


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## ProjectDrift (Nov 9, 2010)

*???*

I think they do bring up some interesting points. I do not totally agree with them by any means but I do believe we all must take part in making sure our fishery is here in the years to come.

What is everyone else's thoughts?


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

I find it hilarious and more than a bit hypocritical that the La. captains teeing off there say they don't take near that many fish.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

The last trip they took they had app. 100 yellowfin, with 40 anglers. They didn't even get a trip limit.


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Didn't go on the Big E but we took a few from over there about a week ago and contibuted to the local economy - liquor/beer, gas, bait, ice, but we didn't take advantage of the lingerie show that happens at the local bar in Venice on Wed/Thurs and missed the oil wrestling show on Friday. Oh well, if they let us Texans over there again I'll at least go to the oil wrestling show









It would be interesting to know how many locals actually go to that area of Green's Canyon since there really is not much of a reason to go. These were from a "few" miles outside of the pass.

No matter what I like those Cajun folk,
AGF


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## etan (Oct 12, 2004)

The Scat Cat pictures they posted weren't caught in LA waters but at Perdido down south. I am in the bottom picture so I can vouch for that trip for sure. I live in Port A and watch all the ScatCat trips return and I don't know of a trip to La waters. Are we getting the blame for the decreased fishing at the lump also?


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## ProjectDrift (Nov 9, 2010)

Decreased fishing at the lump is all LA charter boats, but very few charter guys will even fish Green Canyon unless they just have to.....


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## drfishalot (Sep 9, 2004)

I wondered about the scat cat going there from the pic. that would be a loooooong boat ride


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## Roger (Aug 12, 2005)

I live over in in Louisiana. It doesn't bother me one bit. I read the thread and all I did was shake my head. The water all the head boats are fishing are in federal waters not state waters. Nobody's go'n over the limit. If they want to make that boat ride, let 'em go for it. I just don't see a problem......JMO


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## High Hopes (Oct 10, 2007)

You can't blame a decreased number of fish solely on a couple of party boats, you know how fing many tuna I have seen taken by small charter in Louisiana, It's ridiculous. Oh, and the fish they are fishing for is "highly Migratory" not a reef fish, they don't just swim around the floater their whole life. What about long liners and purse seiners, that do the real damage to the yellow fin population? Do these same fish not migrate to the parts of the oceans where these things take place? 

Oh, what about the shrimp and menhaden fisheries taking all of these bait fish that the fish out there would otherwise be out there eating, getting fat and reproducing in greater numbers. 

So a bunch of lucky sperm clubbers get to go out there and enjoy the tuna fishery all on their own? What if those forty people on that boat each had their own boat, and each took a trip out to the same area, what kind of damage would that do to the fishery? 

I think they are just mad because some boys from Texas are casting poppers in their back yard.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Aw heck, us Texans don't like the commercial boats and Florida boats, thinking it's "our" waters, but in truth those waters are for any American citizen with the means to go catch a fish. At least it ain't the Ruskies taking all those fish like in the early 70s before Magnuson-Stevens.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

Swells said:


> Aw heck, us Texans don't like the commercial boats and Florida boats, thinking it's "our" waters, but in truth those waters are for any American citizen with the means to go catch a fish. At least it ain't the Ruskies taking all those fish like in the early 70s before Magnuson-Stevens.


exactly! some of the same people *****ing about the THT thread would be screaming bloody murder if we had headboats and after raping our fishery were fishing off the texas coast catching whatever ya'll have an abundance of like tilefish or snapper.

the fact that the big E fishes the canyon does not bother me - it's the fact that ya'll's fishery has been depleted to the point that they HAVE to ride 300 miles over here to consistantly catch fish that bothers me.

if you guys don't think a 1 fish yft limit is on the horizon you better think again. then the big E is gonna be out of business along with the louisiana charter fleet. conservation is the key guys - you've got to leave some for the next time. what the hell is a guy gonna do with 3 80lb yft anyway? after 2 months in the freezer it ain't fit to eat. I'll be most of it gets fed to the cats after your old lady cleans out the freezer next year..:smile:


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## doughboy361 (Mar 5, 2010)

i wonder if the guys on the THT forum gonna start making a big deal if texas start hauling there boats down there to fish??


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

doughboy361 said:


> i wonder if the guys on the THT forum gonna start making a big deal if texas start hauling there boats down there to fish??


David (AGF) hauled his boat over here 2 weeks ago and left it for a few months and we are glad to have him. he's even extended an invitation to fish with him which I plan on taking him up on. like he said in his post he spends money over here contributing to the economy while participating in our fishery in an ethical manner. I also had a nice chat with some guys from houston in a yellow makee craft at the marina the other day.


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## 11andy11 (Aug 12, 2004)

luna sea II said:


> David (AGF) hauled his boat over here 2 weeks ago and left it for a few months and we are glad to have him. he's even extended an invitation to fish with him which I plan on taking him up on. like he said in his post he spends money over here contributing to the economy while participating in our fishery in an ethical manner. I also had a nice chat with some guys from houston in a yellow makee craft at the marina the other day.


isn't it everybodys fishery if the fish were caught in Federal waters??


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## capt4fish (Dec 4, 2004)

*Not True*



luna sea II said:


> exactly! some of the same people *****ing about the THT thread would be screaming bloody murder if we had headboats and after raping our fishery were fishing off the texas coast catching whatever ya'll have an abundance of like tilefish or snapper.
> 
> the fact that the big E fishes the canyon does not bother me - it's the fact that ya'll's fishery has been depleted to the point that they HAVE to ride 300 miles over here to consistantly catch fish that bothers me.
> 
> if you guys don't think a 1 fish yft limit is on the horizon you better think again. then the big E is gonna be out of business along with the louisiana charter fleet. conservation is the key guys - you've got to leave some for the next time. what the hell is a guy gonna do with 3 80lb yft anyway? after 2 months in the freezer it ain't fit to eat. I'll be most of it gets fed to the cats after your old lady cleans out the freezer next year..:smile:


There is absolutely NO FACT that our tuna fishery is depleted. Since the weather and water cooled off the tuna bite has been super strong at every spar rig we have. If you don't fish here, you really don't know that. The last two summers the tuna fishing has slowed down about mid july through september. I believe it has everything to do with water temps and currents and abosolutely nothing to do with overfishing.

The FACT remains that there is not a single documented case of any fish stock being depleted by recreational hook and line fisherman. End of story.

That being said, those fish are in federal waters, they belong to every american that wants to fish for them on a head boat or a private boat or a charter boat.

The guys complaining don't own the fish. When the day comes that they are hatching and raising the fish, then and only then can they claim ownership of the tuna, snapper, etc.

Tight Lines,

Kenneth


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## SeaCreecherJR. (Oct 14, 2010)

I have been to Venice and chartered a boat last year for a tuna trip.One major point these Louisiana guys are missing is the # of charter boats running out of there own ports, and the # of yft they are bringing home.
I would say there was close to a dozen charter boats going out the day we were there and it was a rough *** winter day. 

That being said do the math say 10 boats with an average of 3 clients a boat. That's 60 yft a day with a 2 fish limit. These guys run ALOT more than just one day a week. Their probably bringing in close to 7500 yft a year. (just the Venice fleet alone)Big E only runs around 2 trips a month and I'm pretty sure they don't run all the way over there every trip.

I'm pretty young and would like to see my daughter grow up to enjoy the same kind of fishing I enjoy with my dad today so I'm all about smart conservation. 

But IMO these guys are just ticked off about people not spending the money over there for these trips.


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## danmanfish (Jun 17, 2010)

Scat Cat traveling to LA waters.. thats a tough story to swallow.. the Big E probably and thats about it so where is their claim of multiple TX headboats?? The Big E may run once a month if that and it would be on the longer trips not a 36 hr trip...


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## SpecialK (Mar 20, 2007)

I just put a post up on THT with som emath to this effect.... 
Plus does anyone else fin it a bit hypocritical of charter captains to gripe about someone else making money off fishing? 
I like fishing on the head boats, especially in the winter... They are comfortable. 
That being said, you probably won't catch me on one headed for the green canyon again. Fishing is good but that is one heck of a boat ride.


SeaCreecherJR. said:


> I have been to Venice and chartered a boat last year for a tuna trip.One major point these Louisiana guys are missing is the # of charter boats running out of there own ports, and the # of yft they are bringing home.
> I would say there was close to a dozen charter boats going out the day we were there and it was a rough *** winter day.
> 
> That being said do the math say 10 boats with an average of 3 clients a boat. That's 60 yft a day with a 2 fish limit. These guys run ALOT more than just one day a week. Their probably bringing in close to 7500 yft a year. (just the Venice fleet alone)Big E only runs around 2 trips a month and I'm pretty sure they don't run all the way over there every trip.
> ...


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## jamisjockey (Jul 30, 2009)

Truth and THT don't go hand in hand. Also, the pricks at THT make the jungle look like a daycare.


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## DRILHER (Apr 4, 2010)

This is not LA. waters it is U.S. Waters. Lousiana has no control that far offshore. Any limits that were imposed would apply to everyone. I know it would be nice if everyone left the fish alone for you to catch. But everyone has the same right to fish in U.S. waters. We need to the rigs back drilling in the gulf so we have more options. Alot of the rigs have allready left overseas and won't be back for sometime if ever. Thanks Obama for that. Go catch yours before they catch'em all.


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## Day0ne (Jan 14, 2006)

I like that they claimed all the garden banks as being off of LA. They need to look at a map. Close but no seegar


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## impulse (Mar 17, 2010)

DRILHER said:


> This is not LA. waters it is U.S. Waters. Lousiana has no control that far offshore. Any limits that were imposed would apply to everyone. I know it would be nice if everyone left the fish alone for you to catch. But everyone has the same right to fish in U.S. waters.


Not 100% true. Each state can limit the number of federally caught fish UNLOADED on a dock within the state, or in possession in state waters.



DRILHER said:


> Alot of the rigs have allready left overseas and won't be back for sometime if ever. Thanks Obama for that.


You forgot to thank BP.


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

I agree 100% since we consistantly catch great tuna year after year at our spars and some alarmist say we are depleting the "stock" - of HMS really. While I love to fish the LA waters and the structure number and type are unique we have a great fishery here with our own unique structure e.g Hilltops and our billfishery is as good as it gets can you say Double Grand Slam! This internet beaching is funny since the Scat Cat that is depicted in the THT thread caught those at Peridido. Some igit is really hit the mother load on the troll. I don't think with the yield that the Big E got on the Green's trip that they will travel that far again but who knows. Not a big fan of the Headboats but they are within their rights.

Any rate I am still up for the oil wrestling when I head back to Venice,

AGF



capt4fish said:


> There is absolutely NO FACT that our tuna fishery is depleted. Since the weather and water cooled off the tuna bite has been super strong at every spar rig we have. If you don't fish here, you really don't know that. The last two summers the tuna fishing has slowed down about mid july through september. I believe it has everything to do with water temps and currents and abosolutely nothing to do with overfishing.
> 
> The FACT remains that there is not a single documented case of any fish stock being depleted by recreational hook and line fisherman. End of story.
> 
> ...


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## Trouthappy (Jun 12, 2008)

If the Barf Cat and the Scat Cat wouldn't pile fish on hot concrete for glory pictures, as they've done for 25 years, it wouldn't annoy people so much. They even did that with sharks during summer...their glory pictures probably helped shape the drastic limits placed on sharks. The picture in the Louisiana forum is particularly grotesque.


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## etan (Oct 12, 2004)

The Scat Cat doesn't put the fish on the hot concrete. They cool the concrete with water, cover it with tarps, and put ice on the tarps. The ice is clearly visible in the bottom picture on the THT thread.


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## LaDiver (Nov 17, 2009)

Day0ne said:


> I like that they claimed all the garden banks as being off of LA. They need to look at a map. Close but no seegar


Are you serious? The floaters in garden bank are 180 due south of mid louisiana. They are in federal waters, but 100% not even close to the texas state line. NO seegar for you. You need to get a new map


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## DRILHER (Apr 4, 2010)

impulse said:


> Not 100% true. Each state can limit the number of federally caught fish UNLOADED on a dock within the state, or in possession in state waters.
> 
> You forgot to thank BP.


 Thank you BP for putting spars in the gulf that we catch tuna around
Thank you Obama for closing drilling in the gulf so alot of my friends lost their jobs.
The head boats don't take their catch to lousiana docks


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## [email protected] Sportfishing (Jun 10, 2005)

There is no way that party boats are not hurting our fishery. I also think that 4 stroke outboards have hurt it too. As far as our Texas party boats going to LA, well they started doing this because they have hell catching enough fish here!


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## Scott (May 24, 2004)

I would think commercial guys to a whole lot worse..... just out of sight....


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## lucas_shane (Mar 9, 2009)

impulse said:


> Not 100% true. Each state can limit the number of federally caught fish UNLOADED on a dock within the state, or in possession in state waters.
> 
> the boat in question here docks in TEXAS !


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## lucas_shane (Mar 9, 2009)

if yall think its bad that one of the boats is traveling the great distant to fish the federal waters off the LA coastline then what are yall going to do when one or THREE of these head boat companys pull roots out of Texas and move to LA ???????

now theres yall something to think and fuss about !!!!!


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## [email protected] Sportfishing (Jun 10, 2005)

I wish they would pull up and get the hell out of Texas! All they do is hurt the fishery.


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

Bye, bye


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## teckersley (May 25, 2004)

Mossy Oak said:


> I wish they would pull up and get the hell out of Texas! All they do is hurt the fishery.


Now that is a great idea. Just look at how many close in spots they can fish and the savings on fuel. Wouldn't be missed around here for sure.


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## [email protected] Sportfishing (Jun 10, 2005)

I won't fish on them here but it would be nice to fish on one in LA!!! 45 mile ride and 2-3 days of great fishing!!!!


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## WilliamH (May 21, 2004)

How long of a trip is it from Port A to the LA fishing grounds?


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## [email protected] Sportfishing (Jun 10, 2005)

Port A to Auger is 246 NM. Thats the far western end on LA waters.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

lucas_shane said:


> if yall think its bad that one of the boats is traveling the great distant to fish the federal waters off the LA coastline then what are yall going to do when one or THREE of these head boat companys pull roots out of Texas and move to LA ???????
> 
> now theres yall something to think and fuss about !!!!!


things are a little different over here. those boats wouldn't have much of a client base in LA and the owners would grow tired of finding their boats sitting on the bottom at the dock. folks over here tend to take matters in thier own hands.:wink:


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

I bet they would get popular real quick. How could you say a 100ft boat that can go out in 8 to 100 ft seas wouldnt be popular there. I beg to differ. They would cut the cost of that $1500 dollar charter real quick and only run a 1/4 of the distance they do here


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## RockportRobert (Dec 29, 2006)

With the number of LA boats dragging our oyster reefs to pieces (which are undeniably in state waters) I'd say that the post is hypocritical at best, and more likely just made by a juvenile-minded whiner.


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## ProjectDrift (Nov 9, 2010)

*This bothers me more than anything the Big E can do...*

A lot of people may not agree with what the Big E does in terms of the amount of fish they haul and where they fish. All in all they are not breaking any law but just ******* a few folks off. What bothers me is that none of us really talk about how to control the true "commercial" side of our fishery. Pogey boats over in Miss. hual thousands of pounds of fish dailey and do way more harm than a head boat. Do you think these Pogey boats are truly sorting the fish? Doubtful being some of them have on board processing and grinding of the fish....

Pogey boat example:


__
https://flic.kr/p/2786011508


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## GulfStar (Jun 10, 2010)

*My Thoughts Also*



lucas_shane said:


> if yall think its bad that one of the boats is traveling the great distant to fish the federal waters off the LA coastline then what are yall going to do when one or THREE of these head boat companys pull roots out of Texas and move to LA ???????
> 
> now theres yall something to think and fuss about !!!!!


 I agree with Lucas on this one, but from a different angle. I don't believe it's the fear of headboats depleting the resource that is the main concern in Venice, but COMPETITION. 
Look at the west coast, and how there are plenty of headboats and anglers who totally enjoy that type of fishing. Special long range trips and the like, while keeping down the price for individuals. Some folks prefer to fish comfortably, heated cabins, bunks, full galleys with cooks, etc. etc. Cost, 3/4 day trip $95, 2 day trip $250, 8 day trip 2,500.
As we know, Venice on the other hand leans towards center console boats, faster and shorter trips. Average daily rate $1,200 for six persons, overnight swordfish trip $2,400. 
Headboat fishing does not appeal to me, but everyone has right to fish any way they want that's legal. Just for fun look at this west coast boat (intrepid http://fishintrepid.com) and think if a trip would interest you or any of your friends. Could you imagine the uproar that thing would cause if it were to anchor near the Lump on a nice crowded day? How about a bus with an accompanying cargo truck bringing in anglers from New Orleans while the wife stays in town and shops, no reason to stay in a Venice hotel. That's the true fear, loss of money, not fish.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

Hotrod said:


> I bet they would get popular real quick. How could you say a 100ft boat that can go out in 8 to 100 ft seas wouldnt be popular there. I beg to differ. They would cut the cost of that $1500 dollar charter real quick and only run a 1/4 of the distance they do here


maybe but I don't think so. I've fished headboats and it's just not the same experience as a smaller boat. tangles, idiots, seasicks, etc. turn me off. also keep in mind that the $1500 (actually 1200-1300 + fuel) on a private charter is split between 4-6 people. a private charter allows the clients to actually learn fishing techniques and see the ecosystem from the perspective of a man who depends on it for his living.


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## mad marlin (Jan 17, 2008)

Scott ,Men dont take it so hearten .
Generalizing its not a wise statement , not everybody on those boats are smelly or idiots . I for once fish the party boat & more specifically the Big E & you know it. i dont think that the fishery whether in TX or LA waters are in danger cause of the Big E or any other party boats are fishing this/those waters , you know better that anybody.
None of this partys boats are braking any laws further more they realy reinforce the limits & protect our fishery.
YES the catch fish but also the smaller boats DO . I think the LA folks might be upset cause there are not any boat/s that could fish those outers floaters , may fishermens jealousy ? Surely NOT to bash a single boat cause has fished the GC twice this year & had a good bite.
PEACE


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## BretABaker (Dec 31, 2008)

OK - answer the following questions please:

- Who owns the Hudson Canyon?
- Who owns Stellwagen Bank?
- who owns jeffries bank?
- Who owns George's Bank? Grand Banks?
- Who owns the Atlantic Princess?
- Who owns the mudhole?
- who owns compass rose?
- who owns wilmington canyon?
- who owns cape may reef?

unfortunately, you just dont get it.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

mad marlin said:


> Scott ,Men dont take it so hearten .
> Generalizing its not a wise statement , not everybody on those boats are smelly or idiots . I for once fish the party boat & more specifically the Big E & you know it. i dont think that the fishery whether in TX or LA waters are in danger cause of the Big E or any other party boats are fishing this/those waters , you know better that anybody.
> None of this partys boats are braking any laws further more they realy reinforce the limits & protect our fishery.
> YES the catch fish but also the smaller boats DO . I think the LA folks might be upset cause there are not any boat/s that could fish those outers floaters , may fishermens jealousy ? Surely NOT to bash a single boat cause has fished the GC twice this year & had a good bite.
> PEACE


Anthony, if you 've read what I wrote in this thread and the THT thread you saw I was not bashing the fishermen or even the big E. Hotrod said he thought these types of boats would take off over here and I said I didn't think so and explained my rational and related my experience with headboats not the big E in particular. i am aware that guys who go on 60-80hr trips on the big E are not average headboat clients.

my beef with the big E has nothing to do with them fishing the canyon but with the fact that they now have to run 300 miles to catch tuna when in past years this was not necessary. I firmly believe this is due to fishing pressure and have mentioned this in past threads. almost everyone I meet from Texas says the same thing: "our fishing sucks and ya'll don't realize how lucky you are to have a fishery like you do". you cannot have 10 private boats at every one of the 3 floaters off texas every night during the warm months along with 5 headboats plus 10 more private boats on the weekends and expect to have a viable fishery. that's just too many people trying to catch too few fish and the catches this summer reflected that.

almost all the charter captains in Venice adhere to a 2 fish per person limit. I usually stop at 1 per person on my boat and go catch something else. a typical summertime trip for us is 4-5 tuna, a limit of jacks, a limit of snapper, and a few grouper plus maybe a dolphin or some other incidentals. this is plenty of meat for everyone even guys that only fish with me once a year. how much fish, especially tuna, does a man need?

again, a 1 fish limit on yft is on the horizon. if we don't regulate ourselves the government will - just look at amberjack, grouper, red snapper, bluefin tuna, etc.

and yes there are alot of private boats out of GI and Fourchon along with a couple of charters that fish the deep canyon rigs. we made the long run out of Venice back in sept. because of the closures but in normal times that is not necessary for us. these rigs are 120 - 130nm from our ports.

Scott


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## mad marlin (Jan 17, 2008)

Hey Scott....Uhmm you called me stinky hahaha 
ill take normally after fishing a shower dont like to sleep smelly ishy.
Back to the topic , to me its not a big ol deal thought personally dont think We are in any type of danger when talking YFT population , Yes TX water might be short of YFT this year but look ar it now thay are all over I believe from what i can read from the reports.
The so mention it boat has gone to GC not because of the possible shortage of YFT in Tx waters but because they want it to explore new possibilities for thier clients and for conservations purposes most of all. 
Still dont understand why the LA folks are so ruffed for a 2 yft limit per person.
BTW did you got your package ?


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

mad marlin said:


> Hey Scott....Uhmm you called me stinky hahaha : D I
> ill take normally after fishing a shower dont like to sleep smelly ishy.
> Back to the topic , to me its not a big ol deal thought personally dont think We are in any type of danger when talking YFT population , Yes TX water might be short of YFT this year but look ar it now thay are all over I believe from what i can read from the reports.
> The so mention it boat has gone to GC not because of the possible shortage of YFT in Tx waters but because they want it to explore new possibilities for thier clients and for conservations purposes most of all.
> ...


not yet, did you get yours?


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

First of all they don't have to run that far since the grass (tuna) ain't greener on the otherside at Green Canyon. They didn't even catch what they would have at POOmpang and made their main catch was at Auger but whatever. The thought that the Texas tuna fishery is done - is one founded in a Bong Hit so puff away ding dongs. The LA fishery is a good one but never in the many times I have been there and got skunked did I blame it on the rec pressure or d-head boats. Yes skunked!!!! Look in the mirro lure beaches. These fish have swum the waters of the GOM before us monkeys were here and will continue to do so long after we have taken care of ourselves.

Suc me,
AGF


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## mad marlin (Jan 17, 2008)

affirmative , thank you


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

You do have to admit it's rather funny - them Louisiana charter boys selling fish on the side and rapin' the tuna like it was nobody else's business. Just gotta be careful with them yahoos, they're still mad because of a busted season and all that BP money - or no money and lawsuits - and they're pretty darn trigger happy. And hey, the real people they hate as their enemies down at Biloxi, Destin, and Orange Beach just don't make the cut I guess, easier to blame a very few long-range Texas boat trips even though them other folks are hog killin' fast as they can. Ain't no oil wrassling, mud wrassling, or Jello wrassling either, except if some dronk captain's wife flaps her titties and falls into a puddle. You have to admit, it's almost worth writin' a book!


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## doughboy361 (Mar 5, 2010)

$1200-$1300 + fuel my last trip came out to $1950



GulfStar said:


> I agree with Lucas on this one, but from a different angle. I don't believe it's the fear of headboats depleting the resource that is the main concern in Venice, but COMPETITION.
> Look at the west coast, and how there are plenty of headboats and anglers who totally enjoy that type of fishing. Special long range trips and the like, while keeping down the price for individuals. Some folks prefer to fish comfortably, heated cabins, bunks, full galleys with cooks, etc. etc. Cost, 3/4 day trip $95, 2 day trip $250, 8 day trip 2,500.
> As we know, Venice on the other hand leans towards center console boats, faster and shorter trips. Average daily rate $1,200 for six persons, overnight swordfish trip $2,400.
> Headboat fishing does not appeal to me, but everyone has right to fish any way they want that's legal. Just for fun look at this west coast boat (intrepid http://fishintrepid.com) and think if a trip would interest you or any of your friends. Could you imagine the uproar that thing would cause if it were to anchor near the Lump on a nice crowded day? How about a bus with an accompanying cargo truck bringing in anglers from New Orleans while the wife stays in town and shops, no reason to stay in a Venice hotel. That's the true fear, loss of money, not fish.


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## lucas_shane (Mar 9, 2009)

i missed my trip to venice with capt eddie this yr because of the oil. so we rebooked with the Paparda Rey and had an awesome trip. We will still go back and give Eddie a hand full of cash and go out with him. I have always fished head boats cause the pockets arnt as deep as other folks. Each to thier own I guess. I LOVED the feel of the private charter and will do more and more as the check book allows. But on the same note I have booked head boats with 25 in my group when there was only like 30 spots total. It is nice to fish with that many of your fellow friends at the same time ! IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET ON BOARD WITH 20 OR 30 OF CLOSE BUDDIES AND FISH VENICE !


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## fishingtwo (Feb 23, 2009)

lucas_shane said:


> i missed my trip to venice with capt eddie this yr because of the oil. so we rebooked with the Paparda Rey and had an awesome trip. We will still go back and give Eddie a hand full of cash and go out with him. I have always fished head boats cause the pockets arnt as deep as other folks. Each to thier own I guess. I LOVED the feel of the private charter and will do more and more as the check book allows. But on the same note I have booked head boats with 25 in my group when there was only like 30 spots total. It is nice to fish with that many of your fellow friends at the same time ! IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET ON BOARD WITH 20 OR 30 OF CLOSE BUDDIES AND FISH VENICE !


good idea-they got head boats in venice?


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

fishingtwo said:


> good idea-they got head boats in venice?


Naw I can't find nary a one.


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## LaDiver (Nov 17, 2009)

Always-Gone-Fishing said:


> First of all they don't have to run that far since the grass (tuna) ain't greener on the otherside at Green Canyon. They didn't even catch what they would have at POOmpang and made their main catch was at Auger but whatever. The thought that the Texas tuna fishery is done - is one founded in a Bong Hit so puff away ding dongs. The LA fishery is a good one but never in the many times I have been there and got skunked did I blame it on the rec pressure or d-head boats. Yes skunked!!!! Look in the mirro lure beaches. These fish have swum the waters of the GOM before us monkeys were here and will continue to do so long after we have taken care of ourselves.
> 
> Suc me,
> AGF


You do realize that Auger is not even close to texas waters right?? It is 180 due south of mid Louisiana. If the fishing is so good in texas, why are these goons running all the way to garden bank and green canyon??
Don't fool yourself big e riders...your fishing is screwed from what these party boats have done to it making runs like this. If you can't see this, the future of our fishery scares the **** out of me. I think you know it, but are in denial. The big e and scat cat are bowling balls that destroy everything in their path. Even a dumb *** cajun can figure that out. What happens to a snapper rig after a commercial boat hits it?? The fishing struggles for quite sometime. It is no different after the big e pulls 100 yellowfin off a few rigs and countless blackfin.

Furthermore, boats like that would never make it over here. Going out with 40 dudes on a boat for 3 days throwing jigs and poppers over a rail just isn't our style. Not very sporty and doesn't sound the least bit fun. Pretty sure they would not get a warm welcome around here, and they would never survive. People would much rather give the business to the local guys who grew up fishing the area and actually give a sh!t about our coastal waters (yes I know they are federal).

FWIW, I have no problem with texas boats fishing waters south of La. I always try to help them out any way I can...but the big e is just a whole different ball game. And anyone who is a real conservationist and knows offshore fishing can see this.

Funny how most of the people standing up for these goons are the riders...the people with their own boats that see what they are doing want em gone. ha...coincidence I guess


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## fishingtwo (Feb 23, 2009)

yeh and you know they dont eat all that ******* fish!!
I agree that a lot of the same people fish it and sell their catch (illegal or not).
cause you aint gonna get a commercial lisence !
Its the big egos and careless attitudes that are at large here.


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## Margarita Mojo (Jan 30, 2006)

fishingtwo said:


> yeh and you know they dont eat all that ******* fish!!
> I agree that a lot of the same people fish it and sell their catch (illegal or not).
> cause you aint gonna get a commercial lisence !
> Its the big egos and careless attitudes that are at large here.


Been fishing the big E, Scat Cat and Deep Sea HQ for 5 years and also been out with Capt Eddie in Venice and with friends out of Venice on private boats and I have never thrown a piece of fish away or sold any. Maybe I am the only one. Oh and by the way, the avatar is on the back of Capt Eddie's boat!!

Joe


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## fishingtwo (Feb 23, 2009)

Margarita Mojo said:


> Been fishing the big E, Scat Cat and Deep Sea HQ for 5 years and also been out with Capt Eddie in Venice and with friends out of Venice on private boats and I have never thrown a piece of fish away or sold any. Maybe I am the only one. Oh and by the way, the avatar is on the back of Capt Eddie's boat!!
> 
> Joe


You are very admirable, and it is not the norm but it does happen.
My first trip was on the scat cat-been over 35 yrs ago 
Know it happens on the e-sad but true


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## TunaTango (Dec 6, 2009)

I've seen guys on the BIG E catch BlkFT after BlkFT and stack up like 20 or 30 fish on one trip! Normaly I say something like " Dam dude how many kids you gota feed" 

They just smile and keep stacking fish....... It bugs the *** out of me but what can you do.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

here's a little food for thought and my last word on this subject. Scott Avanzano, Kevin Beach, and a couple other Venice captains participated in a study right after huricane Katrina where they placed satalite tags in school tuna at the Elf and Medusa deepwater rigs. after all the data came back and was analyzed the conclusion was that these 40-70lb fish stayed in a 20-30mile area and went from rig to rig at regular intervals. this data was compiled in 2 months or so during the fall so they did not determine that the fish were totally non-migratory, only that they were during that period. 

with that in mind I have no doubt that northern gulf tuna are resident and probably stay in an 80 mile radius their entire lives unlike other populations of yft around the world. we have consistant water temps, plenty of structure (deepwater oil rigs along with seamounts), and plenty of food. I suspect western gulf tuna are the same way but what do I know? I'm just an idiot from south mississippi...

and that's all I have to say about that...

Scott


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## TunaTango (Dec 6, 2009)

Luna did you just use a Forrest Gump line...........:cop:

"and that's all I have to say about that"


Run Luna Run!!!! J/k man!


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

So is Cancun and they run where the conditions are good because they can. Did it anger you when the big yellow/orange party boat sat on the Lump season after season? Did they single handedly kill the Lump? I can see why you might be threatened by the Big E but all the head boats and recs combined can't impact the fishing one tenth the amount a longliner can so let's not forget the true threat. I think the Delta and Canyons are a very special place for all citizens to enjoy and practice conservation. Please don't make any judgments regarding our fishery unless you fish it and you are welcome to fish here on my boat anytime you wish. We should have a beer when I come over there and talk about anything but the Big E.

Oh the same thing Forrest said,
AGF



LaDiver said:


> You do realize that Auger is not even close to texas waters right?? It is 180 due south of mid Louisiana. If the fishing is so good in texas, why are these goons running all the way to garden bank and green canyon??


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## mako (Nov 10, 2004)

The cattle boats ARE going to have a negative impact on the tuna fishery off Texas, if they haven't already...and I would be ****** if we had party boats from LA coming over to fish out floaters..so I can understand their contention. Nothing like seeing a head boat pull in with 500 blackfin and 100 yellowfin; and you can't tell me that doesn't affect the population when you have 3 other companies doing the same every weekend.


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## EndTuition (May 24, 2004)

I read most of the thread on THT, and all I could think was "This is the pot calling the kettle black".


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## LaDiver (Nov 17, 2009)

Always-Gone-Fishing said:


> So is Cancun and they run where the conditions are good because they can. Did it anger you when the big yellow/orange party boat sat on the Lump season after season? Did they single handedly kill the Lump? I can see why you might be threatened by the Big E but all the head boats and recs combined can't impact the fishing one tenth the amount a longliner can so let's not forget the true threat. I think the Delta and Canyons are a very special place for all citizens to enjoy and practice conservation. Please don't make any judgments regarding our fishery unless you fish it and you are welcome to fish here on my boat anytime you wish. We should have a beer when I come over there and talk about anything but the Big E.
> 
> Oh the same thing Forrest said,
> AGF


And right back at you bro. And my offer stands to any of you big e riders if it keeps you from supporting this reckless operation. I have a 36 yellowfin sitting full of gas ready to fish and would be more than happy to take any of you guys to the floaters in garden banks or GC. I'm sure there are many other people in this area that would do the same and offer up their boats to keep you guys from supporting the most anti conservation boats in the gulf. Send me a PM anytime you guys want to line something up...and I'm serious!


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## swifty (May 13, 2005)

Can someone please slap Bullboxer up side his head....he's the reason I hate people that hate Texas.  Read the article if you haven't.

"Pot calling kettle black" is a good way to put it.

swifty


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## mad marlin (Jan 17, 2008)

*he needs some work*



swifty said:


> Can someone please slap Bullboxer up side his head....he's the reason I hate people that hate Texas.  Read the article if you haven't.
> 
> "Pot calling kettle black" is a good way to put it.
> 
> swifty


just slap..that Bull box needs an education rehab or something.


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

LaDiver said:


> It is no different after the big e pulls 100 yellowfin off a few rigs and countless blackfin.


I never post anything rude (or try not to), but I really wish someone from LA would post something intelligent on this discussion.

How many YFT are out in "Texas" waters? I don't know, but the landings are measured in thousands of metric tons. And the fishery is at maximum levels.

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/atl_yellowfin.htm

I am not saying there is no need for concern; of course there is. But the Big E on its best trip catching 100 tuna is about what, 3 tons? I have been on plenty of trips with zero YFT. The point is, no matter how you look at it, the Big E and Scat Cat are accounting for effectively almost ZERO percent of the landings.

As stated in above site, the YFT is HIGHLY migratory. It moves. They are at BV one day, and not the next. The BigE is the only boat that can move to the fish. And being statisitically zero percent of the catch, you guys are looking a little reactionary. ANd that makes me understand its the compitition for $$$ you are concerned with, not the fish. Who is greedy?



LaDiver said:


> Going out with 40 dudes on a boat for 3 days _*throwing jigs and poppers*_ over a rail just isn't our style. *Not very sporty and doesn't sound the least bit fun*.


That has to be just about the dumbest statement I have ever read on the internet. (repeat my first statement here) What is fun and sporty in LA, soaking chunks of dead bait?


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

Trouthappy said:


> If the Barf Cat and the Scat Cat wouldn't pile fish on hot concrete for glory pictures, as they've done for 25 years, it wouldn't annoy people so much. They even did that with sharks during summer...their glory pictures probably helped shape the drastic limits placed on sharks. The picture in the Louisiana forum is particularly grotesque.


Why is a picture of a group of guys on their NINETH annual tuna trip with a legal limit of tuna grotesque? The boat had a record trip; I repeat, the best ever. It is not the norm. The same with the recent BigE trip.

Some few folks with obvious alternative motives are posting this junk up for one reason. It is cleary false, and cleary biased toward generating more business for them.

There are plenty of fish in TX. Ironically, the post that started this all on THT blasts the BigE, states they have killed all the fish in TX, so now they have to come to LA. Then the guy posts a pic of the ScatCat, which caught all those fish in the depleted TX waters. It was done at Perdidio.

The reason some of us are "crazy" enough to do these boat rides is because they are fun. THe boat is very comfortable. We have bunks to sleep in. It is air conditioned. We can go out in heavy seas as still fish.

The fish are not always in one location. We didn't kill all the fish at BV/Nancen last year. They were not here all summer. THen they showed up and people did well at BV. And then, as always, they will move on.

BTW, if properly cared for, YFT vaccum packs and freezes very well. There seems to be a lot of concern that all of us are just throwing YFT in the trash. Hell, my friends, family and I eat a third of it as sashimi the first week.


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## mad marlin (Jan 17, 2008)

Jig, I can only say that you posted an awesome write up on THT. The fellow Box its in need of some rehab.
Its only hurting themselves by the pathetic statements that they are writing. some of us are or were planning to fish those waters with those charter Capt. They might see a huge loss of business soon. I for sure know wehere my $ would be going hint, hint
surely not very intelligent some of them


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## hog (May 17, 2006)

from FB​
Underwaterexpeditions DeepseaFishing Underwater Expeditions has been in negotiations for some time now regarding dock space and facilities. During the off season we will be moving to LA in January, 2011 (temporarily). We will return to our home port in April and fish May thru ...December from Texas. UE prefers to fish further away rigs to "not put" so much pressure on our much more accessible rigs. By doing so we felt that it would help relieve the pressure for other Texas headboats and recreational fisherman. We are very aware of the locations we fish and what companies may have been fishing them, so no you will not see the Big E run to the same platform/rig/floater EVERY time. That is what we feel makes the Big E so special! Those small charter/rec fishermen who push the pelagic agenda to change the headboat bag limits will in turn only affect themselves not just headboats. I watch it happen at every council meeting. Our intentions are not to deplete the stock of yft or bft by any means. UE's owner has homes and 3 businesses in LA. We do pay our taxes in TX and LA so that is a dead subject. Before the Christmas Holidays we will send out an email to our customers with the location of the new facility. We will try and run one trip in Jan, Feb and April. We have explored the federal waters over the past year looking for new experiences for our customers. I have been watching the forums and I am very aware of "the situation". We are a federally permitted vessel; we do fish within our "limits". Our customers have been given federal bag limits which we comply with. NMFS picks up our logs and is in attendance almost every time the vessel arrives at the dock. We take Government employees/biologist on our vessels (voluntary) and are VERY active with the local biologists. We are open to any ideas to improve our fisheries that will fairly allow our customers to have access to the Gulf of Mexico. We do attend almost every NMFS meeting and are actively involved. We have been trying to work with other for-hire, recs and commercial fisherman regarding limits, boundaries, quota's etc., but until we can agree to disagree on items that may be on the agenda we will never get anywhere. So I urge every Capt/owner who is upset to go voice your opinions to the council and attend your next council meeting in February at the Courtyard Marriott in Gulfport, MS. I wanted to make the announcement regarding the temporary move to LA and also wanted to nip some things as well! I will not tit tat back and forth after I post this thread. It is what it is and if I receive any more threats from the other forums it will be submitted to the US Marshall's office. So if you see my Hispanic (American born US Citizen) fish killing Captain with my three white boy Captains and four white crew members driving thru "EVERYONE'S" federal waters it's ALL GOOD! 
We will continue to ensure access to the thousands of customers we serve every year!


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## Roger (Aug 12, 2005)

jig said:


> I never post anything rude (or try not to), but I really wish someone from LA would post something intelligent on this discussion.
> 
> How many YFT are out in "Texas" waters? I don't know, but the landings are measured in thousands of metric tons. And the fishery is at maximum levels.
> 
> ...


Jig, my post on the issue is back on #10. I live over here in Raceland and could care less where the Big E or the Scat Cat goes. What that moron on THT said was his on opinion. I get to fish offshore maybe 12-15 times a year and some years are better than others.

The last couple of years, winter fishing hasn't been quite as good as other years but I do have a pretty good feeling it's not being overfished by the Texas boats.

In fact, I've read enough about those Big E trips that one of these days I'd like to make one of those 3 day trips. Ya'll have a good day.........


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

Thanks for the comment Roger. I know LA has been hit hard the last few years, and things have got to be tense for folks so connected to the resource. But I confess I was stunned by the post.

I wish people would think before they post (myself included!). I think the guy actually had a point in terms of the impact of recreational fishing and whether or not action need be considered. A review of most any article on the internet would should there is not currently a problem. SO, let's all be aware that there could be a problem and be sensitive to it should action be necessary.

To come out and bash ONE boat for destroying the resource was unreal to me.

Funny thing, the BigE moving to LA will create jobs there. And then all us Texas will have to scream when they come back to fish "Texas waters" to steal our fish!

Get on the BigE with the other 'tards. You will have a great time. Be forwarned though, most trips are nowhere near 100-fish trips.:biggrin:


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## lucas_shane (Mar 9, 2009)

Hog, i knew it was coming but i didnt know it was in the works. There you have it boys !


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## Roger (Aug 12, 2005)

Now, I need to find out where they are gonna dock the Big E. I just may get my trip sooner than later........


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

mako said:


> Nothing like seeing a head boat pull in with 500 blackfin and 100 yellowfin; and you can't tell me that doesn't affect the population when you have 3 other companies doing the same every weekend.


Please someone tell me this is a troll? If not, follow above advice before posting. Do you realize that you just stated firmly and passionately that there are FOUR COMPANIES in Texas running boats that come to port EVERY WEEKEND with 100 YFT and 500 BkFT?! This is why no one is listening to your logic; its not only not remotely true, its plain asinine.

When people make statements like this, the whole effort suffers. Even if you do have a point, it is dismissed. Ever hear of the boy who cried wolf?

LMAO. I just can't let it go. There has been only 2 times in history that any GOM boat came in with 100+ tuna, both times the BigE (several years ago they had a boat limit with full load). And you just stated to the world as a fact it happens 4 times a week, every week. Unreal.

Some of you hate partyboats just 'cause. And that's pretty pathetic to spew so much BS with so much ignorance.

(edit: So I don't fall into the BS trap, the BigE might have actually had a few more 100 fish days, but that's all I every heard of and I follow these boats online pretty closely since before they were built.)


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## mako (Nov 10, 2004)

jig said:


> Please someone tell me this is a troll? If not, follow above advice before posting. Do you realize that you just stated firmly and passionately that there are FOUR COMPANIES in Texas running boats that come to port EVERY WEEKEND with 100 YFT and 500 BkFT?! This is why no one is listening to your logic; its not only not remotely true, its plain asinine.
> 
> When people make statements like this, the whole effort suffers. Even if you do have a point, it is dismissed. Ever hear of the boy who cried wolf?
> 
> ...


Looks like someone is getting a little bent out of shape...unlike yourself sir, I will never reduce myself to *sucking off* party boats. Maybe my quantities are off(they vary depending on time of year), but there are in fact, at a minimum, 4 charter companies participating in consistent long range trips targeting tuna...often several times a month. Big E, Deep Sea Headquarters, Fishermans Wharf, and Dolphin Docks.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

mako said:


> Looks like someone is getting a little bent out of shape...unlike yourself sir, I will never reduce myself to *sucking off* party boats. Maybe my quantities are off(they vary depending on time of year), but there are in fact, at a minimum, 4 charter companies participating in consistent long range trips targeting tuna...often several times a month. Big E, Deep Sea Headquarters, Fishermans Wharf, and Dolphin Docks.


Well fine and dandy - that's your opinion and you have a right to that. Myself, as long as those boats are legal, they can fish all they want. That's called "fishing rights." It is when you get into sector separation and catch shares - such as for snapper and tuna - that is the problem.

But you can't turn the party boats off, just because they appear to be sea-raping cattle boats who suck the life out of the Gulf. Should limits or an MPA "petty zoo" policy be implemented by NMFS, it will affect everyone, not just the party boats from Texas who fish off LA.

We all know that those headboats can take a serious toll on the good fishing spots, since it is a concentrated form of fishing similar to a commercial activity, but every one of those recreational, private fishermen have a license to catch fish in federal waters. We all know the fear, that such headboat activity could stress the local fish population. But on the other hand, snapper is no longer over-fished and blackfin and YFT are not even threatened; it is the bluefin tuna that is in serious trouble. I really don't think that the Big E. and other party boats catch many bluefin, so they aren't contributing to that problem.

It is funny that when talk about "fishing rights" they always mean their fishing rights, and not everyone's. Last I checked, the waters from 3 miles off the barrier islands of LA out to 200 miles is property of the people of the United States of America.

And especially Texas, of course! :rotfl:


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

mako said:


> Looks like someone is getting a little bent out of shape...unlike yourself sir, I will never reduce myself to *sucking off* party boats. Maybe my quantities are off(they vary depending on time of year), but there are in fact, at a minimum, 4 charter companies participating in consistent long range trips targeting tuna...often several times a month. Big E, Deep Sea Headquarters, Fishermans Wharf, and Dolphin Docks.


Yes, I am getting a little bent out of shape when someone is trying to prevent me from my preferred way of fishing by making idiotic comments based on emotion not science or fact.

And your quantities are not maybe off; they are so completely wrong that to state them as fact you look like a complete ignoramous. Which in and of itself is fine by me were it not directly targeting my fishing.

Personally, I don't like your kind of fishing (whatever it is). Why? Because you go out with your friends on your fancy boat every day of the week and rape the fish more in one week than I do in ten years. Maybe my quantities are off, but there are in fact several people like you participating in this raping. Unlike you sir, I will never to reduce myself to sucking off my rich friends boats like you to rape the resouce while regular folks like me are working. It is because of this I think we should all jump on board and ban your kind of fishing. (Sounds pretty stupid when its back at you, doesn't it?)

I find it sad that you are such an arrogant person that you view my fishing as "sucking off." I wish I could be an elitest like yourself, and have my own nice boat to get 100 miles offshore. I wish I could charter private yachts to get out in 10' seas at will. 

I will not deny that fish get killed by people on partyboat. But again, no more than if the people had gone via other means, and likely less. Here is why: despite all the ranting about these boats ethics, I have NEVER, not once, seen a partyboat keep over a limit, nor cull smaller catch from a stringer for larger. However, I have been on plenty of six packs and friends boats where this was blatently done. 

I simply don't understand this hatred toward the partyboats. If you don't like them for some reason of fact, fine. But the ridiculous bashing of boats is baseless. So what if 4 boats target YFT? If they are not making a material dent, and not one person has shown one single fact they are, get over yourself. One commercial boat impacts the population far greater than these four boats combined. THe Pelican only takes 12 people, Dolphin 20, ScatCat 20 and BigE 40. These are max #s, many trips have less. And they do NOT go twice month year round. And in the winter they don't go at all. And many trips get cancelled during the peak season. It is simple mob mentality that makes such ridiculous accusations.


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## Tx Grizzly (Mar 3, 2006)

jig said:


> Yes, I am getting a little bent out of shape when someone is trying to prevent me from my preferred way of fishing by making idiotic comments based on emotion not science or fact.
> 
> And your quantities are not maybe off; they are so completely wrong that to state them as fact you look like a complete ignoramous. Which in and of itself is fine by me were it not directly targeting my fishing.
> 
> ...


Well said Jig, i am in the pic of the Scat Cat that is being referenced about KILLING all the tuna and that it will go to waste. i brought home meat from 2 70lb class YFT, 1 50lb class YFT, probably 6 BFT, and about 18 reef fish (beeliners, redsnapper). i was also lucky enough to get a 10lb chunk of the Mako. I only get to go on these trips once a year and i can assure you the meat doesn't go to waste. i think we ate 1/2 the tuna before i even vacuum sealed and froze it. i have been working my way thru the fish i caught on this trip and can honestly say we have already eaten almost a 3rd of it. these people do not understand that most of the anglers that are keeping these fish are not only feeding themselves they are feeding friends and family. i also use Tuna to barter with friends of mine that hunt and get Venison, turkey, Elk and even gator in exchange for it. i am a very strong supporter of conservation efforts and have called the GW anytime i see violations of bag/size limits being retained. i really cant believe this got so hot so fast on that other forum... do like the cussing though, i learned some new words.... :slimer:


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## mako (Nov 10, 2004)

jig said:


> Yes, I am getting a little bent out of shape when someone is trying to prevent me from my preferred way of fishing by making idiotic comments based on emotion not science or fact.
> 
> And your quantities are not maybe off; they are so completely wrong that to state them as fact you look like a complete ignoramous. Which in and of itself is fine by me were it not directly targeting my fishing.
> 
> ...


:spineyes:

Speaking of irrational...did you happen to ready the verbal vomit you disposed of above?

Since you call me emotional and factless, do me a favor and click on the links below...looks like tuna trips almost every week of the month.

Deep Sea Headquarters
http://www.deepseaheadquarters.com/catch/index.htm
Tuna Trips: 12/3,11/28,11/21,11/13,11/7,10/16, 10/9

Fisherman's Wharf
Tuna Trips: 56 Hour Tuna Trip Schedule:
http://www.wharfcat.com/past_catches.htm

*September 29 - October 1
*October 13 - 15
*November 10 - 12
*December 3 - 5
*December 15 -17

Dolphin Docks
http://www.dolphindocks.com/schedule.html
Overnight trips:10/5,10/8,10/12,10/26,10/19,10/26,10/29,
11/6, 11/13,11/27
12/4,12/11,12/13

And not to mention the Big E. I just feel the need to play devils advocate..you cannot honestly say that head boats don't affect the yellowfin/blackfin populations? The tuna fishing has gotten worse and worse every year...


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Aw Jig, think of it from his perspective, being a charter 6-pack operator out of Venice, Fourchon, or Grande Isle. Off course they wouldn't want to see a fish factory ship out on their traditional fishing grounds - no more or less than when a party boat shows up at "your" rig and proceeds to kill off a bunch of fish, leaves a trail of scrap and dead floaters, makes you move over, and tangles up your drift and troll lines. It's a natural feeling for anyone if you're in a small boat. It's potlicking to the 9th degree!

But like you Jig, I do go out on an occasional party boat trip especially if my captain friends ain't callin' me on the phone for an invite. I sold off my boat years ago and so did my dad, since keeping one in a marina was killing us and all the hurricanes didn't help. Well that ocean out there ain't just for folks who own go-fast boats. I'll be hitting the snapper off Port Mansfield pretty soon here on a big ole stinking diesel headboat for sure.


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## wacker (Mar 22, 2006)

Sounds like there is still some French socialistic blood still flowing in the veins over there in la la land. Everything over there is theirs until they need more federal aid for some thing or another. Last I heard it is called America and the country was built on competition for business and this is what this is about not the fish. 

These same guys that are complaining were welcomed many times even here on this board to come on over to Texas to keep working in the charter business when they were effected by the oil spill. 

The whole debacle just reeks of :an4:ness.


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## High Hopes (Oct 10, 2007)

Some of you are ridiculous, some of you have your heads on strait. We all have the legal right to go catch these fish. Not all of us have the luxury of being able to run 100+ miles off shore were we encounter these fish in great numbers. You guys are hitting below the belt. So what if someone goes out on a party boat. I have been out on three trips on a party boat in the past few years and I have only returned with seven yellow fin tuna and less than thirty good sized black fin, all of which was consumed within two months by family and friends. How many total tuna have you naysayers brought back to the dock? How many fish of any kind have your brought back to the dock? We all have an effect on the population of fish in the gulf of Mexico if you eat, catch or use any products that are produced from the gulf, such as anything that uses menhaden oil. If you are going to kick a fellow American fisherman in the balls cause he likes to fish and he has worked hard enough to have the opportunity to go catch a fish, be it on a party boat because that's all he can afford, than you are a selfish, evil person. Go pick on someone who does some real damage like the Menhaden boat or the shrimpers who trawl the hell out of the gulf waters removing millions of pounds of fish that otherwise would contribute to the health of the population of all kinds of species in the gulf of Mexico that would be eating, breading and growing larger. If it is such a big problem, maybe we should have tags just like deer and other controlled natural resources so we don't over harvest what nature has provided for us. I can't wait till summer, so I can hear people itching about red snapper again.


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## snapper slapper lures (Jul 6, 2004)

How is it that some think that only the guys that have big enough boats to get to tuna have the right to fish for them. If you do not have the means to fish on a big boat why should you not be able to catch same fish no matter how you get out there.
Those fish are for everyone not just the select few.No one has commented on the san diego head boats running every day all year long why not?
Where do people get off thinking they own the gulf. It really makes me mad.
Not everyone is rich.I think there are more people who fish on head boats because of no other means of getting offshore than the ones that own boats themselves.
The others are just boat whores. I admit I am a boat whore also but will still go on a head boat from time to time. Does that make me a bad person?


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## snapper slapper lures (Jul 6, 2004)

At least the head boats are not going out claiming that they caught limits of sows in state waters when we all know it is bull sh--. Posting picts of blue water and saying it in state waters. What a bunch of ****. This thread is really hitting below the belt


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

head boats are legal
the waters are federal not state, no-one "owns" them
the limits retained are legal

quit whining, get over it or change the laws


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## mad marlin (Jan 17, 2008)

Finally some fellows see the rationality here , down at THT was getting so pathetic tha was a waste of time trying to explain to some brick walls that nothing ILLEGAL was committed by any head boat / party boat.
they are still EXTREMELY FRENCH well put Wacker.


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## Day0ne (Jan 14, 2006)

mako said:


> :spineyes:
> 
> Speaking of irrational...did you happen to ready the verbal vomit you disposed of above?
> 
> Since you call me emotional and factless, do me a favor and click on the links below...looks like tuna trips almost every week of the month.





mako said:


> Deep Sea Headquarters
> http://www.deepseaheadquarters.com/catch/index.htm
> Tuna Trips: 12/3,11/28,11/21,11/13,11/7,10/16, 10/9


These are the only trips that caught YFT the whole year and none of them look like they had very many YFT. 7 trips a year! Obviously devastating!



mako said:


> Fisherman's Wharf
> Tuna Trips: 56 Hour Tuna Trip Schedule:
> http://www.wharfcat.com/past_catches.htm
> 
> ...


This is just a schedule, not how many trips went. In fact, one trip hasn't happened yet and as of right now, may not. If all trips went and caught a limit (never happened) it would be a total of 100 YFT a year, but it was actually much less. More devastation!



mako said:


> Dolphin Docks
> http://www.dolphindocks.com/schedule.html
> Overnight trips:10/5,10/8,10/12,10/26,10/19,10/26,10/29,
> 11/6, 11/13,11/27
> 12/4,12/11,12/13


This is another schedule, and not trips taken. In fact, it only shows 1 full trip! Judging from the pictures, very few YFT were caught. Just because a trip is overnight doesn't mean it is a tuna trip. BTW, these are very slow boats that spend a lot of time running, not fishing.

Throw in the two Galveston boats that schedule a few "tuna" trips a year (one rarely catches a YFT and the other only a few) and what do you have? I don't see any great devastation of the tuna population anywhere from party boats. They adhere to the limits and carry so few people, how can there be a great impact. You are thinking with your emotions, not your brain.



mako said:


> And not to mention the Big E. I just feel the need to play devils advocate..you cannot honestly say that head boats don't affect the yellowfin/blackfin populations? The tuna fishing has gotten worse and worse every year...


Yes, I can honestly say that I believe that headboats don't affect the tuna populations. Where is the proof? Where are the numbers? Has the tuna fishing gotten worse or have they moved? They are highly migratory you know. The fishing reports don't back up your statements. If you have any facts to support your position that aren't baseless innuendo, please share them.


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

mako said:


> :spineyes:
> 
> Speaking of irrational...did you happen to ready the verbal vomit you disposed of above?
> 
> ...


**** man, you are just sad. Why is my well thought out position based on fact "vomit" and your emotion spewed diatrabe so sound? Its because you can't address facts at all, so you have to insult. Pretty definitive ignorance response. Why don't you just talk about my mother?

I do appreciate you ATTEMPT at putting forth a fact based claim. However, let me disclose your sham. First of all, you clearly picked the peak YFT season dates, where I have already stated there are more trips in this period. You imply that this is going on year round, and its not. But lets look at the "facts" you post. You put a bunch of dates up, asked that I do you a favor and click the links so I called your bluff and went to the sites.

DSH - these are valid dates of tuna trips. But look a little closer. This is a trip on a small boat with only 12-15 people. Then look at the pics you refer (did you?). I count up, from all these slaughter trips by this boat that went every weekend in peak season (which rarely occurs, the weather was unusually cooperative). And I estimate about 165 TOTAL from this boat. Again, during an usually good season. Not quite the 100 fish per week year round you imply is it?

Scat Cat - same deal, from your reference to the slaugher, pics show well under 100 YFT. I do happen to know this is higher from one pic not on there (the infamous one) so lets just treble and say 300 this season.

Dolphin - ingorance is bliss. Only the 60-80 hour trips go to floaters for YFT. Thats FOUR trips for this boat during the season, and I happen to know at least one was cancelled. These trips usually have from 15-20 people, so even if the whole boat limited out (it didn't, but I'll play) with 20 people per trip (too high), thats 180.

Big E - scedule is up. 6 tuna trips for this boat. They had a record trip recently, 100yft. Let's assume a high number for the other 5 trips, say 75 YFT. that's a very high assumption for the beast that is clearly raping the resource. 475 yft for the season, in the best season ever, with great weather allowing in them to get out more this season than usual.

That brings the estimate of the YFT for the mighty 4 ocean rapers to a annual total of around 1,120 fish. An intentionally high estimate.

Now I am going to ask you: do you seriously ask me if I believe that the Texas fleet is having a material impact on the YFT fishery?

Since I called you emotional and factless, you show me up by showing dates proving tuna trip every day of the month. But that's not what the original "fact" coming from you guys was. It was that EVERY ONE GOES EVERY WEEK AND CATCHES 100 YFT. I think even without me you proved the original statement wasn't a fact.

And your grand finale: Tuna fishing has gotten worse every year. Isn't the whole reason this very issue came up because this is the best year for YFT in anyone's memory?

You obviously are making your comments on emotion, not facts.

I conclude by factually stating, with no emotion involved, that these boats are NOT materially affecting the population, and this is the BEST tuna season we have ever had. The above represents approx 33 tons landed, which is maybe 1% of the landing of over 3000 tons per one of the NMFS sites. And again, that's on a high estimate, in a very unusual year. Most years nowhere near this many are landed.

Sorry if this is more verbal vomit in your eyes. But the more you try to prove your point, the more you prove mine.


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## Day0ne (Jan 14, 2006)

jig;3178297 said:


> DSH - these are valid dates of tuna trips. But look a little closer. This is a trip on a small boat with only 12-15 people. Then look at the pics you refer (did you?). I count up, from all these slaughter trips by this boat that went every weekend in peak season (which rarely occurs, the weather was unusually cooperative). And I estimate about 165 TOTAL from this boat. Again, during an usually good season. Not quite the 100 fish per week year round you imply is it?
> 
> Scat Cat - same deal, from your reference to the slaugher, pics show well under 100 YFT. I do happen to know this is higher from one pic not on there (the infamous one) so lets just treble and say 300 this season.
> 
> ...


I apologize. My figure for the Scat Cat was wrong. Jig's figure of 300 was the MAXIMUM the Scat Cat could have taken if it had full limits and a full boat every time. The Dec 17 trip just got canceled so that lowers the possible tuna caught to 240. 4 trips x 20 poeple x 3 tuna = 240. Never happened though


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## Dismissed (Aug 15, 2005)

Only one issue with what's been said: it has not, I repeat, not been the best year we've ever had for yellowfin. Not even close.


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## LaDiver (Nov 17, 2009)

mad marlin said:


> Finally some fellows see the rationality here , down at THT was getting so pathetic tha was a waste of time trying to explain to some brick walls that nothing ILLEGAL was committed by any head boat / party boat.
> they are still EXTREMELY FRENCH well put Wacker.


No one was ever saying big e was breaking the law. Everyone was saying they are anti conservationists and that one boat does way too much damage to a concentrated area. And some are saying fishing the cattle boats sounds about as cool diarreah. Talk about a brick wall...look in the mirror buddy. And, sorry to burst your bubble, but about 12-13 of your fellow texans that fish their own boats have private messaged me saying how much they agree...they just don't want to say it on here in fear of getting mobbed by all you big e riders. I hope you guys support them in LA...because by the time they get there, everyone is going to know their game and not come within 10 miles of that boat. Like someone else said, they definitely aren't going to get a welcome cake. 
We aren't saying don't go fish...we are saying do it with on a smaller boat that doesn't do as much damage with a captain that actually gives two chits about our fishery. If you guys think all these 5 head boats aren't damaging the tuna fishery....WOW...just wow. People like you scare me and make me fear what is to come of fishing. Honestly. YOU HAVE NO CLUE! The average tuna school is 50-70....so that 50-70 tuna on average on a rig at one time. Sometimes more, sometimes less. So big E going and catching 100 YFT between 2 rigs doesn't hurt the fishing??? And that ONLY the big e...not including the 4 other cattle boats. I feel sorry for you texans who care and have to deal with this **** all the time. JEEZUS...get a clue man....go fish with someone who can inform you man. You are so far off its absurd.

Yea, just start insulting Louisiana people. I have been all over the world and have never met people anywhere close to as hospitable as cajuns and Louisiana people. I go to Houston twice a month...its like the people there are from a different planet. Not friendly at all. Obviously there are exceptions.

Quit being turd


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

I said I was signing off on this thread but I feel the need to reiderate what I've already said: the reason the big E is making trips to GC and now moving to Fourchon is not because they want to but because they have to. headboats along with recreational boats have apparently cleaned ya'lls deepwater and shelf rigs off to the point where they're hand has been forced. I've read about ya'lls struggle to catch yft this spring/summer along with amberjacks. I've been fishing offshore since I was a very young lad and have kept up with Texas fishing since the late 70's and my perception is that your fishing has gone way downhill. I can remember Mr. Richards saltwater sportsman's articals years ago about stellar Texas tuna fishing before the first floater was a twinkle in the oil company's eyes. I remember one artical in particular where they were making long runs in a single diesel lafitte skiff. I know some of you are better fishermen than others and I have never fished the Texas gulf but I know what I see here and what some of ya'll have told me. 

I've read and tried to contribute to this board for 1.5 years mainly because we don't have anything like this over here and because I enjoy the comraderie and don't mind giving my hard earned knowledge to others. I was not welcomed at first but some of you have warmed up to me and I've made some friends here some of which I've fished with and others I hope to fish with in the future. 

the reason we have such a good fishery is because we have few fishermen for the amount of habitat off our coast along with the wonderful ecosystem created by the MS river and the loop current. we pulled up to a rig the other day in 195ft 4 miles out of northeast pass and my sounder was reading 30ft because we had solid ajs, snapper, and jack cravelles right under the boat. 

I believe the big E moving to Fourchon is just the tip of the iceberg and the other Texas headboats will be forced to follow suit. unfortunatly this has become an us vs them debate with questionable logic on both sides. like I said before: if the shoe was on the other foot ya'll would be *****ing to high heaven. 

Tight lines, 

Scott King


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## jim smarr (May 21, 2004)

*The 3 fish limit is not hurting stocks*

We fought hard and won to keep a three fish limit for yellow fin at RFA.

The fact a few trips are taken in the off season to keep doors open at these businesses bothers a few of you just remember these are legal limits for yellow fin.

You guys I guess want a one fish limit like CCA tried to cram down our throats with the enviros. 1% of the catch on the high end for these boats is not a problem. The RFA won a court battle to maintain three fish. We did have 10 if you remember before the reduction a few years back.

I find it hard to believe any of the Port Aransas boats were fishing the EEZ off of Louisiana. The guys at Fishermans Wharf and Dolpin Docks have funded more 
fishing rights battles than anyone else on the Texas Coast. Give these guys a break. They are both helping fight catch shares and sector separation with big bucks. Big E. supports catch shares and sector separation which would force you to buy your tuna and snapper in the future along with other species.

Some you need to stop *****ing about legal limits end of story.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

jim smarr said:


> We fought hard and won to keep a three fish limit for yellow fin at RFA.
> 
> The fact a few trips are taken in the off season to keep doors open at these businesses bothers a few of you just remember these are legal limits for yellow fin.
> 
> ...


I've been a member of RFA since it's inception in the late 90's. my memory might be failing me but I don't remember a 10 fish limit on yft. correct me if I'm wrong (I often am) but there was no size or creel limit before the 3 fish 27"fl limit was imposed and RFA fought tooth and nail against it (or that's what they told us).


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## LaDiver (Nov 17, 2009)

Luna brings up an exellent point. If the tuna fishing was so good in Texas and it hadn't been cleaned out by the head boats, why is big e moving their operation to La from their home dock?  Don't kid yourselves fellas. These headboard are trouble to any area they find fish. Cause when they find them...that area is getting wiped out by 40 people fishing off the rail.

Of course these boats are fighting for higher limits! Otherwise no one would go with them if they couldn't put 100 yft and 200 reef fish on the concrete for a group shot after the trip


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

luna sea II said:


> I said I was signing off on this thread but I feel the need to reiderate what I've already said: the reason the big E is making trips to GC and now moving to Fourchon is not because they want to but because they have to. headboats along with recreational boats have apparently cleaned ya'lls deepwater and shelf rigs off to the point where they're hand has been forced. I've read about ya'lls struggle to catch yft this spring/summer along with amberjacks. I've been fishing offshore since I was a very young lad and have kept up with Texas fishing since the late 70's and my perception is that your fishing has gone way downhill. I can remember Mr. Richards saltwater sportsman's articals years ago about stellar Texas tuna fishing before the first floater was a twinkle in the oil company's eyes. I remember one artical in particular where they were making long runs in a single diesel lafitte skiff. I know some of you are better fishermen than others and I have never fished the Texas gulf but I know what I see here and what some of ya'll have told me.
> 
> I've read and tried to contribute to this board for 1.5 years mainly because we don't have anything like this over here and because I enjoy the comraderie and don't mind giving my hard earned knowledge to others. I was not welcomed at first but some of you have warmed up to me and I've made some friends here some of which I've fished with and others I hope to fish with in the future.
> 
> ...


Dont know whos reports you have read but this year was good for Amberjacks for me. Also Texas has a huge coastline with many fishing communities along the coast. You guys dont


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## lucas_shane (Mar 9, 2009)

so how many people are you gonna take out on your boat for free ?




there are several small boats that dock out of LA during the winter. i cant wait to try out the fishing LA. it would be great not to make an 80+ mile trip to get to the tuna grounds !


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## DRILHER (Apr 4, 2010)

I have a boat that can go out there and I still make very few trips. I'm thinking about going out on the Wharf Cat for the comfort. I do wish they didn't kill every tuna and use the smaller blackfin for chum. But it is a way for people to get out there that otherwise would never have a chance to catch a YF.

These head boats used to fish snapper in the winter but with closed season they were forced to take long range trips or go out of business


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

Hotrod said:


> Dont know whos reports you have read but this year was good for Amberjacks for me.


you're just better at it than some of these guys...:rybka:


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

LaDiver said:


> Luna brings up an exellent point. If the tuna fishing was so good in Texas and it hadn't been cleaned out by the head boats, why is big e moving their operation to La from their home dock? Don't kid yourselves fellas. These headboard are trouble to any area they find fish. Cause when they find them...that area is getting wiped out by 40 people fishing off the rail.
> 
> Of course these boats are fighting for higher limits! Otherwise no one would go with them if they couldn't put 100 yft and 200 reef fish on the concrete for a group shot after the trip


The last reports I heard from Boomvang were very promising. Mother nature works in cycles. Ask the captains in Puerto Vallarta if the tuna fishing is good every year. I'd guess the Big E is moving because the runs to the Tuna grounds are a lot closer so they will be more profitable.


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

Kenner21 said:


> . I'd guess the Big E is moving because the runs to the Tuna grounds are a lot closer so they will be more profitable.


Bingo, all about the money. Can make weekly Tuna trips, more locations to fish, less fuel.

Our first 2 stops here Boomvang and Nancen usually, for how many Ports? From Sabine to Packery, thats a lotta boats.


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## jim smarr (May 21, 2004)

luna sea II said:


> I've been a member of RFA since it's inception in the late 90's. my memory might be failing me but I don't remember a 10 fish limit on yft. correct me if I'm wrong (I often am) but there was no size or creel limit before the 3 fish 27"fl limit was imposed and RFA fought tooth and nail against it (or that's what they told us).


Luna Sea- We did have a window with a 10 fish yellowfin limit just prior to the current 3 fish limit as I remember.

Maybe it was an option 10/3/1 in a management plan and we pushed for 3 not one as CCA did. Too much water under the bridge since then.

I do know in the end we wanted 3 fish and CCA wanted one. I do know we won that one in the end keeping a three fish limit..

J Smarr
RFA


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

lucas_shane said:


> so how many people are you gonna take out on your boat for free ?


if you are talking to me I will take 4 but it's not free - just pay for the fuel (50-80 gallons), bait, and ice. less that $100 per person for a hell of a trip. you get to fish in the daylight and sleep in a warm, comfortable bed at night.


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## lucas_shane (Mar 9, 2009)

i agree HOTROD = capt Kenneth on the paparda rey put us on tons of fish back in june ! let it be know that he also made us throw back 2 that was twice as big as our biggest one in the cooler BECAUSE we already had our limit. we turned back several that was keepers before we was happy with our limit. we only kept a few BFT that was really nice size and few that was used as chunks. 
seemed to have been a great trip ! seems most of their trips have been good trips. we didnt kill the YFT but we all caught one or two and lost several others. 
that was our first privat charter, however we had been fishing the party boats out of port a for 5 years running on the "tuna" trips and only remember one BFT out of five years. yea it could have been bad captains or just crappy fishermans. myself i would crappy anglers ( myself ).
i have fished the big e before it was bought out and would love to go one of thier long range trips. 


there is one small party boat in LA becuase i have talked to him about booking back last yr but he didnt have his boat in the water yet. 

may or may not be a good thing but LA could profit from a party boat buisness.

and 99.9 percent of all of that is MY opinion.

good luck folks


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## LaDiver (Nov 17, 2009)

Kenner21 said:


> The last reports I heard from Boomvang were very promising. Mother nature works in cycles. Ask the captains in Puerto Vallarta if the tuna fishing is good every year. I'd guess the Big E is moving because the runs to the Tuna grounds are a lot closer so they will be more profitable.


How far is boomvang? Green canyon is 115 miles out of fourchon.

That's not why they are moving. They are moving because Texas floaters are overfished by party boats.
1 party boat= 8-10 rec boats or smaller charters

We dont have this issue in Louisiana and the waters south of here...and we don't want it to happen to the waters we frequent! What if the situation was reversed?

So for them to stay in business, all the other charter boats and rec fisherman have to suffer poor fishing?


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## lucas_shane (Mar 9, 2009)

luna sea II said:


> if you are talking to me I will take 4 but it's not free - just pay for the fuel (50-80 gallons), bait, and ice. less that $100 per person for a hell of a trip. you get to fish in the daylight and sleep in a warm, comfortable bed at night.


let me get the wife and cpl buddies and ill get back to you with a date !


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## fishingtwo (Feb 23, 2009)

Hotrod said:


> Bingo, all about the money. Can make weekly Tuna trips, more locations to fish, less fuel.
> 
> Our first 2 stops here Boomvang and Nancen usually, for how many Ports? From Sabine to Packery, thats a lotta boats.


*gotta pay for that 2million dollar boat-can't think they are in*
*in for the conservation. *
*Would be like asking a crabber how many traps he has?*
*If there is a natural resource-that belongs to everybody*
*WHY can it be devistated by so few!:hairout:*


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

Agreed Boomvang and Nancen get hit hard but I don't think that means more fish are being killed. Having 25 boats on a floater doesn't make the fishing better, it keeps the fish down and probably moves them off the rig so less of them are being caught. 


All you guys from Louisana sound like a bunch of whiney titty babies. 

1. Not that long ago Texas did a lot to help victims of hurricane Katrina,volunteers,money,medicine and housing thousands of refugees who had nothing to go home too.

2. A lot of the Big E clientel also fish Venice on a regular basis so all you're doing is ******* off potential clients.

3. Texas pumps huge amounts of cash into the State of Louisana every year. Casinos' tourism etc etc. 

4. The recreational YFT take for the entire GOM is a drop in the bucket compared to commercial so who's the real bad guy here if the YFT population really is in trouble. 

5. Texans invited Venice based captains to come fish off our coast during the BP spill so they could still put food on the table. 

So in closing get over yourselves so far it's been two trips our east for the Big E and if the owner of the boat a man who owns busineses in La,pays taxes in LA and employees people in La wants to move his boat to LA I say best of luck. The only thing that would keep me off that boat if their support of catch shares and not where it's choosing to dock.


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

LADiver,

I am to the point I am stunned. I don't care how many people agree with you. There are millions of people that want guns banned because they are bad. They are wrong, but they don't care because they all agree with one another, feed each others irrational fear and make a decision that is emotional, not rational. The facts are meaningless, and if I don't care, then they accuse me of being okay with murder.

And me taking a limit of fish is "raping." AND NOW YOU ARE POSTING THAT THERE ARE 5 BOATS RAPING THE TUNA. When did the last one come out, an hour ago? Why in God's name can you not make a single truthful statement? Next week you will be ranting there are 10 boats catching 200 tuna each 7 days a week. I was challanged to look at only one case of "facts" supporting the raping, I did, and showed there are a little more than a thousand fish caught by the whole fleet.

And now the Big E folks are "anti conservationists?" What the hell is that? Did you have to make up an evil sounding word to support your emotional postion? The Big E is a very well known supporter of conservation, actively report all catch to NMFS, frequently support biologists and state studies, etc., etc. I have never seen one single case of this boat keeping over a legal limit, and I repeat I see it frequently by the very boats you prepose are the only acceptable way to fish. Agree or not, partyboats always operate under the laws set up for conservation purposes; the others frequently do not.

I just proved to you with hard facts how many tuna are being caught. And if the tuna are wiped out in Texas, how are the SC, Pelican and Dolphin still catching so many tuna? Only the BigE is coming to LA. So what is it? Are you mad because these boat are catching lots of tuna (raping!), because there are plenty in Texas, or are you mad because the Big E has to come to LA because there are no tuna left in Texas? You can base your arguement on no tuna or lots, but obviously not both. Not that it matters obviously if your argument is not concerned with facts.

Look at your "arguments." Have you read what your "logic" is that you keep claiming we can't see? Let me qoute you: "If you guys think all these 5 head boats aren't damaging the tuna fishery....WOW...just wow. People like you scare me and make me fear what is to come of fishing. Honestly. YOU HAVE NO CLUE!" and I feel sorry for you texans who care and have to deal with this **** all the time. JEEZUS...get a clue man....go fish with someone who can inform you man. You are so far off its absurd."

Not one fact. Accusations that the people giving you facts are absurd and have no clue. Its called "fear mongering" and it means:

*Fear mongering* (or *scaremongering*) is the use of fear to influence the opinions and actions of others towards some specific end. The feared object or subject is sometimes exaggerated, and the pattern of fear mongering is usually one of repetition, in order to continuously reinforce the intended effects of this tactic, sometimes in the form of a vicious circle.

So, anyone with a brain knows you basically have dreamed up this notion on an unjustified fear. And the reason is crystal clear: you have not refuted one single fact, and every single thing you type is emotion based.

Luna Sea, I don't have the numbers, and so I will probably eat my words on this, but if I were a betting man I would take this bet: That far, far, far more tuna have been landed (or raped to use the word of the day) from the holy conservation LA fleet, esp fishing the lump. The pics of all the holier than thou boats floating out there out of site catch more fish in a day or a week than the Big E has probably since it was launched 5 years ago.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

Kenner21 said:


> The last reports I heard from Boomvang were very promising. Mother nature works in cycles. Ask the captains in Puerto Vallarta if the tuna fishing is good every year. I'd guess the Big E is moving because the runs to the Tuna grounds are a lot closer so they will be more profitable.


you are a obviously a resonable man so I'll play devil's advocate - could the recent catches be due to the lack of fishing pressure caused by bad weather? it may be a coincidence but the yft catches seemed to pick up when the weather went south a month or so ago. I saw a report where the scat cat was fishing in very heavy seas catching lot's of tuna. they were the only boat there - maybe that had something to do with the strong bite. I have seen the difference between me being the only boat at a rig and sharing it with 6 other boats. if everyone knew how to act and when to leave it wouldn't be as bad.

you guy's should be breathing a collective sigh of relief now that these boats are going to be plying our waters...excuse me - federal waters.


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

LaDiver said:


> How far is boomvang? Green canyon is 115 miles out of fourchon.
> 
> That's not why they are moving. They are moving because Texas floaters are overfished by party boats.
> 1 party boat= 8-10 rec boats or smaller charters
> ...


The situation is reversed they're boats all over the coast of Texas catching everything from Oysters to shrimp that call Louisiana home. Texans have just as many reasons to complain if not more.


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

BTW guys, the very same fear mongering you are using is being used by the enviromentalists to get rid of YOUR rigs. They are owned by evil energy companies, and must go. They HAVE to be bad for the environment, they are owned by OIL COMPANIES. Don't you get it? I feel sorry for you if you don't see how bad these rigs are for the enviroment. THEY KILL FISH!!!!

And we make the same logical, fact based arguments to them about artificial habitat and how the actually help the environment, and removing them would detroy tons of biomass. But they don't care, and we are just to stupid to see they are right. They have to be right, it just seems so.

You are doing the exact same thing.


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

luna sea II said:


> you are a obviously a resonable man so I'll play devil's advocate - could the recent catches be due to the lack of fishing pressure caused by bad weather? it may be a coincidence but the yft catches seemed to pick up when the weather went south a month or so ago. I saw a report where the scat cat was fishing in very heavy seas catching lot's of tuna. they were the only boat there - maybe that had something to do with the strong bite. I have seen the difference between me being the only boat at a rig and sharing it with 6 other boats. if everyone knew how to act and when to leave it wouldn't be as bad.
> 
> you guy's should be breathing a collective sigh of relief now that these boats are going to be plying our waters...excuse me - federal waters.


I've shared Boomvang with over twenty boats and not but a few yellowfin were caught and all the boats were smaller center consoles. Maybe we ran them all East?  If Texans all start dragging their boats to venice to fish on a more regular basis would this be a problem with the local charter captains? Probably not because the money we'd be spending would make it ok for the local economy. Like I said before it's about money plain and simple.


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

LaDiver said:


> Luna brings up an exellent point. If the tuna fishing was so good in Texas and it hadn't been cleaned out by the head boats, why is big e moving their operation to La from their home dock? Don't kid yourselves fellas. These headboard are trouble to any area they find fish. Cause when they find them...that area is getting wiped out by 40 people fishing off the rail.
> 
> Of course these boats are fighting for higher limits! Otherwise no one would go with them if they couldn't put 100 yft and 200 reef fish on the concrete for a group shot after the trip


Try and find out facts yourself. Oh, not interested. The reason is (because I do care about facts) is they have been having a dispute over the current docking situation. The owner also has home and businesses in LA, so it was logical. It is returning to Freeport, expected next Spring.

I have been fishing these boats for many years. Again (and again, and again...), the boat has had TWO 100 fish trips since it launched. So obviously we are happy to go on them without 100 fish.

Can you simply not say anything without amping the BS 10,000%? Why is that hard for you?

At this point I would concede to you if you could state a fact. Try something easy, like "the sky is up." It will be a start at least.


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## DRILHER (Apr 4, 2010)

Pistols @ 10 paces!
Man we need the weather to calm so we can get out. We're getting stir crazy (pure Luna sea)


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

Kenner21 said:


> The situation is reversed they're boats all over the coast of Texas catching everything from Oysters to shrimp that call Louisiana home. Texans have just as many reasons to complain if not more.


not trying to nit-pick but you are saying LA oyster boats are dredging in TX waters? I fished commercially for years and have never heard of this. shrimp offshore sure but not oysters.

here's a texas shrimp boat from port arthur in west delta...


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

Oh, good, now I am an idiot and a moron. If you can't state a fact, start insulting. Pathetic. Sir, you don't know me, but I graduated Magna cum laude (11th out of 600) from HS, got an academic scholorship to Baylor University, honor society with a degree in accounting, graduating cum laude, am a licensed CPA and currently an executive for a fairly large public company. Fault me as you will, but I am no idiot. 

But if it makes you feel better, and it IS convincing that you are certainly not emotional.

I see very clearly what you are talking about. And what I am talking about is that you don't know what you are talking about. I know the guy listed the schedules, and again, for you seem to not understand, I showed from the very schedules that the gentleman was wrong. But you keep ignoring that. Every boat you have mentioned has done very well at the south of texas floaters you are ranting about. The fish are not wiped out. Ignoring the Big E fishing east, the wiping out you are talking about occured by the boats you site above, which I proved harvested around 500 fish. You have now claimed the GOM fishery for YFT for 200 miles off the entire coast of Texas is comprised of only 500 fish.

I now bow down to your well reasoned and sound judgment. I was wrong. I had no idea there were 500 yft in, what, a million square miles of the GOM. Maybe I am an idiot after all.


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## fishingtwo (Feb 23, 2009)

*opps*


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## High Hopes (Oct 10, 2007)

The way it sounds to me, from what some of you have said is that the only place in the gulf of Mexico that you can catch tuna is around these "floaters". How are the fish caught a needle in a haystack of a fishing spot such as the floaters a total indication of the tuna population in the Gulf of Mexico. I know they like to congregate in large numbers around these structures when the conditions are ideal, but to say that you can destroy the whole population of yellowfin tuna in the GOM by hook and line fishing around these man made structures is absurd.


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

luna sea II said:


> not trying to nit-pick but you are saying LA oyster boats are dredging in TX waters? I fished commercially for years and have never heard of this. shrimp offshore sure but not oysters.
> 
> here's a texas shrimp boat from port arthur in west delta...


We don't claim Port Arthur


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

luna sea II said:


> not trying to nit-pick but you are saying LA oyster boats are dredging in TX waters? I fished commercially for years and have never heard of this. shrimp offshore sure but not oysters.
> 
> here's a texas shrimp boat from port arthur in west delta...


http://www.statesman.com/news/texas...tens-texas-oysters-758077.html?printArticle=y

Notice the part of the article about LA boats converging on Texas waters.

Yall have fun arguing about this all weekend I've got a flight to Vegas at 7am:spineyes:


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## jig (Aug 2, 2005)

Deep breath....

I think some of us realize we let this get out of hand. My apologies. It was a little unsettling to have your picture posted on the internet in a thread accusing you and your friends of raping a resource you sincerely care for. Still, no excuse. This is a situation we have to simply agree to disagree. At this point, no one is going to change my mind, and I am not going to change anyone elses. Lets hope for the best, for all our sake. Bottom line, we all care about the sport and the fishery, and that's what matters.


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## LaDiver (Nov 17, 2009)

Yep...agreed


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## Day0ne (Jan 14, 2006)

luna sea II said:


> you guy's should be breathing a collective sigh of relief now that these boats are going to be plying our waters...excuse me - federal waters.


Boat singular. What part of ONE boat that ever fished off of LA don't you understand? Do you people ever listen to anyone except yourselves?


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## doughboy361 (Mar 5, 2010)

TEXAS VS LOUISIANA!!!!!


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## cuzn dave (Nov 29, 2008)

I WAS considering booking my ONCE A YEAR tuna trip out of Venice this year but since I am no longer welcome as a TEXAN, I will be on the Scat cat fishing in Federal waters again.
Thanks for the heads up, ya'll.


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## hilton (Jan 28, 2008)

*tuna*

Howdy,
I'm not going to jump into this fray except to note that trying to blame different states' recreational fishermen for depleting each others' fishing spots of yellowfin is kinda silly. These fish are highly migratory, swimming thousands of miles in their lifetime and are not considered overfished nor undergoing overfishing.

Sometimes we forget that we are all in this together....

Here are some estimates of yellowfin landings from 2008 found on page 22 of http://www.iccat.int/Documents/Meetings/Docs/2009-SCRS_ENG.pdf

I'm not exactly sure how this relates to the *recreational* yellowfin tuna fishery to be honest, but am lining this out to show that there are other, more devastating factors that may have a *MUCH* higher impact on the fishery than a Texas vs Louisiana recs tit for tat.

The listings are; bait boat, longline, other surface gear, and purse seine. Bait boat is defined as those using pole and line, and I don't know if this is strictly commercial or if it includes rec catches.

Here are the 2008 numbers in tons for the western Atlantic (ATW);

bait boat - 886
longline - 12,078
other surf. - 1,977
purse seine - 2,067

Looks like the longline boats kill the most fish by far and bait boats having the least impact. Below is an old image showing the sheer numbers of hooks in the water by longliners - considering that rec fishermen are fishing 1 hook at a time, the impact should be quite low as compared to what longliners have in the water.

All the best,
Tom Hilton


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## LaAngler (Mar 11, 2008)

Kenner21 said:


> All you guys from Louisana sound like a bunch of whiney titty babies.


Not ALL of us, most of this thread is preaching to the choir.



Kenner21 said:


> 1. Not that long ago Texas did a lot to help victims of hurricane Katrina,volunteers,money,medicine and housing thousands of refugees who had nothing to go home too.


Keeping them alive was help? That's questionable. :slimer:



Kenner21 said:


> 5. Texans invited Venice based captains to come fish off our coast during the BP spill so they could still put food on the table.


They were making much more money staying put by working with BP or renting out camps/boats.


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## fathom lures (Jan 27, 2007)

**

disclaimer: the following link is for humor only, http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/8093815/


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## aggie82josh (Mar 16, 2007)

Let me check my math real quick:

In one month the big e might go out 4 times with a full load of 40 people for a 3 day 2 night trip.

Limits allowed to be kept

Yft: 4 trips * 40 people * 3 yft per person = 480 yft
Snapper: 4 trips * 40 people * 4 snapper limit = 640 snapper
Warsaw: 4 trips * 2 warsaws per boat = 8
AJ: 4 trips * 40 people * 2 aj per person = 320 ajs

Now, if the same 40 people went on 4-3day/2night trips in one month. If we assume 5 people to a boat, there would need to be 8 boats to bring them fishing.

Day 1:
Yft: 40 people * 3 yft per person = 120 yft
Snapper: 40 ppl * 2 rs per person = 80 rs
Warsaw: 8 boats * 1 warsaw per boat = 8 warsaw
AJ: 40 people * 1 aj per person = 40 ajs

Now repeat this 12 more times because you will have to come back in after every trip on a 6 pack charter thus, getting to keep a new limit the next day.

So&#8230;.

Total count for 4 - 3 day trips for 40 people on 6-pack charters would come to:

Yft: 120 * 12 = 1440
Snapper: 80 * 12 = 960
Warsaw: 8 * 12 = 96
AJ: 40 * 12 = 480

Now, how is it that people going on a head boat worse than going on a private boat for the same equivalent number of fishing days?


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## Margarita Mojo (Jan 30, 2006)

This all makes me not want to go to La anymore to spend my money. Yes, from Texas here and yes have spent a number of thousands of Dollars in Venice specifically on a friends boat and with charter capt ( 6 pack boats). All the griping put a bad taste in my mouth. Will just stick with the head boats when I want to go out of Texas and keep my money in Tx.


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## LaDiver (Nov 17, 2009)

Margarita Mojo said:


> This all makes me not want to go to La anymore to spend my money. Yes, from Texas here and yes have spent a number of thousands of Dollars in Venice specifically on a friends boat and with charter capt ( 6 pack boats). All the griping put a bad taste in my mouth. Will just stick with the head boats when I want to go out of Texas and keep my money in Tx.


Yea, a bunch of rec fisherman are ****** about texas headboats catching too many tuna in a concentrated area and you want to punish the charter captains who haven't said a word and REALLY need your business?? Not ONE charter captain has said a word about any of this on any websit...we are all rec fisherman....and the charter captains are the guys that really effected most by this. This is how they put food on the table for their families. You my friend, are a piece of chit. Hope to never see you around these parts....and I'm sure all the Venice charter captains feel the same say. We are *****ing about cattle boats captain because they take too many fish on one boat from a concentrated area. A 6 pack charter is a totally different animal. Stay in texas...please


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## mad marlin (Jan 17, 2008)

LaDiver said:


> Yea, a bunch of rec fisherman are ****** about texas headboats catching too many tuna in a concentrated area and you want to punish the charter captains who haven't said a word and REALLY need your business?? Not ONE charter captain has said a word about any of this on any websit...we are all rec fisherman....and the charter captains are the guys that really effected most by this. This is how they put food on the table for their families. You my friend, are a piece of chit. Hope to never see you around these parts....and I'm sure all the Venice charter captains feel the same say. We are *****ing about cattle boats captain because they take too many fish on one boat from a concentrated area. A 6 pack charter is a totally different animal. Stay in texas...please


Hey yo !!
Read this post from Buche, one of your fellows LA conservationist environmental THT of his last haul of fish. The most concerning picture its the "cooler Pic " surely sets a role model 
http://www.thehulltruth.com/gulf-coast/321546-cedar-key-12-18-10-grouper-fishing-boys.html


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## Margarita Mojo (Jan 30, 2006)

LaDiver said:


> Yea, a bunch of rec fisherman are ****** about texas headboats catching too many tuna in a concentrated area and you want to punish the charter captains who haven't said a word and REALLY need your business?? Not ONE charter captain has said a word about any of this on any websit...we are all rec fisherman....and the charter captains are the guys that really effected most by this. This is how they put food on the table for their families. You my friend, are a piece of chit. Hope to never see you around these parts....and I'm sure all the Venice charter captains feel the same say. We are *****ing about cattle boats captain because they take too many fish on one boat from a concentrated area. A 6 pack charter is a totally different animal. Stay in texas...please


Yea thats me. A nice piece of chit, smelly and I stink too. Never said anything against the charter capt's. Have had lots of fun in Venice, but have spent my time on the head boats 2. I would never have even responded except that I was in the picture and was called out as raping the La tuna population. Note that I didn't call you any names! Hope it made ya feel better.


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## moonriver (Nov 13, 2010)

Keeping them alive is not help? Which help is the more important than keeping people ALIVE? Thousands of thousands of volunteers went out their way to help those Katrina victims, Texas spent million of million dollars providing housing, foods, clothing, schools, jobs to those in need from LA. You called that NOT HELP? We welcome you with open doors, open arms and hearts. We did all we can to ease your pain and losses.
You are telling me that is NO HELP? What kind people are you? We did not ask anything for return. We did not even ask for a "THANK YOU". We live the way we see fit. We fish the way the law allowed. And your guys in LA blame us for stealling fishes from la water; you blame us for depleting the fishery, and some people went further saying they hate texans. What kind people are you? Think before you speak out, please. Don't put youself so **** low!


LaAngler said:


> Not ALL of us, most of this thread is preaching to the choir.
> 
> Keeping them alive was help? That's questionable. :slimer:
> 
> They were making much more money staying put by working with BP or renting out camps/boats.


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## IgotSNAGGED (Aug 20, 2010)

Margarita Mojo said:


> Yea thats me. A nice piece of chit, smelly and I stink too. Never said anything against the charter capt's. Have had lots of fun in Venice, but have spent my time on the head boats 2. I would never have even responded except that I was in the picture and was called out as raping the La tuna population. Note that I didn't call you any names! Hope it made ya feel better.


Awww c'mon now Joe...you don't smell all THAT bad..LOL. When we goin fishin again bud? Obviously we're not welcome in some parts so we'll just stick to the six pack charters here....

http://www.saltyheads.com/video/offshore-fishing-with-cowboy

That was a GOOD trip wasn't it?? I never get tired of watching this one!


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## Margarita Mojo (Jan 30, 2006)

IgotSNAGGED said:


> Awww c'mon now Joe...you don't smell all THAT bad..LOL. When we goin fishin again bud? Obviously we're not welcome in some parts so we'll just stick to the six pack charters here....
> 
> http://www.saltyheads.com/video/offshore-fishing-with-cowboy
> 
> That was a GOOD trip wasn't it?? I never get tired of watching this one!


That was an awesome trip for sure. Will be ready for another one like that soon for sure!!


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## moonriver (Nov 13, 2010)

Why do we like to fish on a party boat? Why such a smelling head boat attracts 30 or 40 anglers from all over the states or world to spend $700 or more to spend 3 days on the blue water? I like to explain with a neutral tune, with the best of my knowledge, the advantages of fishing party boat:
1. If you have a group of 20 or 30 die-hard fishing buddies who want fishing together, like DFW Jig Heads or Saltyheads, party boat is the only way to go. It is impossible to charter 5 or 6 private boats for such an event. Last year we had 12 people chartered 2 boats fishing together. On the day of departure, one captain cancelled his trip, so 6 of us could not sail with other friends. 
2. If you are a major dealer of fishing tackles, you may want to sponsor 1 or 2 fishing trips each year, to have your business and line of products exposed to the fishing community. It is the only way to sponsor a group of 30 to 40 anglers on a "privately chartered" party boat. OTI sponsors such trip few times a year. It is the best way to meet friends, to make new friends, to share their fishing experience, and to exchange their knowledge of new fishing tackles and technologies.
3. The major international manufactures of fishing tackles do the field test of their products few times every year. They want to know how their gears and lures perform on charters as well as on party boats. Some times they are a group of 6 or 10 persons, and they also want to fish with dealers and friends. Kilson booked such a trip with 10 field testing fishman from Japan next June. It is impossible to accommodate so many people on a small private charter. Lot of anglers jump on this rare opportunity, are eager to meet them, and make friend with them. Party boat is the only way to host such occasion. The same thing goes for International anglers. They come from all over the world. They want to make sure that most of their time are spent on the blue water. So party boats are more dependable. 
4. Lot of die-hard offshore fishman do not live on the coast (i am one). We can only do such fishing trip 2 or 3 times each year. We have to schedule our fishing trip, get pre-approved vacation time. So we want to "stay" on the water to the max that our vacation allows. We can stay on a party boat 36 hours, 60 hours, or 80 hours if we choose. We can sleep on the bunker if we were tired. We can fish for tuna at night. We can fish bottom for groupers or snappers or trolling during the day. We like to enjoy the outdoor to the max. Small charters do not have this advantages.
5. If we want fish for 2 days or more on the blue water, it is less expensive and more convenient to be on a party boat. If fishing on a charter, we could only fishing during the day. We have to check in a hotel at night, which add up the cost. We have to move our tackles, gears, and coolers in and out of hotel, in and out of the boat twice a day. That's lot of hassle. 
6. The small charters are more weather sensitive than the big party boat. Most small charters don't sail on a 5' or 6' sea. The party boat can handle 11' to 12' sea easily. Needless to say that we are more comfortable on the big party boat if we had 6' or 11' sea. We got our vacation pre-approved, we had our fishing trip scheduled and paid, we are all bumped up, and ready to sail. Then the captain of the small charter told you that the trip has been cancelled due to 6' sea. I bet you that you wish to go with party boat instead of a small charter. 
7. Texas coast line is very unique. The water is very shallow, the water temperature is very warm most of the year due to the Texas heat. So we have to go 100 miles ( or more ) out to the blue water, to the tuna grounds. Most small charters do not want to go that far, because they have plenty business to fish near coast for sharks, groupers, Aj, snappers. They don't need to go that far to make more money. So if we want tuna fishing, we have a limited options. We are so grateful that we do have Big E, Scat Cat and other party boats that we can rely on. 
8. We have a very limited window of opportunity for tuna fishing each year due to weather temp and migration of the fish: from late Oct to April. Big E and Scat Cat try their best to put up a weekly schedule for their long range tuna trip. But most of their scheduled trips have to be cancelled due to weather and lack of commitment. They make 1 or 2 (if they were lucky) long range trip a month. So it is very likely that we are able to privately charter a party boat if 20 of us want to go tuna fishing together, and if we want to go tuna fishing at GC. 
We texans did nothing wrong regarding tuna fishing. We texans, not only support our economy in Texas, we also support economy in la by fishing over there, by staying in hotels there, by eating at restaurants there, by drinking at bars there, by going titi bar there, by gambling at casinos there. Further more, when ever la residents need help, from natural disasters like Katrina, and BP oil spill, we texans always are there to help. We welcome you with open doors, with open arms and hearts. We have thousands of thousands of volunteers going out their ways, doing the best they can to help you, to easy your pains and losses. Texas spent millions of millions of taxpayers' money to provide medicine, foods, housing, schools and jobs to those in need. No other states do as near as much as Texans did in the past. And we are willing to continue to do so if in need. We did not turn our back on you. We did not bash the way you live. We did not bash the way you fish. So stop whining. Stop bash Big E. Stop bash the way we fish. Remember: WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Good post Moonriver! I'd like to say that the "tuna season" is pretty much year-round in the Gulf, since the yellowfin tuna do NOT migrate thousands of miles like the bluefin. Instead, the yellowfin tend to migrate along the 600 fathom line that marks the outer Continental Shelf. There is thought to be an eastern component of yellowfin off Venice off Louisiana, which is very close to shore, and a western component that is out by Boomvang off Texas, which is over 100 miles offshore. These fish are always within several hundred miles of these spots. 

I am not a tuna scientist but that's the general sense. The bluefin can spawn in the same places as the yellowfin, usually more toward the Loop Current and its eddies in the winter, and they can travel all the way to near Nova Scotia, Canada every summer. Now that's called "migratory." Our yellowfin tend to hang out, often running deep so you don't see them feeding on top like at Midnight Lump or in the flares of the Texas offshore floaters. In fact, often the tuna will be 100 feet deep and the Bigeye can be 600 feet down. If the yellowfin move down the drop-off, the 100 fathom line and much deeper, they're chasing food in large schools mixed with blackfin tuna. That's why some folks go to Boomvang and can't find a single fish at all - they just moved over 80 miles down the road. 

All the studies I read don't indicate that the yellowfin tuna migrates to Florida or to Mexico, as many ling and tarpon so in large inshore fish runs (there is a component of Texas ling thought to simply go deeper in the winter). They are remarkably local fish that so far as I know, are not threatened in any way.

That said, there is concern that the science hasn't kept up with the recreational yellowfin landings. While it used to be a "tough man" sport for the very few, now anybody with more than a Jon Boat is heading out to catch yellowfin tuna. This trend seems to have started in the last two or three years. Just remember, the NMFS and scientists have all the official numbers, but us fishermen know our fisheries much better than they do. So far as I can tell, a few old mossback tuna fishermen in Texas and Louisiana have noticed fewer good-sized yellowfin tuna coming over the boat railing - the average size seems smaller. 

Could the old-timer mossbacks be right? 

Well look what I said, that the yellowfin doesn't have much fidelity to one specific location, but will stay along the outer Continental Shelf in several broad locations on the map of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Make your own decision for your own experience and reading the literature. Until the science can detect any trends at all, however, the law is on the side of the recreational private and charter fisherman. :cheers:


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## moonriver (Nov 13, 2010)

Swells, thanks very much. I learn alot from your post. I need to read more about yft, try to have a better understanding. Thanks again.


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## mad marlin (Jan 17, 2008)

awesome write up , moon so far the most logical & down to earth comment. Well put


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## Gluconda (Aug 25, 2005)

I have to confess, I have stolen some resources from LA...

A beautiful dark hair green eye girl for New Orleans! Gotta love those French/Cajun girls and Mardi Gras!


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## Richgoose (Mar 17, 2010)

moonriver - the most logical perspective of someone that doesn't own a boat, best post of the thread.

swells - awesome background info on the overarching subject (gom yft). that could be the first entry in a 2cool GOM wiki....

And one more thought: after reading all the heated debate but then coming to a point of mutual agreement, if our elected officials in washington could get along half as well we wouldn't be in such a mess


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## Iyaman (Nov 14, 2010)

Moon, as always good post and explanation. I followed the link to the THT and the majority of the people's comment over there is illogical and uneducated. What do you expect, the first post which was the basis of the people's reaction is not even right.

Anyway, atleast I know now not to go to that place incase of a Texas disaster, God forbids. I probably have greater chance being helped if I go to Mexico lol.

Hey CAPT. ANTHONY! You should thank them guys for the promotion or is it demotion? lol


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