The right weedline, the right oil rig and the right timing can net wahoo, dolphin, cobia, snapper and more on the Gulf Coast.
By
Chris Woodward
Updated: July 26, 2011
Earlier this month, editor Chris Woodward ran offshore from Galveston with a crew from Garmin electronics aboard a 36 Invincible with pro angler Bill Platt. Out near the Stetson Bank, Platt cranked up his Garmin radar (GMR 604xHD open array) and promptly spotted a fleet of shrimp boats (top center).Chris Woodward
Shrimp boats at anchor in 200-plus feet of water attract all kinds of pelagic fish life.
Garmin’s Carly Baltes (right), communications specialist, and Platt’s friend and mate-for-the-day, Joey, toss sardine chum off the bow, watching for signs of blackfin tuna.
Platt’s sounder (GSD 22) shows a school of fish rising to the chum beneath the boat.Chris Woodward
Hooked up! Greg DeVries, Garmin’s director of marine sales and marketing, hauls on a hefty fish with light tackle.
Baltes boats one of a swarm of schoolies the Garmin crew caught behind a shrimp boat.
A shrimp boat anchored near a weedline spelled instant dolphin hookups. Here, an angler leaves her fish in the water, hoping to keep the school near.Chris Woodward
Platt (left) and DeVries show off a brace of blackfins.Chris Woodward
Platt hoists a truly impressive blackfin for angler Baltes.Chris Woodward
Platt enters a waypoint for a new spot using the touch-screen keyboard on his GPSMAP 7215.Chris Woodward
The new numbers produced a surprise speedster – a wahoo that valiantly sprayed the gaff man.Chris Woodward
Platt subdues the wahoo for a photo before releasing it to the fish box.Chris Woodward
An always welcome visitor to a chum slick – a legal-size cobia!Chris Woodward
DeVries hammers another blackfin tuna. The tuna swim with schools of bonito that compete for chunk baits at a slick.
On the way to a bottom-fishing hot spot, Platt sees a rain cell approaching from the north. The XM/Sirius weather service helps him dodge summer thunderstorms.Chris Woodward
The GSD 22 sounder shows Platt a small cluster of fish nestled in the nearly featureless bottom.Chris Woodward
The happy result of good numbers and a top-notch sounder – a pair of delicious Gulf red snapper.Chris Woodward