Tuna trips having major success on coast
The winter yellowfin tuna bite is on off the coast of Texas.
The most recent evidence came last weekend when the Scat Cat, an offshore party boat operated by Fisherman’s Wharf in Port Aransas, took 24 anglers on a 56-hour offshore tuna trip and returned with one of its best catches in years.
“I would venture to say it was one of the biggest catches of yellowfin tuna the coast has seen,” said Scott Garrison, manager of Fisherman’s Wharf. “We caught 72 yellowfin, our limit of Vermilion snapper, a boatload of blackfin tuna, dorado, grouper, a 170-pound mako shark and amberjack.
“I’d say 60 percent of the yellowfin were between 70 and 120 pounds.”
Garrison said the trip ran 150 miles offshore, and the anglers caught fish on a multitude of baits, including top-waters, chunk baits and jigs.
The Scat Cat still has nine openings left on its next 56-hour offshore trip on Friday, Feb. 24.
“These trips are a lot of fun,” Garrison said. “We’ve really been trying to get these tuna trips going, and I think we are starting to hit our stride. I’ve been a charter boat operator for a lot of years, and this is a great trip.”
For more information, call Fisherman’s Wharf at 1-800-605-5448.
