I admit, I have an obsession; it’s to catch the most billfish in the Gulf of Mexico, not to mention the largest Blue Marlin on the Texas Coast.  After spending 27 years as a Professional Rodeo Cowboy the competitive attitude is hard shake and has been spilled over to my other passion, Billfishing!  I have spent all of my life hunting and fishing around the world, from the Atlantic Ocean to the far reaches of the South Pacific!  I believe in a competitive edge in all sports, working harder at fishing, better information about an area, being more alert, rigging the best lures and baits, having better technology onboard and just being lucky.  Luck sometimes just happens or sometimes people make it happen by doing all the right things, it’s called being prepared!  Now don’t get me wrong fishing is enjoyable, relaxing and exhilarating but being organized and prepared for an offshore trip will add to the rewards of your success.

First, before I head offshore my information search starts with weather.  This can dictate not only where I’m going to fish but also if I’m able to going fishing period.  The general rule of thumb is if the wind is 10 knots or less it’s going to be a beautiful day, anything up to 17 knots is fishable but a little bumpy.  Beware of the wind switching direction during the day as the seas are likely to be confused or bumpy and may stay that way until the direction stabilizes.

Second, I check water temperature and structure.  This is where Hilton’s charts come into the picture; currents develop along the edge of the temperature breaks and when it’s over structure it is the key element in finding bait, rips and weed lines which are instrumental in locating many species of offshore game fish such as Wahoo, Tuna, Dolphin, Kingfish, Ling and of course Billfish just to name a few.  Hilton’s charts are the best and most current source of offshore structural information on the market!  Weekend warriors and tournament fisherman take note, the first one to these areas are more likely to cash in!

Third, I look at saltwater bulletin boards for postings in my fishing area, talk to other offshore Charter Captains and even look over the catch of local head boats.  This information can help you draw a pattern of the bite, bait location and bait movement.  This type of information is particularly valuable if you are fishing a new area or fish only on weekends.

Forth, Develop a fishing plan.  It is important that you know where you want to fish and you may even want to create GPS waypoints along possible temperature breaks, especially those over structure.  Creating a plan will help you optimize your fishing time and everyone knows that the only way to catch fish is to wet a hook.  I would suggest also creating a backup plan that may overlap the primary plan.  Only execute the backup plan if you seem to be completely off the fish pattern and have other information such as Channel 68 VHF radio reports of fish activity.

Fifth, Create a checklist that can be used every time you go offshore fishing. The checklist should contain line items pertaining to engine maintenance, fishing equipment, bait and groceries.  Fishing offshore is not a sport to take lightly, have the self-discipline to use the checklist on every trip because there are no stores in the middle of the gulf and even more important there are no mechanic shops.

Of course there is a lot more to catching fish offshore than the five steps above, however if you practice self-discipline and pay attention to detail you will have a lot more time to fish when you are on the water, not to mention you and your crew will be a lot more comfortable.  Also remember to conserve our resources and only keep what you will eat!

Catch you later!

Capt. Scott McCune

 

Capt. Scott McCune (USCG Master)

fishntexas.com with The Saltwater Cowboy

512.626.7069 cell

Email: scott@fishntexas.com

WEB Page: www.fishntexas.com    

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