September/October 2015
Celebrating Coastal Life
[Letter from the Publisher] Admiral (Publisher) Charles Milby
Where’s The Reef?
Vice Admiral (President) Rick Clapp Rear Admiral (Editor) Mary Alys Cherry Captain (Director of Art) Brandon Rowan Commodore (Graphic Designer) Kelly Groce Sales Commodore (Director of Sales) Patty Kane
D
id you know that Texas Parks and Wildlife, along with the Hart Research Institute out of Corpus, is conducting a two-year study on 15 artificial reef systems just off the Texas coast in the Gulf of Mexico? The Artificial Reef Program, created in 1990 as a program within the Coastal Fisheries Division, promotes, develops, maintains, monitors, and enhances the artificial reef potential of Texas offshore waters. How are artificial reefs created? 1. Old drilling rigs make up the Rigs to Reef Program 2. Large ships that are worn out make up the Ships to Reef Program 3. Used highway material and heavy duty steel from bridges are used in the Near Shore Reef Program The Artificial Reef Program now maintains more than 4,000 acres of artificial reef structures within the Texas Gulf waters. Some recent, exciting reef news concerns Callan Marine LTD, a seagoing construction company. They’ve been contracted by TPWD to place 2,400 concrete pyramids, each about 1,000 pounds, out in the Gulf. Some of the concrete will add to an existing reef near Freeport and the remainder will be placed near Matagorda County. If all goes according to plan, this will be biggest artificial reef in the state. In total, the two projects will add close to 300 acres of reef. To learn more about these underwater oases, go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife web site: www.tpwd.texas.gov, and click on the Artificial Reef Program section. If you like to fish or dive on these reefs, then let us hear from you. We’d love to see any pictures you take out there. Always use caution when you’re out in the Gulf. Storms and squalls can pop up before you know it. Use good judgment, be aware of the forecast and stay safe.
Charles Milby Publisher
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine
September/October 2015
Sales Crew (Advertising Executives) Shannon Alexander Judy Gaines Debbie Salisbury Editorial Capt. David Dillman Kelly Groce Capt. Brett Holden Patty Kane Capt. Joe Kent Betha Merit Dawn Messina Charles Milby Brandon Rowan Janice Van Dyke Walden Photography Patty Kane Dawn Messina Charles Milby Jim Olive Distribution Timothy Shinkle Company Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine P.O. Box 1032 Seabrook, TX 77586 For information on advertising: Phone: 281.474.5875 Fax: 281.474.1443 r.clapp@baygroupmedia.com www.GulfCoastMariner.com
FEATURES
September/October 2015
10|How Healthy is Galveston Bay?
30|The Galley: In Season Seafood Sensations
12|Christmas Bay Paddling Trail
34|What’s In Your Bag?
For the first time ever, the Galveston Bay Foundation and HARC have put together a report card on the health of the Bay.
The well marked kayak trails on Christmas Bay are your path to fish and pleasure. By Janice Van Dyke Walden
14|Big Boats and Big Fish
Delicious recipes for Parmesan baked grouper, lemon butter and basil flounder and chili dusted gulf shrimp fiesta. By Betha Merit
Good stuff you can’t be without on land and sea this fall! By Patty Kane
ON THE COVER
Artificial reefs Nautical Trivia
Texas sized offshore action is found during the multiple billfish tournaments of summer. By Dawn Messina
Shark fishing tournaments
20|SSBG Adaptive Sailing
Nautical Numbers
Starship donation enables new horizons for adaptive sailing.
Shimano Flat Fall Jig
22|Farley Fontenot
An interview with Audi Melges 32 World coach for the Quantum Racing Team.
Choosing a fishing kayak
26|Lakewood Yacht Club
2015 HOOD Regatta
The Seabrook club is making waves. The youth team has won the prestigious Sears Cup and sailing director Marek Valasek will coach at the World Optimist Championship in Poland.
Galveston Bay in transition
28|Inshore Fall Fishing
Autumn is one of the best times of the year for targeting flounder, reds and trout. By Capt. Joe Kent
Contents
Sportfishers at dock and team REHAB with a blue marlin.
Galveston Bay tides
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How healthy is Galveston Bay? he Galveston Bay Foundation and the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) have released the first-ever Galveston Bay Report Card on the health of the Bay. This is the first time researchers have graded the Bay’s overall health, and some of the results are concerning. The entire Galveston Bay Report Card can be found online at www.galvbaygrade.org. The report card will be updated annually.
Water Quality The Bay’s overall water quality received the highest grade — a B. The water quality is threatened mostly by runoff from residential areas and wastewater from human activity.
Pollution
Wildlife
Habitat
This category received a D. Oil spills, trash, and toxic contamination are environmental risks that can harm wildlife, habitats, and the safety of our seafood supply. In 2014, Galveston Bay suffered a large oil spill from a ship collision that increased oil spill volume by nine times over the previous decade’s average.
Galveston Bay’s wildlife, which plays an important role in the Bay’s ecosystem, received a D as well. Some shellfish populations have been deteriorating and need to be restored.
The Bay’s natural habitats also received a D. Freshwater wetlands, underwater grasses, and oyster reefs were found to be under stress.
O V E R A L L
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine September/October 2015
Human Health Risks
Coastal Change
The Bay received a C for human health risks. While most Bay seafood is safe to eat, a long history of toxic contamination has led to seafood consumption warnings for some species in certain areas of the Bay. Additionally, swimming in area streams and bayous is generally discouraged due to recurring high levels of bacteria that can make people sick.
The Bay received a C for coastal change. The Bay’s physical environment is affected by rising sea levels, changing weather patterns, and increasing demands for freshwater.
G R A D E :
C
MONSTERS OF THE PAST By Capt. Brett Holden
B
ack in the day
shark fishing was a big hit. Boats traveled from across the entire Gulf Coast to fish shark tournaments on the Texas coast. Tourneys like The Big, The Bad & The Ugly in Matagorda, The Monster Fishing Tournament in Freeport and the Hall of Fame Tournament held on the old Texas City Dike, drew in crowds from around the state. Vacations were scheduled around the events so everyone could see the monster sharks come in to the dock. These tournaments were held during the summer months, which was the best time to target big sharks in close. As time marched on, enthusiasm for shark fishing kind of withered away. Many, including myself, just decided it was not ethical to target and kill these monster “prehistoric giants” for a few bucks and a picture. I fished my tail off for big Capt. Brett Holden, left, with a huge hammerhead shark sharks as a young man and caught 13 miles off the beach of Matagorda during The Big, The Bad & The Ugly Shark Tournament of years past. caught numerous sharks in the 600-to-1000-pound range. They are incredible creatures and I really enjoyed it back in the day. But knowing now that some of these giants were estimated to be over 100 years old, I would never kill another one of that caliber again. They are a really cool part of the oceans that we love so much. One thing I have noticed lately is how so many of the shark fisherman today are catching and releasing some big fish from nearshore boats and the beach. It is still not uncommon to see a 500-1000-pound class fish being caught on video and released to fight another day, which is very cool! For decades, large sharks have been a great sport fish. The big ones can be targeted from as close in as the breakers on the beach, to just a few miles offshore. How many other species of fish can you target from a very small boat that close in and still be in search of a true grander without breaking the bank?
200g and 250g weights now available for Shimano’s Flat Fall Jig
NAUTICAL NUMBERS 5
Mahi-mahi have an explosive growth rate for a fish. They grow up to 5 feet long their first year, which is about 5 inches per month.
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Fiddler crabs can burrow themselves up to 24 inches down in the ground. These tunnels they dig aerate the marsh grasses, which is an important role in the salt marshes.
100,000 Female flounders spawn several times during their annual spawning period, each time producing about 100,000 eggs. They swim offshore to spawn between the months October and December.
Shimano unveiled new, heavier weights of their innovative Flat Fall
Jigs at this year’s ICAST. On an offshore trip 30-40 miles out of Galveston, Team Gulf Coast Mariner hooked up on red snapper, dorado and kingfish using the 200g pink/blue jig. As designed, the jig drew strikes as it slowly fluttered down the water column. But this lure is also deadly when worked up back to the surface in typical speed jig fashion. Read the full review and watch a video of the jig in action at www.gulfcoastmariner.com/shimanos-flat-fall-jig-review
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White shrimp can be identified by their antenna that is 3 times longer then their body length.
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The Path to Fish and Pleasure:
Christmas Bay Paddling Trail
By Janice Van Dyke Walden
S
he’s a surfer chick and he’s a coastal kayaker with wanderlust. Together, Callie and Christian Easterly find their peace at Surfside and Christmas Bay on Follets Island just west of Galveston. When they’re not taking to the waves, they’re meandering Christmas Bay’s paddling trail, usually with no agenda except to open the mind. Though the two grew up less than a mile from each other -- she at her dad’s house in the Treasure Island community of San Luis Island, he, roaming the beach and surf of San Luis Pass – Callie and Christian didn’t meet until after she had spent a dozen years in Seattle (“I was surrounded by environmentalists”). They just happened to hook up in Houston. “Even though I’d spent
most of my years growing up around Surfside and Christmas Bay, I didn’t really appreciate the area until Christian showed it to me,” admits Callie, who is director of development for Katy Prairie Conservancy. “After living in the Pacific Northwest, it looked so flat and boring to me. Christian has an amazing knowledge of ecosystems, wildlife, and how they’re all connected. That opened my eyes to the beauty that I had grown up around and made me fall in love with the Texas coast, coastal wetlands and of course, prairies.” For a Call of Duty level designer who advanced quickly in the competitive game world, that knowledge of ecosystems was invaluable to Christian. For years, he designed landscapes in action sequences that immersed gamers in their virtual reality. “If your background comes off as fake,” says Christian,
“Christmas Bay has a stable bottom and a consistent four-foot water depth, making it a kind of shallow pan perfect for wade fishing.”
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine September/October 2015
Which is the right fishing kayak for me? Kayak selection is highly dependent on the physical size, skill and needs of the angler. It’s always best to try before you buy but here are a few proven rides to consider when shopping.
SURF
Ocean Kayak Frenzy “you won’t continue to engage your audience. The way the sky looks, little ambient sounds, birds flying by….that’s what makes it immersive. One of the reasons why I’ve been put into some of the larger games is because I spent so much time outside. I had a really good memory bank of references of landscapes that I use.” And, so much of that time outside was paddling Christmas Bay. Throughout its 4,173 surface acres of water, Christmas Bay has a stable bottom and a consistent four-foot water depth, making it a kind of shallow pan perfect for wade fishing. These same conditions have promoted the growth of over 200 acres of sea grass, making the bay’s sea grass stand one of the largest in Texas. Add to that an unbroken shoreline, stable waters and no primary contact with pollutants, the bay has become ideal as a rookery, marine nursery and everything else that feeds up the biotic chain. To see all this, you can go out in the open and find your own direction. But, like the virtual games Christian designs, most people enjoy a predetermined path with options. And, that’s the reason for the paddling trail on Christmas Bay. Texas Parks and Wildlife put in the trail shortly after the first one was established at Lighthouse Lakes in 1998. The concept of paddling trails was new to Texas then, and, like Lighthouse Lakes, the trail at Christmas Bay came in to being because local interest and local stewardship made it happen. Someone was willing to take up the cause and get the markers in the water. Today, those 29 markers are tied to GPS coordinates that guide boaters in a 19.1-mile loop of the bay. They have succumbed to years of weathering and forces like Hurricane Ike. It’s time to
restore all the signs and some of the posts. Jim Olive is doing just that with the Christmas Bay Foundation he started in 1999 and with the help of Brazoria County and Eagle Scout candidate Harrison Jones. Olive is crazy for Christmas Bay. It graces the cover of the book he photographed for author Jim Blackburn, The Book of Texas Bays. It is prominently displayed through his photomurals in the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s new permanent exhibit, the Hamman Hall of Coastal Ecology (Gulf Coast Mariner, July/ Aug 2015). It’s the place where Olive retreated for years each weekend, happy in an old fisherman’s shack he owned on a gravel spit in the middle of the bay. By October, Jim’s foundation and volunteers will complete restoration of the paddle trail, providing anglers and kayakers a well-marked route connecting to Drum Bay, Bastrop Bay, Cold Pass and San Luis Pass. A paddler can do the entire 19.1-mile loop, or go on popular, shorter routes of 3.8 miles and 10.3 miles. “As a kayaker,” says Christian, “it’s extremely important to have a marked trail. There can be a mental barrier for people to get out and do it. It’s one thing for people to have the time and money and initiative. But, most people don’t know where to go. Getting in your kayak and going into an expanse of water can be intimidating. Just like the sound on their phone, the same is true with trails. People like feedback in what they’re doing. It’s nice to see the mile marker and know where you are. It makes it more enjoyable.” And, for Callie and Christian Easterly, and a lot of other people, there’s no better place. You’ll find them out and about on Christmas Bay.
Rig a crate with rod holders on the back and you’re ready to punch through the breakers. This stout 9-foot kayak is great for surf fishing, yaking out shark baits or just plain recreation, all for under $500.
MARSH
Wilderness Systems Tarpon 140 Planning on paddling through miles of marsh? The Tarpon 140 has the speed to accommodate long days on the water and plenty of storage for your gear and catch.
BAY
Hobie Mirage Pro Angler 14 A true kayak fishing battle station, the Pro Angler is one of the ultimate choices for serious bay anglers. The Mirage Drive foot pedaling system provides a comfortable, hands free ride that lets you focus on fishing.
BUDGET
Perception Pescador 12.0 Angler Versatile, as well as affordable, the Pescador 12.0 Angler is great kayak for fishermen who need a solid, good all-around ride that won’t break the bank. Visit your local Academy and see what’s in stock. The Pescador comes in a couple different lengths and versions.
www.GulfCoastMariner.com
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[BILLFISH TOURNAMENTS]
BASTANTE John Uhr Memorial Billfish Tournament By Dawn Messina Rockport, Texas
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started my travels in Rockport to write about the Texas offshore fishing tournament, Bastante, only a few years old and still going through growing pains. The offshore registration saw some great boats and the inshore division proved to net a record breaking Calcutta of $71,500. Bastante means “more than enough” and the tournament’s name honors the memory and the life of Captain John Uhr. The mission of Bastante is to raise money for The American
Cancer Society Relay for Life, The Boy Scouts of America, The Rockport-Fulton Humane Society and Adoption Center and The Rockport Aquarium. Uhr was well known around the world for his passion of sportfishing. His humorous personality and love for life led him into the hearts of just about everyone that met him. His first offshore boat was named Bastante so in his younger years he was known by those closest to him was Johnny “Bastante.” John Uhr lost his battle with cancer on December 30, 2010, just shy of his 49th birthday, leaving behind his beautiful wife, Cindy and young son, Jackson. He was considered a living legend by some and countless stories continue to be told by family and friends about his many outdoors adventures.
Bastante Founder Tami Noling When was the first Bastante? Tami Noling: We held the first tournament in 2012. What inspired you to organize this tournament? TN: I had helped run other tournaments in the Caribbean and Mexico, but never in the U.S. Johnny nagged me for years and years to do one in Rockport and I would give him the “Oh brother”…”yeah right”...”you’re crazy” speeches. There was no question or “maybe I’ll do one” after he died. It was more like, “When, where and who’s in with me?!” Describe how it all came together and the experience of being on the other side of a big game fishing tournament. TN: I had been on the other side of tournaments before. There’s
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine September/October 2015
During last year’s Bastante tournament, the Texas state record blue marlin was caught by Team Legacy, captained by Kevin Deerman and owned by George Gartner. The Legacy has fished Bastante every year and returned in 2015 to defend their title. Tami Noling, founder and director of the tournament, was one of Uhr’s closest friends and was asked time and again Game Hog to organize took first a billfishing place in the offshore tournament division out of with two Rockport. Tami blue marlin releases. is well known around the world in her own right as one of the top lady billfish anglers so starting Bastante was a natural fit! Registration this year was held at Poor Man’s Country Club on Wednesday, July 8, with eight offshore boats with a total of $46,750 prize money. Then on Friday, the Calcutta for the bay fishing division was held with 21 boats and a whopping $71,150 total of prize money, setting a new record for the inshore tournament. Taking top spot in this year’s offshore division was Game Hog with two blue marlin releases. Bleu Sky captured second place with a blue and white marlin release as well as taking first, second and third place for tuna. Bird Dog came in third with a white marlin release and first, second and third place dorado.
Taking top spot for kingfish was Gaff ‘em & Stack ‘em with 61.75 total weight and first and third place with a 37.9 and 23.85 pounders. Second place went to Reel Keen with a total weight of 52-pounds and Todd Caspary took second place with a 33.75 kingfish. Caspary donated his winnings to American Cancer Society as he does every year. Third overall went to Ojos Loco with 34.05 pound total weight. The inshore division, first place total stringer went to Team Waterloo, comprised of anglers Jake Luddeke, Brett Sweeny, Patrick and Tyler Gulley, with 34 pounds, earning them $8,400 in prize money. Second place went to RJB Trucking for a $2,400 payout and third went to Da Boys for a $1,200 payout. In the Calcutta, top money went to TRI Country earning them a whopping $49,805! Second spot to RJB Trucking for $14,230 and third to Da Boys for $7,115. Certainly not bad pay for fishing! The redfish top spot went to Da Boys with 8.95 pounds, second place to How Deep Is It Here with 8.77 pounds and third to RJB Trucking with 8.57 pounds. Top honors for trout fishing went to CLS with a 4.98 pound-fish, second to TRI Country with 4.93 pounds and M&P Produce with 4.70 pounds. Dates for the 2016 Bastante John Uhr Memorial Billfish Tournament are July 27-31. Stay tuned!
pressure of course, but I’ve never been one to buckle under pressure. And knowing it’s all for Johnny makes me stronger and more confident in all aspects of the whole gig. I’m a tough, salty fishhead and my dad raised me to have some pretty thick skin. That all started at the age of two when my father took me fishing for the first time. I’ve loved it for 50-plus years now. What has been the most rewarding part of organizing this tournament? TN: The people involved. The crew that gathers to volunteer each year and help me with the tournament are just amazing, and they do it out of love. It’s a love that can be felt during the whole event. I’ve even had several people come up to me during an evening party and make a point to tell me how they can feel the love. Our sponsors are another amazing part of the tournament; most of them knew Johnny and proudly sponsor to ensure this event can happen year after year.
POCO BUENO A Texas Tradition
By Dawn Messina Port O’Connor, Texas
N
ext up was the Invitational Poco Bueno founded in 1969 by Walter W. Fondren III and some of his closest friends. Fondren, who left a distinguished legacy, became the founding chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association in 1977, now the CCA. Poco is a Fondren family-run fishing tournament that includes offshore and inshore divisions. Fondren saw Poco Bueno as a way to draw attention to the incredible resources that Port O’Connor offered the recreational angler. The name Poco Bueno in Spanish roughly translates to “It’s Okay.” Thirteen boats registered for that first Poco, which ended in bad weather so a big party and trap-shooting off the dock took place. Rumor has it that in the early days of Poco, it was a wild four-day party that
Offshore Division Winner 1st: Hasta Luego 2nd: Mojo 3rd: Lady Adele
Tag & Release 1st: Notorious 2nd: Dinamita 3rd: Reel Bounty Largest Fish Blue Marlin: Hasta Luego - 575 lbs Tuna: Long Shot - 116.5 lbs Dorado: Family Ties - 36.4 lbs Wahoo: Mine Time - 40.4 lbs Friday Blue Marlin 1st: Hasta Luego: 575 lbs, 112.5” 2nd: Lady Adele: 508 lbs, 106” 3rd: Honky Tonk: 452 lbs, 112.375”
included strippers, flown in by oil and gas executives, and an endless supply of high dollar liquor. Today, over 50 years later, Poco Bueno is family friendly and attracts some of the most prestigious boat owners, their families, captains and crew members from across the United States to fish the offshore tournament. In 1985, an inshore division was added in order to accommodate the overwhelming desire of redfish and trout anglers to participate in all of the festivities. With the growing popularity of fly fishing on the Texas coast, a fly fishing division was added in 2009. In the years since that first Tournament, Poco Bueno has grown to include over 100 offshore and inshore boats. Through the years, it has kept its original spirit – groups of friends gathering to promote the sport of offshore and inshore fishing in and around Port O’Connor. Walter Fondren IV, who
is following in his dad’s footsteps, now acts as director of the legendary Poco Bueno billfish tournament, which continues to be an invitational only, family-run tournament. This year, taking top spot by one-pound was Hasta Luego, Capt. Dee Wallace, crew and angler Justin Aguilar from San Antonio with a 575-pound blue marlin. Second place was taken by Mojo, Capt. Brian Phillips with a 574-pound marlin and third place went to Lady Adele with their 508-pound marlin. Fourth place was Honky Tonk at 452-pounds, fifth place was Done Deal at 421-pounds, Over the Limit took seventh with a 393-pound fish and seventh place was Whoo Dat at 389-pounds. Taking top spot for the inshore master angler division was Ken Lester and Brant Boone with 57.15-pounds. The fly-fishing master angler award went to Camp Baily and Corby Robertson with 34.8-pounds.
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Tournament Champions 1st: REHAB 2nd: Wild Hooker 3rd: Whoo Dat Billfish Release 1st: Wild Hooker 2nd: Whoo Dat 3rd: Down Time Blue Marlin 1st: Over-Ride - 644 lbs 2nd: Big Torch - 508 lbs 3rd: Over-Ride - 470 lbs Tuna 1st: Tico Time - 142 lbs 2nd: Smooth Move - 86 lbs 3rd: Cherokee - 85 lbs Dorado 1st: Relentless Pursuit - 41.5 lbs 2nd: Mine Time - 36.5 lbs 3rd: Wild Hooker - 32 lbs Wahoo 1st: Leveled Out - 44 lbs 2nd: Sails Pitch - 42 lbs 3rd: Doc Holiday - 39.5 lbs
Houston Big Game Fishing Club
LONE STAR SHOOTOUT
(Top) Lone Star Shootout champions, Team REHAB with a 412.5 pound blue marlin. (Above) Team REHAB releases a blue marlin. Photo: Team REHAB
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine September/October 2015
By Dawn Messina Port O’ Connor, Texas
T
he Lone Star Shootout, formally
The Houston Invitational Billfish Tournament, started in Galveston in 2005 as a function of The Houston Big Game Fishing Club. It was moved to Freeport in 2007 and six years ago, again moved to Port O’Connor a location that has proven to successfully attract bigger participation. The Lone Star Shootout provides serious funds
for the Houston Big Game Fishing Club’s charitable programs, supporting college scholarships and other programs relating to fishing, boat safety and Warrior’s Weekend. To date HBGFC, due in large part to the funds raised at the Shootout and with the support of its members and corporate sponsors, has funded over $150,000 in scholarship money. The tournament was held July 22-27, following the week of Poco Bueno at Port O’Connor’s Caracol Coastal Development. Most of the boats that fished Poco also participated in the Lone Star Shootout. However, captains and crew members may change, fishing a different boat from the previous tourney. The tournament concludes with an awards party, remembered and talked about each and every year for great food, entertainment and fellowship. Prizes are
awarded for billfish, wahoo, tuna and dolphin. The Perpetual Champion’s Trophy is the prized possession of each year’s champion and has become one of the most sought after trophies on the Gulf Coast tournament trail. I found the Lone Star Shootout to be the most fun to attend. It’s smaller than Poco Bueno, but still offers the opportunity to compete against some of the best billfish teams in the U.S. and a chance to win big money. The Shootout has one of the largest payouts of any tournament in the western Gulf with a billfish release format. The action started off hot on day one and kept going to the last minute of fishing with no less than ten boats reporting at least two marlin releases. After all the boats were in, videos reviewed and paperwork confirmed, the field had caught a record total of 98 billfish! The totals were 35 blue marlin, 30 white marlin and 33 sailfish. The Lone Star Shootout had 52 participating boats this year, offering optional side pot betting instead of a Calcutta. These side pots pay out 95 percent of the total amount entered and the remaining 5 percent of the total will is donated to HBGFC Charitable and Scholarship Funds. Optional side pots include billfish release pots in
“The tournament also featured a $1 million reward for a state record blue marlin!” the amounts of $5,000, $2,500, $1,000, and $500, daily pots of $500; gamefish pots, including weighed blue marlin pots of $3,000, $2,000, $1,000 and $500; a winner-take-all pot of $2,500 for total tournament points and a crew side pot in the amount of $400. This year’s total was a whopping $965,900! The Houston Big Game Fishing Club received $48,295 for their charitable fund. The tournament also featured a $1 million reward for a state record blue marlin! To qualify for this reward,
the fish must be certified by the State of Texas and caught according to all tournament rules and any other rules as specified in the $1 million reward rules published and provided to participants prior to the fishing days. Wow! Now we’re talking! The point system employed during the tourney awards any released blue marlin 750 points for both the release side pots and for total score. Weighed blue marlin will count one point per pound for weighed blue marlin side pots and 750 points each for the
total points scored. Released white marlin score 200 points and sailfish 100 points. Scoring for the overall tournament points will consist of total billfish release points, plus 750 points for each weighed blue marlin meeting the tournament minimum length of 102 inches. There was one aspect of the event I found interesting, that I never really understood until a good friend, Mark Phillips explained it. There is the “meat pot” and the “biggest fish pot,” meaning a boat can come in with the biggest fish and not win the big money depending on which side pot they bought into! They win a beautiful trophy and bragging rights but not necessarily money. Betting on the “meat pot” is very expensive but provides opportunity for a nice payout. So it’s kind of, “put your money where your mouth is” so to speak! It can be $40,000 and up depending on across-the-board betting for one boat and all species of tournament fish caught during the tournament. Congratulations to the Lone Star Shootout Champion team REHAB, who scored 2,450 points with two blue marlin releases, two sailfish releases and weighed a 412.5-pound blue marlin on day one of fishing. REHAB is owned by Jasen Gast and captained by Troy Day.
T E X AS I N T ER N A T I O N A L FISHI N G T O UR N A M E N T ( T IF T ) Port Isabel, Texas Congratulations to Javier Almadova and the entire team on Bad Intentions (owned by Debbie Conway) who placed third in blue marlin and third in overall offshore points during this year’s TIFT. View all results at www.tift.org Photos: Brandon Rowan www.GulfCoastMariner.com
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August Billfish Classic By Dawn Messina Freeport, Texas
T
he August Billfish Classic is back
after 15 years. I had a chance to sit down with Howard Andrews, the new owner of Bridge Harbor Yacht Club and Marina in Freeport, before Wednesday’s kickoff party. “I remember as a young boy going to watch the weigh-in of the ‘ABC’ tournament,” Andrews said. “It was an important element in my decision to purchase BHYC. This tournament has a historic value to the people of Freeport
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purchased BHYC in November of 2013 and immediately began major renovations with the intention of bringing back two major billfish tournaments to the yacht club; the August Billfish Classic and the Joe Hall Memorial Tournament. ABC, with its rich heritage, promotes the release of blue and white Marlin, as well as sailfish. Like other notable billfish tournaments, there is a very lucrative payout format in the categories of billfish, tuna, wahoo and dolphin. Jasen Gast, tournament director, along with BHYC owner Howard Andrews and Harbormaster Mingo Marquez worked together coordinating most of REHAB this year’s does it tournament again! The details. What fishing an impressive team comeback after scores first place 15 years with 21 tuna with boats registered a 169.1 and a respectable pound side bet pot total! fish. Boats began arriving at Bridge Harbor as early as Sunday, Aug. 9. The kickoff party was Wednesday, Aug. 12, followed by a Thursday departure from any port at 2 p.m. All boats had to return to Bridge Harbor Yacht Club to weigh fish and turn in video release verifications to receive tournament points. Also all boats had to be within the Freeport jetties and be verified Team Over-Ride took top money and won the by Tournament billfish division at this year’s ABC. Control by 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 15. and the Billfish tournament The weigh-in on Friday community. At one time, it was and Saturday was open to the one of the most notable Texas bluewater billfish tournaments general public but tournament functions access was restricted on the Gulf Coast.” to tournament participants The August Billfish Classic only and their guests. started in 1986 and ran until Like other notable Gulf 2005 when the previous owner Coast billfish tournaments, of BHYC decided to stop all IGFA saltwater angling and fishing tournaments. Andrews
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine September/October 2015
tackle rules applied with the exception that an angler may receive assistance getting the rod to the chair or harness. On the first day of fishing, Buck N Bills reported a release of a blue marlin at 2:24 p.m. Then, later in the eveing, the 52’ Viking, Leveled Out (Owner Ed Williams, Capt. Dennis Tuttle) arrived at the scales at 7:30 p.m. with a 395.4 big blue marlin! Team Over Ride reported the release of two blues and had boated a 109” blue marlin! Team Easy Rider also called in a Blue Marlin release at 7:35 p.m. Next day, the action continued with Team Relentless releasing a white marlin at 8:23 a.m. Solid fish were brought in all weekend. Team Over Ride weighed a 390.1 pound blue marlin and Team REHAB came in with a monster 169.1 pound yellowfin tuna! Congratulations to all the winners and welcome back ABC!
Top Money Winners 1st: Over-Ride - $53,190 2nd: Easy Rider - $30,690 3rd: REHAB - $24,705 Billfish 1st: Over-Ride - 2,390.1 pts 2nd: Leveled Out - 1,395.4 pts 3rd: Buck n Bills - 1,000 pts Tuna 1st: Jason Waligura REHAB - 169.1 lbs 2nd: Brian Leyba Aspiration - 80.8 lbs 3rd: Jason Waligura REHAB - 63.4 lbs Wahoo 1st: Kim Cunningham Ann’s Dream II - 30.5 lbs 2nd: Wes Appling Bimini Babe - 27.5 lbs 3rd: David Snider Leveled Out - 26.4 lbs Dorado 1st: Chris Hardin Easy Rider - 20.7 lbs 2nd: Jason Waligura REHAB - 20.5 lbs
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[SAILING]
Farley Fontenot Quantum Sail Design Group Farley lives in La Porte, runs a business in Seabrook and races sailboats all over the world. A family man, he still finds the time to sail with his kids. By the time you read this article, Farley will be back home from the 2015 Audi Melges 32 World Championships held in Trapani on Sicily Island in Italy, where he acted as coach for the Quantum Racing Team. The guy has a pretty nice gig. How did he get so lucky?
When did you first come to this area and how did you get started in the sail making business? I grew up in Port Arthur, and at that time there were no sailmakers in that area, so my father decided that we would take sail making up as a hobby and to help support the local sailmaking market. So by the seventh grade, I could use a sewing machine and do the service work that came into his little business. We were working out of our living room, which was 25’ x 15.’After college, in 1977, I wanted to continue sailing, and my only avenue was
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sailimaking. So I promised my parents that I would do it for a couple years and then get a real job. I worked for John Cameron for maybe six months, before I ran into John Kolius, who was running the Ulmer Sails loft here in Seabrook, and I have been here ever since. What is the biggest change you have witnessed in the sail making business in the last 20 years? Two things come to mind. The first is technology in both design and materials. Just as in every other surviving business in the world, we continue to
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine September/October 2015
move the boundaries forward on where we are going with design and material. In design, with the development of our own proprietary design software and the use of programs such as V Spars, we can exact the loads generated on each sail and then design that sail specifically to that load. This enables the sail to be as light in weight as possible and yet still yield to loads generated. The second thing is how the sailmaking business has transformed from a small cottage business to a international, technology driven business, where we know every sail built around the world, who the customers is, what sails he owns, and what work has been done to those sails. To be a leader in the service industry, you have to know your client’s needs. The Melges 32 is a pretty physical boat in a blow -how many guys do you carry as a crew and who does what on the boat? The Melges 32 is definitely
a lesson in “Team Sports.” On the Delta Volpe teams we have playbooks, we have game films, we have team meetings to go over the game films, and we have a game plan every morning when we leave the dock. All teams are led by the “Owner Driver.” The Melges 32 is one class that has zero tolerance for anyone other than the owner to drive the boats. All of teams have “Pro Tacticians.” Our teams have Pro Mainsail and Jib/ Spinnaker Trimmers. We then have a bowman, a tall, strong Mast Man, a pit person and a very athletic floater, who is a little of everything. If you could start your business all over again what would you do differently? That is an easy one, I would have saved all of the money we were making in the early 80s before that oil crash. That was a hard lesson for a couple young kids to learn, trying to make our business work in a down turned economy. We had done so well, that we thought it would never end,
but it did. And I bet if you ask Kolius, he would say the same thing. In your opinion why is the U.S. Olympic team so far behind some of the dominating sailing teams in the world? Without looking deep into it, I would say that there are two Olympic sports that you have spend so much money on your equipment: Sailing and Equestrian (The rich man’s sports). And because of that, there are many times that our best sailing talent does not have the funds to fully develop their talents and skill sets. Other countries such as England and New Zealand have large funds set aside just for the development of the best sailors in their countries. The U.S. is going to have a tough time competing with those types of programs. Although Josh Adams, Charlie McKee and even Houston’s Luther Carpenter are doing great jobs with what they have
to work with, it just might not be enough. And if the sport is not careful, we could lose sailing altogether in the games. Buddy Melges used to say “Win the start and then increase your lead.” Is that what you say to your guys when you’re coaching them? For long regattas, such as World Championships, where we will have 12 races, we try and manage the peaks and valleys. We love winning races, but we try and manage the starts and first legs, and then have a positive pass number throughout the race. Let’s say we get to the first mark 11th, pass a boat here and there, take a couple with a good marker rounding and pass one more on the last beat and come in 5th. That is a strong race in that fleet. That’s how you win regattas, staying consistent. We try and not let a bad race bring us down, we recover and get ready to race another race. In long regattas, the first
three races are very important, in that you don’t let the regatta get away from you. The middle races are fine tuning what the course and fleet give you, and you take as much as you can each race from both the fleet and the course. The next to last day you have to keep yourself in contention. And on the last day, you want to leave the dock knowing you have a mathematical shot to win the regatta. When is John Kolius going to be inducted into the U.S. Sailing Hall of Fame? If there is anyone out there who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, it has to be JK. I have nominated him twice with no luck. I will continue the nomination process until we get him there. He was arguably one of the best boat drivers in the world from 1977 to 1995, and I believe that he has earned the right to be inducted into the Sailing Hall of Fame.
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[SAILING]
Lakewood Yacht Club Team Wins Prestigious Sears Cup
F
or the first time ever,
Lakewood Sailing Director Picked to Coach World Optimist Championship in Poland
L
akewood Yacht Club’s Sailing Director, Marek Valasek, was chosen to coach the 2015 Opti Worlds to be held in Dziwnon, Poland from Aug. 25 to Sept. 5. This is an honor bestowed only onto the best of the best. The Fleet Races and the Team Races will be held on Pomorska Bay, which is on the Baltic Sea. With 300 boats expected to participate, the venue had to be changed from the original marina to a larger, newer one, just to the west. Since joining Lakewood’s staff in May of 2012, Valasek has grown the club’s Youth Sailing Program into one that is recognized as stellar around the world. Most recently, Marek’s team of Dane Byerly, Howdy Hughes, Collin Scoville and Carson Shields, representing Lakewood Yacht Club, won U.S. Sailing’s Jr. Quadruple Handed Championship for the Sears Cup. “It is a true honor to have our Sailing Director selected for this distinct championship where Optis will be racing from all over the globe,” Commodore Joyce Maxwell said. “Marek is a world class sailor, winning a total of 7 National Championships for his home country of Slovakia in Optimists, Lasers and Finns during the 1980’s and 1990’s. He also raced in the Centennial Olympic Games. We are very proud to have him representing Lakewood in Poland.” Valasek graduated in 1999 from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, with a Masters degree in Physical Education and English. He moved to Miami in the year 2000 where he served as the Sailing Head Coach for Corral Reef Yacht Club for eight years before taking the position of Sailing Director at the Lauderdale Yacht Club from 2009 – 2011. There, he managed a very large summer sailing programs with up to 12 employees in charge of over 200 sailors. Valasek has managed multi-class sailing programs throughout his career including Learn-To-Sail through advanced racing in Optimist, Laser, Club and High School classes.
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine September/October 2015
the Lakewood Yacht Club youth team has won the Sears Cup, which is the oldest youth trophy in sailing and has been awarded since 1921 – bringing congratulations from the Lakewood staff and membership on bringing home the highly coveted award! The United States Sailing Association’s 94th U.S. Junior Howdy Hughes, Collin Scoville, Dane Byerly and Carson Shields, from left, show off the Sears Cup Championships Regatta, one of the country’s most prestigious events for sailors ages 13-18, the event even before the last race. was held at Wianno Yacht Club On the final day, the team sailed to in Osterville, Mass., Aug. 2- 6 and its 6th win in 11 races while flying Lakewood was represented as home the Texas Flag from the mast. They to the best of the best for youth ended up winning the event with 18 sailors! points in 11 races with second place The team of Dane Byerly, Howdy 24 points behind them. Hughes, Collin Scoville and Carson The Sears Cup is the oldest youth Shields representing Lakewood trophy in sailing and has been won U.S. Sailing’s Junior Quadruple awarded since 1921. While this is Handed Championship for the the first time that Lakewood has Sears Cup. The event was part ever won this prestigious award the of the Chubb U.S. Sailing Junior young sailors are looking forward to Championships and sailing took keeping up with this trend! place in Wianno Seniors, a 25In addition to Lakewood Yacht foot Gaff Rigged Sloop, originally Club team winning the Sears Cup, designed in 1914. Dylan Ascencios and Hunter Skinner, Eleven teams from around the also represented Lakewood in the United States qualified to compete in 420 class sailing for the Bemis trophy. this year’s Sears Cup through area Coming off several impressive events eliminations in their region. Racing this summer, Dylan and Hunter took place in a variety of conditions looked to keep their momentum on Nantucket Sound, with a great sea going. The two sailed most of the breeze being the norm late in the day. event in the top 10, but a tough final The Lakewood team was strong race saw them finish up at a still in all conditions, effectively winning impressive 13th place overall.
2015 HOOD Regatta
T
he 6th Annual Houston Open One
Design Regatta (HOOD) will be held at the Houston Yacht Club on Sept. 19-20. HYC hosted 105 boats and over 300 sailors for the event last year, and hopes to top that number this year. The regatta is open to all one design classes. Classes expected to form include A Cats, Catalina 22, Ensign, F-18, J-105, J-109, J-22, J-24, J-70, J-80, Melges 24, Viper, VX One, Lightning, Day Sailor, and Sonars. Larger boats of similar PHRF ratings may form a Level Rating class with prior notice (see the Notice of Race). The NOR is posted at www. houstonyachtclub.com. For more information or to become a volunteer, contact regatta chair Ken Humphries at khumphries@humphries-const.com.
[BAY FISHING]
By Capt. Joe Kent
A
utumn, especially during the months of October and November, is the favorite time of year for fishing for the majority of anglers who focus on the Saltwater Big 3, flounder, reds and trout. While our fall fishing patterns have changed a little over the last decade or two, mid-October through mid-December is prime time for action on all of the Big 3, especially flounder. Prior to the 1980’s, our fall fishing began earlier in the season and generally was about over by December. During September, flounder action around Pelican Island at the old Quarantine Station, now Seawolf Park, would get well under way by midSeptember.
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Today, the catches do not show considerable increases until sometime in early to mid-October and the annual flounder run does get going until close to November 1. Redfish action picks up all over the Galveston Bay Complex, with the bull red run at the jetties and in the surf being the highlight of the season. Trout start moving into shallower waters and schooling, with shallower bays and back bays offering their best fishing of the year. While all of the Big 3 are frantically feeding to put on extra layers of fat for the winter, the highlight of the season for most anglers is the fall flounder migration from the bays to the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This event is most commonly referred to as the fall flounder run.
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine September/October 2015
James and Cameron Plaag with a stringer of trout.
It is undisputed that November is the best month for flounder fishing, as the run is in full swing and anglers
limit out quickly on flatfish during this time. One wellknown flounder guide, who has been fishing the annual
Galveston Bay in Transition By Capt. David C. Dillman
Harbormaster at The Waterman‘s Marina Spec-tacular Trout Adventures
I
n the last issue of
Betsy Hatherill with a nice flounder
“One of the best times to find flounder on the move is right after a cold front blows through.” run for almost 60 years, gave his observation of how the fall fishing pattern has been delayed. Capt. Mike William’s experience showed that for years the peak of the flounder run took place between the full moons of October and November. Today he says that the action is peaking between the November and December full moons. During November, bait camps strive to keep a good inventory of fingerling mullet and mud minnows, as they are the top baits for the migrating fish. While mullet tend to have an edge over mud minnows in popularity with anglers, live shrimp fall into the ranks as the number three choice. Many anglers will opt for live shrimp as they are more universal as bait and attract trout and reds as well. Savvy anglers know that once the flounder run starts being publicized that certain tackle and artificial baits are in short
supply and they should stock up ahead of time. Among the baits that are the more popular choices are Flounder Pounders, Chicken Boys and Gulp soft plastics. Pre-rigged flounder leaders, especially those including the egg weight, and size eight and ten treble hooks tend to quickly leave the shelves of tackle stores and bait shops. One of the best times to find flounder on the move is right after a cold front blows through. From MidOctober until sometime in December, each passing cold front triggers increased movement. Toward the end of the run, usually beginning around Thanksgiving, the larger sow flounder bring up the rear of the migration and seasoned flounder fishermen focus a lot of their fishing time from the end of November through early December. Fall is in the air, so head out and enjoy some nice weather and good fishing!
Gulf Coast Mariner, I projected a run of speckled trout along the spoil banks of the Houston/Galveston ship channel. On the weekend of July 4th, the fishing along this area started to produce. As I write this article for the September/ October issue, the trout are holding in this pattern and the fishing along the spoils has been outstanding! September and October are what I refer to as transition months. Speckled trout will begin their movement to the northern reaches or back areas of any given bay. The fish that staged along the spoil banks will move towards Trinity Bay. In September, the fish will spread out amongst the numerous gas wells and reefs in the middle of Trinity. Likewise, the same occurs in East and West Bay, minus the gas wells. The trout will hold in this pattern until the first couple of cold fronts begin to arrive. The first fronts arrive to the Upper Coast normally in the latter part of September. These fronts trigger the annual migration of white shrimp as they head towards the Gulf, due to dropping tides and Linsey and Greg Ott with a fish fry in water temperature. Speckled their future. trout will move to the back of the bays to feed on the shrimp as they leave the marsh. All of this depends on the weather. This Spring we saw rainfall totals that broke many existing records. However, parts of this summer saw barely any mearsurable rainfall. One thing we cannot control is mother nature. In my experience, the first two weeks of September are when the transition begins. Fish begin their move and as anglers we must adjust accordingly! Tight Lines and be courteous on the water.
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In Season Seafood
Sensations By Betha Merit
September and October are prime months for fresh catch. Whether you visit your favorite local fish monger, supermarket or haul in your own edible seafood trophies, it’s going to be delicious, plentiful, and affordable. Shrimp will be in season, as well as inshore fish like flounder and redfish, and offshore fish like grouper, snapper, tilefish, wahoo and more.
By Dawn Messina
BAKED PARMESAN GROUPER Ingredients: 4 grouper fillets (4-6oz) 1 egg 2 Tbsp. milk Breading Ingredients: 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese 2 Tbsp. flour 1/2 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper
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Directions: Beat egg and milk in a shallow bowl and set aside. In a shallow dish or plastic baggy, combine breading ingredients. Dip each fillet in egg mixture, shake off excess and turn or gently shake in breading. Bake uncovered on a greased baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges.
Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine September/October 2015
SIDES: Serve with your favorite side of rice, veggies or a combo of the two.
FLOUNDER WITH LEMON BUTTER SAUCE & BASIL Ingredients: 4 fresh flounder fillets (4-6 oz., 1/2” thick) 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. white flour 3 Tbsp. butter, cut into 4 slices 1 lemon, juiced 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil Directions: Pat dry fish fillets with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a cast-iron or stainless steel pan/skillet over medium to high heat. Pat dry fillets again and dust with flour (optional). Add fillets to pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip fillets. Place a slice of butter on top of each fillet, allowing it to melt and drizzle into pan. Cook until fish springs back from light pressure, about 2 minutes. Transfer fish to a platter or 4 plates. Squeeze the lemon juice into the still heated pan and use a spoon to scrape up the tasty brown bits stuck to the bottom. Stir in the fresh basil and spoon the sauce over fish.
CHILI DUSTED GULF SHRIMP FIESTA Ingredients: 2 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. ancho chile powder 1/4 tsp. chipotle chile powder 2.5 tsp. sugar, divided 1/2 tsp. salt, divided 1.5 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined 5 tsp. olive oil, divided 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced (fresh or bottled) 1 Tbsp. ginger, minced (fresh or bottled) 1 package frozen corn, (10 oz. thawed) 1.5 Tbsp. cider vinegar 1/2 cup chopped green onions Combine 1 tsp. sugar, chili/chile powders and 1/4 tsp. salt in a shallow dish. Add shrimp and toss until well coated. In large nonstick pan/skillet, heat 3 tsp. oil over medium to high heat. Add the 1/2 cup onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger; sauté 5 minutes. Combine remaining 1.5 tsp. sugar and corn to pan. Cook 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add green onions, salt, and vinegar, stirring for 30 seconds. Transfer this corn mixture to a bowl. Wipe pan with a paper towel. Heat remaining 2 tsp. oil in pan over medium to high heat. Add shrimp to pan and sauté 3 minutes or until done, turning once. Serve over corn mixture. www.GulfCoastMariner.com
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Galveston Bay Tides EAGLE POINT, TX NOAA Station Id: 8771013
SEPTEMBER Tue 9/1 03:16 AM 08:58 AM 03:53 PM 11:23 PM
Wed 9/16 03:10 AM 07:52 AM 03:34 PM
1.1 L 1.2 H 0.7 L
1.0 L 1.1 H 0.4 L
Thu 9/17 12:00 AM 03:18 AM 07:27 AM 04:08 PM
1.2 H 1.2 L 1.3 H 0.6 L
1.2 H 0.3 L
Fri 9/18 07:03 AM 04:49 PM
Fri 9/4 07:56 AM 06:45 PM
1.3 H 0.2 L
Sat 9/19 06:50 AM 05:39 PM
1.4 H 0.6 L
Sat 9/5 07:37 AM 07:51 PM
1.4 H 0.2 L
Sun 9/20 06:58 AM 06:38 PM
1.5 H 0.5 L
Sun 9/6 07:53 AM 08:58 PM
1.5 H 0.3 L
Mon 9/21 07:20 AM 07:43 PM
1.5 H 0.5 L
Mon 9/7 08:19 AM 10:03 PM
1.5 H 0.3 L
Tue 9/22 07:44 AM 08:50 PM
1.6 H 0.5 L
1.4 H 0.3 L
Wed 9/23 08:01 AM 09:55 PM
Wed 9/9 08:59 AM 11:54 PM
1.4 H 0.4 L
Thu 9/24 08:05 AM 10:54 PM
1.5 H 0.5 L
Thu 9/10 09:08 AM
1.3 H
Fri 9/11 12:38 AM 09:09 AM 01:51 PM 05:04 PM
Fri 9/25 07:55 AM 11:49 PM
1.4 H 0.6 L
0.5 L 1.3 H 1.2 L 1.2 H
Sat 9/26 07:41 AM 12:47 PM 05:31 PM
1.4 H 1.2 L 1.3 H
Sat 9/12 01:17 AM 09:03 AM 01:58 PM 06:34 PM
0.6 L 1.2 H 1.1 L 1.2 H
Sun 9/27 12:42 AM 07:26 AM 01:11 PM 07:22 PM
0.8 L 1.3 H 1.0 L 1.4 H
Sun 9/13 01:51 AM 08:51 AM 02:16 PM 07:51 PM
0.7 L 1.2 H 1.0 L 1.2 H
Mon 9/28 01:32 AM 07:11 AM 01:47 PM 09:02 PM
1.0 L 1.3 H 0.8 L 1.4 H
0.9 L 1.2 H 0.9 L 1.2 H
Tue 9/29 02:21 AM 06:56 AM 02:30 PM 10:46 PM
1.2 L 1.3 H 0.6 L 1.5 H
Wed 9/30 03:07 AM 06:38 AM 03:16 PM
1.4 L 1.4 H 0.5 L
Wed 9/2 03:51 AM 08:42 AM 04:46 PM Thu 9/3 08:23 AM 05:43 PM
Tue 9/8 08:42 AM 11:02 PM
Mon 9/14 02:22 AM 08:35 AM 02:38 PM 09:05 PM Tue 9/15 02:49 AM 08:15 AM 03:04 PM 10:24 PM
0.8 L 1.1 H 0.5 L 1.1 H
1.0 L 1.2 H 0.8 L 1.2 H
1.3 H 0.6 L
1.6 H 0.5 L
NOAA GULF COAST TIDAL PREDICTIONS www.tidesandcurrents. noaa.gov/tide_ predictions.shtml?gid=225
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Gulf Coast Mariner Magazine September/October 2015
OCTOBER Thu 10/1 12:51 AM 03:44 AM 06:09 AM 04:07 PM
1.5 H 1.5 L 1.5 H 0.4 L
Fri 10/2 05:22 AM 05:02 PM
1.6 H 0.4 L
Sat 10/3 05:38 AM 06:04 PM
1.7 H 0.4 L
Sun 10/4 06:10 AM 07:12 PM
1.7 H 0.5 L
Mon 10/5 06:38 AM 08:24 PM
1.6 H 0.5 L
Tue 10/6 06:58 AM 09:32 PM
1.6 H 0.6 L
Wed 10/7 07:10 AM 10:33 PM
1.5 H 0.7 L
Thu 10/8 07:14 AM 11:25 PM
1.4 H 0.8 L
Fri 10/9 07:12 AM 12:56 PM 05:17 PM
1.4 H 1.2 L 1.3 H
Sat 10/10 12:11 AM 07:04 AM 01:00 PM 06:45 PM
0.9 L 1.3 H 1.0 L 1.3 H
Sun 10/11 12:51 AM 06:50 AM 01:15 PM 07:58 PM
1.0 L 1.3 H 0.9 L 1.3 H
Mon 10/12 01:27 AM 06:33 AM 01:35 PM 09:06 PM
1.1 L 1.3 H 0.8 L 1.3 H
Tue 10/13 02:00 AM 06:11 AM 01:58 PM 10:16 PM
1.2 L 1.3 H 0.7 L 1.4 H
Wed 10/14 02:28 AM 05:46 AM 02:24 PM 11:38 PM
1.3 L 1.3 H 0.6 L 1.4 H
Thu 10/15 02:43 AM 05:19 AM 02:53 PM
1.4 L 1.4 H 0.6 L
Fri 10/16 04:58 AM 03:28 PM
1.5 H 0.5 L
Sat 10/17 05:02 AM 04:09 PM
1.5 H 0.5 L
Sun 10/18 05:23 AM 04:58 PM
1.6 H 0.5 L
Mon 10/19 05:47 AM 05:55 PM
1.6 H 0.5 L
Tue 10/20 06:06 AM 06:59 PM
1.6 H 0.5 L
Wed 10/21 06:15 AM 08:06 PM
1.6 H 0.5 L
Thu 10/22 06:11 AM 09:13 PM
1.5 H 0.6 L
Fri 10/23 05:59 AM 10:17 PM
1.4 H 0.8 L
Sat 10/24 05:45 AM 12:02 PM 05:24 PM 11:18 PM
1.3 H 1.0 L 1.2 H 0.9 L
Sun 10/25 05:31 AM 12:17 PM 07:15 PM
1.3 H 0.8 L 1.3 H
Mon 10/26 12:17 AM 05:17 AM 12:47 PM 08:49 PM
1.1 L 1.3 H 0.5 L 1.4 H
Tue 10/27 01:14 AM 05:01 AM 01:24 PM 10:23 PM
1.3 L 1.3 H 0.3 L 1.5 H
Wed 10/28 02:10 AM 04:39 AM 02:06 PM
1.4 L 1.4 H 0.2 L
Thu 10/29 12:12 AM 02:51 PM
1.5 H 0.1 L
Fri 10/30 03:04 AM 03:40 PM
1.6 H 0.1 L
Sat 10/31 04:07 AM 04:33 PM
1.6 H 0.2 L
NOAA GULF COAST MARINE FORECAST www.nws.noaa.gov/ om/marine/zone/ gulf/gulfmz.htm