Bolivar Peninsula & Crystal Beach, Texas Information and Tourism Site

The Pelican Island Bridge was the spot for some good action on drum, whiting and sand trout Friday. Two reports were received of respectable catches coming from the edge of the Galveston Ship Channel.

Bill Crowley and George Levy caught three drum and six sand trout using squid for bait. Crowley said the action came on the east side of the bridge while anchored close to the channel drop off.

Bill Lawrence, along with guests Don Chapman and his son Chuck Chapman, loaded up on whiting and drum while fishing between the big bridge and the sulfur docks. Twelve whiting and four black drum up to 8 pounds was their tally for the day. Shrimp and cut mullet were the baits.

Throughout the year, we receive requests to refresh boaters on the rules of the road. Many of the requests come from captains of larger vessels traversing the various channels that run close to our area.

One of those captains is Mark Laird, who is a professional towboat operator who moves barges up and down numerous waterways. Laird expressed his frustration with operators of boats who fail to honor the rules, especially while cruising up and down the Intracoastal Waterway.

Our conversation brought to mind my ignorance of the rules before training for my captain’s license. Before those classes, I thought a sailboat, under sail, had the right of way over all other boats. To my surprise, sailboats, under sail, have the right of way over only two other categories, powerboats and seaplanes.

Now, let’s take a look at the rules of the road for right of way as set forth in the U.S. Coast Guard Regulations.

• Vessels given the highest priority are those not under command. The analogy used in my classes for this category was “Captain is dead, proceed ahead.” I still am not sure what constitutes “not under command.”

• Vessels designated as No. 2 priority are those vessels restricted as to maneuverability; an example would be dredges in operation.

• Vessels holding No. 3 priority are vessels constrained by draft. Ships in the channel and towboats pushing barges down the ICW are examples.

• Vessels classified as No. 4 priority are fishing boats with nets in the water; shrimp boats actually shrimping are the most common example around Galveston.

• Those given No. 5 priority are sailboats under sail. If not under sail and using power, they fall into the next category, powerboats.

• Finally, vessels classified as No. 6. priority are powerboats, and following them are seaplanes.

While underway, the vessel on your starboard or right side has the right of way when approaching. Keep in mind that many boaters are not aware of the rules and as a result may not honor them. In the event of an accident, that excuse would go nowhere.

In tournament news, The West End Anglers Fishing Club is holding its second annual Black Drum Tournament on March 8. There will be more than $500 in prizes. For more information on the tournament, including the location and entry fee, contact Coe Parker at 713-594-4252 or e-mail him at coe(at)fishwestend.com, or visit www.fishwestend.com.

To get your catch in the Reel Report, phone Capt. Joe Kent at 409-683-5273, or send an e-mail to reel.report(at)galvnews.com. There’s no charge for this service.

Thursday was one of those dismal, damp and foggy days around Galveston. Fishing was generally on the slow side due to fog. While the quantities of fish caught were not great, the quality was.

Large trout are being caught in East Bay along the south shoreline of Bolivar Peninsula. Curtis Benson of Port Arthur and two friends wade fished the shallow flats near Rollover Pass on Thursday morning and the trio of anglers caught four sow trout ranging in size from just less than 7 pounds to 8 1/2 pounds.

The largest trout went to the taxidermist, while the others were released. The wall hanger was caught using a slow-sinking swimming lure fished just above the bottom.

Unconfirmed reports of other action on large trout have come from the same area recently.

This weekend, the weather should be favorable for the annual crab trap clean up. Each year, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department designates a period of time in mid-February when crab traps must be removed from coastal waters. Between Feb. 16 and Monday, it is illegal to place or leave a crab trap in those waters, and any remaining are subject to being removed and discarded.

It is amazing to see how many abandoned traps volunteers with boats remove each year. In doing so, those good citizens are eliminating dangerous hazards from the water that could harm both man and marine life. If you are on the Gulf this weekend and notice a crab trap in the water, you may want to remove it and properly dispose of it.

Another worthwhile project is taking place Saturday, and that is the Clear Creek Clean-up. The Coastal Conservation Association of Texas has joined with The Clear Creek Environmental Foundation to jointly work on trash removal from Clear Creek on Saturday.

There is a need for volunteers with and without boats to participate. The event will take place at the boat ramp on Egret Bay Boulevard. in League City. People with boats are asked to be there at 7:30 a.m. and those without boats at 8 a.m.

This will be a great opportunity to remove crab traps from the area as well. Escalon’s is providing a steak and chicken fajita lunch for participants.

Contact Rex Ward at 281-910-8774 or e-mail him at clearcreekkeeper(at)yahoo.com for more information and to register.

Tonight is the 16th annual Bay Area CCA Chapter’s Banquet and Fundraiser. The event takes place at the Harris County Park located at 5002 Nasa Road 1 and starts at 6 p.m. Call 281-827-9764 for details.

To get your catch in the Reel Report, phone Capt. Joe Kent at 409-683-5273, or send an e-mail to reel.report(at)galvnews.com. There’s no charge for this service.

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