Fishbuster Charters' Captain Dave Hanson reported, "Monday, 2/15, was a windy day, and seas offshore were about three feet and sloppy when I headed out to 22 miles west of New Pass with Brian and Marcia Wilson. The couple used live shrimp to catch six keeper mangrove snapper that ranged 14 inches to 17 ¾ inches. They also caught a 14-inch hogfish, seven porgies to 14 inches, three porkfish, and a half-dozen grunts around the 13-inch mark. They released six short mangs and a few yellowtail shorts, along with a short triggerfish, several red grouper shorts to 19 inches, and a 20-inch gag grouper.


My charter for Tuesday was scared off by the predictions for thunderstorms, and canceled the evening ahead. Actually, the storms had already moved through by early morning, and it turned out to be a nice day.

Wednesday, 2/17, Sue Augustine and her two children, Mitchell and Alana, fished 22 miles offshore with me. Seas were two-to-three feet early, but calmed to one-to-two feet as the morning progressed. The family caught lots of fish, choosing to keep only a few for meals, and releasing all the rest. Catches on live shrimp included thirty keeper-sized mangrove snapper to 18 inches, a pair of 12-inch lane snapper, three porgies to 15 inches, six keeper-sized sheepshead to 19 inches, twenty-five grunts, yellowtail snapper shorts, red grouper shorts to 18 inches, and an out-of-season gag grouper at 23 inches.

Thursday morning, 2/18, was windy and it was tough anchoring on my target spots, but we managed to get out 22 miles and anchor-up for some snapper fishing. Marshall Swain, joined by friends, John, Paul and Jim, used live shrimp to catch a dozen nice mangrove snapper keepers to 16 inches, along with a 14-inch lane snapper. They added a half dozen porgies to 14 inches and a few grunts to the box, and released some red grouper shorts.


Friday brought very gusty conditions, and prohibited my taking the family of six who had scheduled an offshore trip. By Saturday morning, 2/20, winds had subsided considerably, and I headed offshore to fish with Gary Hested and his two teen-aged grandsons, Kade and Nathan Faga. Seas were still on the rough side, but we made it out 22 miles, where the family used live shrimp with good success. They caught five keeper-sized sheepshead to 17 inches, kept the largest three of those, and released the other two. They also caught porgies to 18 inches and twenty grunts, and chose to keep just a few of each. Added to the box were four mangrove snapper to 15 inches, which were the largest of the seven keeper-sized mangs caught. The group also released nine red grouper to 19 7/8 inches, just 1/8-inch short of keeper-size, along with some yellowtail snapper shorts and a 20-inch gag grouper."

1.) Angler Tom Picha with a 20-inch sheepshead, one of eight large sheepshead he and his friends caught on shrimp 20 miles west of New Pass on a recent offshore Fishbuster Charter.


2.) Angler Roy Mittman with a 27-inch red grouper, caught on a baitfish 20 miles west of New Pass on a recent offshore Fishbuster Charter.