Year of the Sailfish!

The blue water is in and the bite is on! Big game fishing off Texas is red hot! As we head into the prime part of our summer fishing there are several things we have noticed. The sea surface temperature is above normal for this time of year. This is most likely due to the mild winter we had. The weather in June was the best that many people can remember. Seas were flat for a full two weeks! June is a month that can be very inconsistent and many times the wind can blow much of the time. This year, however, is an exception and we like it! Plenty of boats have been able to fish and the fishing has been outstanding. If you have never done it, this is your chance to get out there and get a taste of big game fishing, Texas style!

Another phenomenon occurring this year is an unusual amount of sailfish being caught earlier than normal. There are plenty of sails caught during our summers, but this year seems to be different with many sails showing up in June. Usually, later on in the summer is the best time to target sails, but this year they are here right now. Last week we had a small sail trying to eat a big live bait we put out for a marlin. He chased it all around and finally jumped out of the water with the bait in his mouth, but it was just too big for him! Sails love small live baits, so you might keep a few ready in your live well. Ballyhoo is also the bait of choice when trolling for sails. You can catch them on a lure, but bait is much more productive. Many boats are reporting catches, so get out there and troll your ballyhoos. If you can't make it all the way to deep water, find a weed line and troll down it. Sails love to hang out on weed lines and attack the baitfish that congregate there. There was a blue marlin caught this summer on a weed line inshore of Claypile, so spend some time trolling when you find a good one. Speaking of seaweed - in case you haven't been to the beach or offshore lately the seaweed is, well, ridiculous. That's the only word we can think of to describe it. It's everywhere! There seems no end to it. Other years we have had a lot of weed, but this may be the most we have ever seen. When it is formed up in a line, that's OK, but when it is three feet apart for as far as the eye can see it is a more than a little discouraging. Anyway, it's here to stay, so we just have to deal with it. We are planning a special seaweed article for next month!

Back to fishing! Sails are not the only fish we are seeing a lot of. If there is any other fish trying to compete for top billing it's the wahoo. Wahoo are being caught everywhere, so don't pass up those buoys in 30-50 fathoms without trying for these great eating game fish. We are catching plenty of these speedsters at Cerveza, Tequila Rig and the rigs just inshore of there. Try skirted ballyhoo or Yozuri marauder type plugs to nab these fast swimming fillets.

Blue Marlin and swordfish are not to be pushed aside here either. Lots of blues are showing up all along the coast from Freeport to Port Aransas, with many large fish seen. Brett Holden on the "Booby Trap" has been working hard this summer and at the time of this writing has already caught 7 swordfish and even more blue marlin. He has also caught an unusual number of sails for this early in the summer. His largest blue was a 464 lb and was leading the Texas Big Blue Tournament until it was surpassed by Ed Bass on the "Akela". Ed's 502 lb. blue took over the top spot for now, but the summer is young and there are many tournaments coming up. The Texas Big Blue Tournament is held all summer long and ends Labor Day weekend. The Houston Big Game Club held its annual tournament out of Galveston, with 23 boats catching 14 blue marlin, 2 white marlin, 4 sailfish and 1 swordfish. Out of Port Aransas, the Deep Sea Round-up had over 40 billfish caught during the first week of July. So our summer is off to a great start.

We want to invite everyone to come join us this month for the Texas Legends Billfish Tournament in Port Aransas on August 10^th-13^th. The response to our move from Freeport to Port Aransas has been overwhelming and we are looking forward to a great event. This year we have added a special "Outboards Only" boat pool, which should add a lot of fun and excitement to the competition. We have pioneered the concept of a video release format with points awarded for blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish. The Port Aransas weigh-in and awards allows fishermen easier access to the nearby rocks and rigs that this area is famous for. The tournament has grown every year and this year should be no exception. We hope you will join us this year as we honor our old friends, catch some great fish and celebrate our big game fishing heritage. For more info see www.txlegends.com.

Good Fishing,
Bobby Byrd and Capt. John Cochrane

Texas Legends Billfish Tournament

August 10-13, 2006

Port Aransas, Texas (and departure from the Texas port of your choice.)

Tournament Information

Entry is $850 per boat, plus $1,000 to the Mandatory Boat Pool. Also, optional boat pools for billfish plus pools for tuna, wahoo, dolphin and swordfish.

NEW! Outboards Only Boat Pool!

This year we have a special pool just for outboard powered boats!

Boats may register by mail or in person at:

Tournament Headquarters Tops-N-Towers

2321 Nasa Road One
Seabrook, Texas 77586
281-474-4000

Final entry deadline is 7:00 pm, August 10, 2006, at the Captain's Party in Port Aransas, Texas.

Boats May Leave from Any Texas Port
Please notify Tournament Headquarters if you are leaving from a port other than Port Aransas, Texas. Make sure you understand all rules and pick up your tournament bag before departure.

Our Early Departure Time
Anytime after 5 pm on August 10^th, allows an unhurried trip offshore during daylight hours for safety and practicality.

This year's participants will enjoy three special events. The Captain's Party, Memorial Dinner Party and the Awards Brunch. Other prizes will be awarded. Your entry fee includes the tournament kit and entry into all events for up to six people. Additional tickets and tournament gear can be purchased at registration.

$50,000 for breaking the Texas Blue Marlin State Record during the tournament.* NEW!

$15,000 for breaking the Texas Yellowfin Tuna State Record during the tournament.*NEW!

100% of all pools paid out to winners

A portion of your Entry Fee goes toward the establishment of the Texas Saltwater Fishing Hall of Fame.

For more information and a full color brochure call Tournament Headquarters at Tops-N-Towers / 281-474-4000