Snapper

First King
Posted on July 26, 2013 by

Offshore Kayak Fishing Trip Takes a Dangerous Turn

I just had one of the most epic adventures of my entire life. The day before Independence Day I set out for a four-day kayak fishing excursion to the Texas coast. I would end up pushing my limits to the max, having a brush with death, and catching some amazing fish in the process. This was an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Here is my story…

I loaded up the kayak and all of my fishing and camping gear and began the long journey from Dallas to Corpus Christi, TX. I arrived after dark and drove along the beach to my campsite. Straight off shore on the horizon I could see the blinking lights of my destination: the Mayan Princess oil rigs. I pitched my tent near the water and climbed in, thinking of nothing but the adventure that lied ahead.

When I awoke the conditions were ideal: the surf was flat, the wind was calm, and the water looked like glass beyond the breakers. I was amazed at the beauty of this place; it was not at all what I think of when I hear “Texas coast”. The sand was white, the water green and clear, and hardly any seaweed in sight. At around 7:00 AM the guys I was meeting began to arrive so we loaded up our kayaks and set off into the surf.

The three mile journey to the oil rigs could only be described as pleasant and serene. I saw a piece of trash floating in the water so I pedaled over to grab it and throw it in my kayak. My hand stopped inches above the bag when I realized it was not a bag but a huge Man o’ War. I looked up and realized they were everywhere. Needless to say, I elected not to go for a swim that day.

Man-o-War

I was trolling on the journey out, and as I approached the first rig, BOOM one of my reels starts screaming as the line peels off the reel. I grabbed the rod, tightened the drag, and held on for the ride. The water clarity this far out was simply incredible. A half hour into the fight, I looked down and could see a beautiful shade of yellow and gray over 20 feet below me.

Jack Crevalle Underwater

I had hooked into a gorgeous Jack Crevalle. This thing put up an incredible fight. I pulled it up into the boat and was grinning from ear to ear. I had landed my first deep-sea fish from the kayak, and it felt amazing.

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Posted on February 6, 2013 by

HOOKED UP with Tom Colicchio

HOOKED UP is a new fishing show featuring host Tom Colicchio, more commonly known for his role as the head judge on Top Chef, as we follow him and his guests on their nautical journey. Tom’s guests and friends are top athletes, famous musicians, as well as TV and movie stars. The fishing is hot, the booze is cold, the conversations are candid, and it all reminds me of a modern-day take on Fishing with John.

In this episode Jane’s Addiction and Satellite Party frontman, Perry Farrel, and his wife Etty Lau join Tom for a day of sailfishing. Farrell shares his views on drugs, prostitution, philanthropy, and the future of Lollapalooza.

HOOKED UP is available on Reserve Channel, an original youtube channel that provides access to some of the most extraordinary and compelling original programming for free!

Posted on November 26, 2012 by

Caption Contest

The rules are simple. Leave a funny, creative, comment as a caption to this photo. Winner will be chosen on friday and receive some fresh Water Gremlin swag! Play as many times as you like.

Image via Nosy Be/Mitsio, Madagascar – return trip.. on SeaLine.co.za

Don’t forget that we’re also running our yearly Contributor Contest where you could literally win hundreds of dollars in prizes!

UPDATE! We couldn’t decide on just one winner with such great comments, so we picked three winners instead.

  1. ELee“Well, you said that you wanted to get some head today.”
  2. Naiad001“If I were a betting man, I’d bet you’ve lost half a fish.”
  3. Mark Ruddick“Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio”
Posted on August 8, 2012 by

Catch Magazine #24

Catch Magazine is back again with yet another great edition! There’s also an editorial about fly fishing on the Baja. They even mention La Paz, the city Clive and I lived for a year. We didn’t do any fly fishing, but we did catch Wahoo, Tuna, Snapper, Roosterfish, even a marlin! The story and photos of blue skies, green water, and red salsa really take me back. Enjoy!

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