Fishing for Tripletail, Texas-style...

Anybody ever go Tripletail fishing?

http://www.nighthawkpublications.com/journal/journal145-1.htm

I discovered this species here in Texas last year and it they are some of the
best eating fish that I have ever had. I made a batter out of pancake mix
, corn meal and Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning for deep-frying. Totally
awesome (with Tabasco)!

There isn't any limit to Tripletails in Texas in either size or quantity.
There seems to be very little fishing pressure on them as there seems to be
very few folks that even know of them.

I fish for them in three-man crews. One mans the anchor with a half-hitch
over an anchor cleat and a float attached. One fishes from the front casting
deck and the other mans the console and keeps the engine running ready
to throw the boat in reverse. We take turns doing the fishing. Usually
once big fish each is enough or a couple of smaller ones. Catch and release
is a blast.

I go out and target channel markers (shade structure) in 14-20 feet of water
in Matagorda Bay. Then cast live shrimp (and plastics) under a popping cork
and about three-feet of line. I try to bounce the setup off the marker. The
Tripletails are very aggressive and will sometimes even hit a bare hook. They
also attack your floats so bring plenty. Hell they will attack just about
anything especially if there is more than one hanging out at any particular
spot.

Once you hook up, you throw the anchor rope clear and reverse the engine
and pull the Tripletail off the marker so it doesn't wrap itself around the
pole.

Then the fight is on! These fish really give you a fight. And they act
like Ling (Cobia/Lemonfish) do when brought onboard your boat. They
go berserk. I have had them fling open the cooler lid after boxing one.
You wouldn't believe the pounding inside your cooler after they hit the ice.

They have guitar pick like scales and plating around their gills that is
razor-sharp. Nice teeth too.

These fish look black in the water (like garbage bags) and whitish when
out of the water. They float on their sides to create shade and then
snatch any baitfish underneath them. Lots of boaters pass em' by
thinking they are garbage bags or sick and/or injured fish.

They are a bit skittish so you have to quietly sneak up on your target area.

I have caught numerous fish around the twenty pound mark. Two were
22 and 23 lbs. Lots of 5-10 pounders. The Texas record is 33 lb. 8 oz. set
by a woman. I never take more than I can eat in a couple of weeks even though
there are no limits. It would be nice to keep this resource unregulated for
awhile. Had my doubts about posting this but what the heck? It's nice to
share.

I am thinking about creating unfolding shade devices that I can float in the
water with a small anchor to secure them and then coming back later in the
day to fish them.

You can find these fish around anything that provides shade.

Not sure how far up the Atlantic seaboard that they go but I know that they
are found from the Carolinas down around Florida and all along the Gulf Coast.

I am planning my first trip of the year soon!

Check out the latest Saltwater Sportsman Magazine for an article entitled
"Sight-Casting" Tripletail.

You would not believe how good this fish tastes!

http://www.gulffishing.com/tripletail993.html

Cheers!
Henry B.