The Galveston County Daily News

The National Marine Fisheries Service continued its bizarre history of biased management regarding recreational catches when it announced this week the recreational season for Gulf amberjack would close Oct. 24. It was said the closure was because of the recreational sector overfishing its quota. This announcement comes barely two years after the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council arbitrarily shifted a significant portion of recreational allocation to the commercial sector and continues a pattern of incompetent management of our Gulf of Mexico fisheries.

Chester Brewer, chairman of the Coastal Conservation Association’s National Government Relations Committee, had this to say about the ruling by the fisheries service:

“There is no way to defend what the council has done with the management of amberjack. It borders on outright disregard for the recreational sector. Combined with what is happening with Gulf red snapper and the commercial catch share plan for Gulf grouper, this latest announcement gives recreational anglers no reason to have any faith in the federal management of recreational fisheries.”

If you take a look at how the professionals at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department manage our recreational fishing and how stocks of red drum, speckled trout and other fish have bounced back with their sensible approach to management, you have to ask why the feds cannot learn from the department’s success.

I encourage all anglers affected by this decision to voice an opinion and ask for some answers to why recreational anglers are the sacrificial lambs. You may send your questions and comments to Roy.Crabtree(at)noaa.gov.

Thursday’s horrendous weather did not stop Capt. Billy Howell, Howell’s Saltwater Adventures, from placing his guests on limits of flounder.

Hosting Brian Mitchell and David Mitchell, of Dallas, and using Billy Norton Shrimp Tails in red and white, along with H&H Cocoho Minnows and JBC Goobers, his guests caught 17 to 20 flounder up to 20 inches, retaining 10.

A number of the fish were buck flounder in the 13- to 17-inch range, which, according to Howell, is typical following the Harvest Moon.

Last Saturday, the Mainland Chapter, CCA-Texas held its inaugural Kids Fishing Tournament at Harborwalk Marina.

More than 50 young anglers participated, and they caught a lot of fish including ribbonfish, hardheads, eels, flounder, trout, reds and croaker.

The four winning categories and respective winners were: first fish, Kelsey Moffett; longest fish, Colby Fuller; most fish, Giovanni Poretto; and hard luck, Kevin Mendoza.

Later today, the wind is expected to shift to the southeast, which should give a boost to overall fishing.

Look for flounder action to pick up and specks to be schooling in the bays. Reds still should be plentiful around the jetties and along the beach front.

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.