I have been on a few charters and I think I am ready for the high seas... I have this boat and I was thinking about driving down to galveston and going out to catch tuna. Maybe some octopus... The boat is a 20 ft center console 1977 Proline. I have a x15 Lowrance graph with GPS. What else do I need and is it safe to shoot out there like this?

I've run from Jupiter Florida to Walkers Cay Bahamas (Bermuda Triangle) several times in a 20' CC Mako but that was with a few other same size boats accompanying me.

No offense but looking at the age of the motor I would be uneasy going to far out solo....meaning more than 20 miles. Make sure you have all the neccessary SOS goodies.

I usually catch the limit even when the locals are doing everything to steer me in the wrong direction.

Yes the boat motor is 1977 and squirrely as hell. I will pack a tool box for sure. What is a good Marine Radio? I also need that for sure so I can talk to other boats. I was thinking if I keep a case of beer in the boat and I see some big shrimpers I can trade the beer for a few pounds of brown shrimp...

Watch the weather closely! A 30 minute ride out could turn into a 4 hour ride back.....been there

There's not a tuna to be found until maybe 40 miles out of Galveston.
That boat does not appear to me to be ready for tuna.
I would recommend keeping it inside 10nm.
If the motor is not reliable, you might even re-think
that.
good luck, & welcome to the forum.

Tuna? Octopuss? In that?

Good luck!

Better get EPIRB, tow insurance, two-way radio, a new motor and perhaps a new boat. I wouldn't risk it and danged sure wouldn't not expose my friends/family to such a risk.

You also need multiple batteries and at least two bilge pumps. Don't go if forecasts call for anything over 2ft. Better yet just stick to the jetties or just outside. You can catch Kings.

Yes this is a hell of a pipe dream for me... I can only go about 6 miles on a tank of gas (6 gallon tank) I will still take it out there though if only to get the coast guard to feel sorry for me...

I'm calling BS on this entire thread.

As Ron White would say

" all the way to the scene of the crash "


MO

I'm hearing the music from Gilligan's island. *The tiny boat was tossed*

I wouldn't get out of sight of the landing in that thing, sorry to call anyone's baby ugly.

I'm ALL IN ON THIS ONE...

Well, I lived in Beaumont in my young and reckless days and fished Galveston almost every good weekend. I was the proud owner of a semi-v plywood hull with a good running 33 HP Scott Atwater engine.

First off, two boats going out together is soooo much safer than one. But, The North jetties protrude out something like 6 miles, and there used to be (and probably are now) a group of oil platforms out 6 miles from the end of the jetties and another group just 6 miles further. We fished the 12 miles rigs most of the time and the 18 mile rigs when we felt the weather was stable.

Now, I was probably reckless and perhaps stupid, but we never had a bad trip and we did this for four years. I would not do it today without at least a 17' boat. We did find a 16' boat at the 12 mile rigs out of gas one time and had to pull him in. He was out there by himself. Good thing we showed up.

Anything beyond the twelve or eighteen mile rigs is really stretching it unless several boats go together. But, there is very good fishing around these rigs in the summer. But, don't go out unless you can explicitly trust your equipment and your own abilities. It can be a lonly feeling when you can't see land and there is no other boat in sight anywhere.

Darn I wish I still owned that old Scott Atwater.

It can be done, we use to do it all the time. I always felt better with a kicker motor, so at least we would not get stranded. I wouldn't go out too far, but you can reach some good fishing at the short rigs. July and August is usually the best time.

I can assure you this is no bulls**t. I have lived in Arlington most of my life but my family is from Morgan City. I can get to the oil rigs from my grandpas backyard. BUT it is like 20 miles down the achafalia or the intercoastal canal. I have set out with my dad from Cameron and GRAND ISLE. Of course I will probably only go out to the first oil rig but I was just curious. How far out can you go in a skiff? How about you just race me out there to the rig Land Pirate? Im looking for wahoo or sword fish so I might need a tow back.

My .02$....

There's a big difference between what you can do and what you should do to stay safe.

I'd suggest that if you really want to give offshore a chance in your boat, start at the closest rigs on a calm day (3mi) and as you build more experience, venture out farther little by little. Sometimes fishing closer rigs can be more productive. I've run out 50+ miles before only to get skunked and then have stopped at close-in rigs on the way back & loaded up the boat.

As other guys have said-- things can go bad in a hurry!!! Don't underestimate the ocean.

marx, my boat is is a bit smaller than yours and I can manage about 30 miles on a calm, FLAT day. If the waves are 2'ish, then about 12 miles is it.

How much fuel does your boat hold? What's your backup propulsion if the outboard conks out - do you have an electric trolling motor or a small kicker motor that you can mount in tandem? You really don't want to be stuck 20 miles out drifting towards Cuba.

Most 'marine radios' are just fine, mostly its a matter of having a tall antennae for reception, as VHF is pretty much line of sight. Having a working VHF is a must.

Do you have flares, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for small boats and big water, just think it through and have extra fuel onboard (for comparison, my fuel tank is 61 gallons).

I have a 30 gallon tank in the hull but it is out of service right now. I have a 6 gallon tank and a 5 gallon back up. Never have to worry about old gas... I have 2 batteries and a 27 lb thrust minn kota. with my displacement I get about a half a mile to a battery...No flares but I do have a badass LASER, no joke I have a modded burning laser that I could signal with, Fire extinguisher, If I go to galveston can I just camp on the beach and go in and out all day? I guess I need to launch the boat as close to blue water as I can get.... where is the beginners boat ramp for the gulf?

I was bobber fishing under a rig about 1 mile out from shore and I saw a purple spotted fish about 3 feet long take my bait, I hooked it and it stripped half the line off my reel before I lost it. I wish I could go back to catch that fish, what could it have been? Purple on the sides with black spots...

I guess as far as you got fuel for......these guys made it darn near to Florida all the way from Cuba...........

Cracks me up! new guy starts posting for ADVICE, decides he doesn't like the advice,
does what he wants anyway. I say go for it. you'll for sure get your 15 min's of fame.
I was trying to be nice before, 11 gallons of gas in that
35 yr old boat is just enough to get it burning good. make the insurance claim & get a real fishing boat.
"BOBBER" fishing at a rig?
You seem to be a pretty good TROLL, so you should clean up out there.
take pics & post up!!
good luck!

Yeah, I think you nailed this one ... purple fish on a bobber ...

one mile per gallon ?

The tuna fishing starts out at 100 - 120 miles ,
so you are going to need about 280 gallons just to
be safe.

I would be nervous about going to the end of the jetties
with a " squirrley " motor.

Good luck
You are going to need it

MO

absolute nonsense....living will?????????