Is it a good idea to take my 21' bass boat to Galveston? If so what is the best approach to catching some fish? I'm thinking about hiring a guide for a day to get some ideas about what and where to go, any thoughts or suggestions?
Me and my family will be there 6/28 thru 7/6. Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Leave the boat home and hire a guide.

ive seen plenty of bass boats fishing in the bay...hire the guide and youl get a general idea of what area to fish and what to use...just pay attn to where your at and stay deep...i wouldnt try running it through the flats

Does your bass boat have upright flotation? If so, take it fishing in Galveston, if not leave it home. Just ask those folks who had to crawl up on an offshore platform this weekend...from a 17 foot sinking boat.

yea well thats not very smart to take a 17 foot boat offshore any way

i got a 16 footer but it sucks. I spend like hours driving it around in vain looking for fish but i get impatient and its noisy even with a trolling motor. Wadefish the kemah seabrook flats and you wont find a better fishing trip in all the bay this time of year...caught 27 inch trout two slot reds and a flounder this morning not to mention had my line broken twice(12 lb mono) and had 3 trout flipped off my lures. Tomorrow morning should be even better.

Depends on the boat and other factors. A properly outfitted 17 foot boat, with a buddy system, watching the weather, is far safer than a lot of crafts I've seen out there....but any boat, any boat without upright flotation should not be taken into open waters.

i take the TX-21 Triton to Port A.
stay in the bays mostly.
wouldn't hesitate to take off shore if it was really calm.
after all it really is a Bass boat,just without carpet !!!!

Take the bass boat but only if you have a galvanized trailer.


The seas are flat in late July - Aug. so that's your best time if you want to go offshore.


-Z-

What's not smart about it? I take a 19' boat offshore all the time. Not much difference between 17 and 19' Comes down to knowing how your boat handles, what it's limits are and what your own limits are.

your right,i have taken my 17ft princecraft with a 50hp mercury without a buddy boat out 40 miles on the gps,but on a good day. i have also taken the same boat out on a bad day and it got worst as thee day went on. took 3 hours to go 15 miles in 4 to 6 ft seas with a 8 or 9 ft swell coming through every 10th wave or so. had a few waves come over the bow and that was,well i had to clean my pants when i got to shore.i have to say, i have never been so scared in my life! you can use that bass boat in the salt, just make sure you wash EVERYTHING really good. i would let the trailer wheelbearings cool for a hour or so before i launch to prevent saltwater being pulled in to them. use a lawn sprinkler under the trailer when you get home to wash extra good. just set it under the boat/trailer and let it rip. i would think long and hard before i head out to far in this tyre of boat, but it is doable. i've seen some small boats out 25 miles and set back and wondering whats going on in their heads. flatcat out 25 miles killing the kingfish, but it was a nice day. can't say much for myself, i'm a hardhead when it comes to fishing offshore and it just about useless to try and talk me out of a trip, rough or not. one more thing,anywhere you fish, you and everyone on the boat should know where all of your PFD are. jetties,offshore or in the bay system. someone else said something about the guys that got picked out of the water last week offshore, what happen there. i know what happen, but why did it happen? wave over bow? over the stern? cracked bilge pump hose? sounds like they were taken on water from what i've heard, so fill me in please.

by the way, the guys that got picked out of the gulf last week were in some rough seas if i'm right. i work on the beach front and the water has been ROUGH for the last month or so. not something for a small boat if you ask me. today, its laid down nice. trout will be running tommorow i hope. fish on and stay safe.

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=42035


try this. its the bouy 22 miles east of galveston south/north jetties. read the marine forecast 1 and 2. they will tell you alot.

The worst thing would be finding everything rusted/corroded in a couple of weeks, on that boat of yours, really.