Charters & Trips

Three buckets. Thirteen trips.

Pick your distance: Jetty, Nearshore, or Federal Offshore. The catalog below breaks every Capt. Shannon trip variant by hours, capacity, season, and price. All-in pricing, fuel and tackle included, no booking-platform commission.

Pick Your Distance

Three buckets. Pick one to anchor your day.

Galveston runs three productive zones: the jetties (in close), the beach front (5 to 15 miles out), and the federal offshore reef and bluewater (20 to 60 miles). Each has its own bite, its own season, and its own reason to be the right choice.

Jetty

Speckled trout, redfish, sharks.

Year-round inshore action. Minutes from the dock. Best for first-timers, kids, and groups who want fast bites without a long run.

From $495, 4 to 5 hours
Nearshore

Big sharks, monster tarpon.

5 to 15 miles out, beach front from High Island to San Luis Pass. Best April through December when water hits 68 degrees and warmer. Up to 6 anglers.

From $900, 5 to 7 hours
Federal Offshore

Red snapper, wahoo, yellowfin.

20 to 60 miles out under federal permit. Year-round with seasonal species closures. Yellowfin tuna and dolphin on long-runs. Up to 6 anglers.

From $2,000, 6 to 10 hours
Bucket 1 of 3

Jetty charters.

Inside the jetties at Galveston Bay. Speckled trout, redfish, sharks. The most consistent fishery on the calendar. Runs every day of the year, weather permitting. Best for first-time anglers, kids, and quick get-out-on-the-water mornings.

4 hours Year-round Morning

Jetty Fishing, half-day morning

Speckled trout, redfish, bull redfish, sharks, kingfish, ling. Departure at first light, back at the dock by midday.

2 anglers base, $50 each additional

$495
All-in
4 hours Year-round Afternoon (1 PM)

Jetty Fishing, half-day afternoon

Same fishery, afternoon departure. Good fit for travelers who arrived in Galveston that morning or anglers who prefer the evening bite.

2 anglers base, $50 each additional

$495
All-in
5 hours May 15 to Nov 15 Morning Up to 6 anglers

Jetty Fishing, extended morning

An extra hour on the water for groups of up to six. Same target species, more shots at the bite, and time for a longer move if the morning is slow.

$800
All-in
5 hours May 15 to Nov 15 Afternoon (1 PM) Up to 6 anglers

Jetty Fishing, extended afternoon

The afternoon equivalent of the extended trip. Often the better window late in the season when the bite shifts later in the day.

$800
All-in
Bucket 2 of 3

Nearshore and specialty.

5 to 15 miles out from the Galveston beach front. Sharks, tarpon, ling, kingfish. Plus two named seasonal trips, the Red Shark Hunt and the Iron Fist Fall, that target distinct windows on the calendar.

5 hours May 1 to Oct 31 Morning Up to 6 anglers

Galveston Nearshore, morning

Sharks, tarpon, ling, kingfish, big bull redfish along the beach front. Best when water temperature is 68 degrees or warmer. The captain calls the run line based on the wind and the bait.

$1,200
All-in
5 hours May 1 to Oct 31 Afternoon (1 PM) Up to 6 anglers

Galveston Nearshore, afternoon

Same beach-front fishery, afternoon departure. Often the right window for tarpon as the water warms through the day.

$1,200
All-in
5 hours Signature trip May 15 to Nov 15 Morning Up to 6 anglers

Red Shark Hunt

A purpose-built shark trip. Heavier tackle, bigger baits, deliberate run lines off the beach front. Built around hooking and fighting sharks, not running into one by accident.

$900
All-in
5 hours Signature trip May 15 to Nov 15 Early morning (7 AM)

Red Shark Hunt, early start

Same trip, earlier 7 AM departure. Pulls anglers across the prime morning bite window before the boat traffic builds.

$900
All-in
7 hours Signature trip Sep 1 to Oct 31 Up to 6 anglers

Iron Fist Fall

A fall-only run when the bull reds school up the beach front and the kingfish push through the bait pods. Two months on the calendar, longer hours, dedicated to the fall bite.

$1,500
All-in
Bucket 3 of 3

Federal Offshore runs.

20 to 60 miles out under federal NOAA permits. Red snapper, wahoo, kingfish, ling, grouper, yellowfin tuna on the long runs. Federal Offshore trips run year-round under different season windows because federal species closures rotate.

6 hours Nov 1 to Dec 31 Up to 6 anglers

Federal Offshore, winter window

Two-month winter run when the weather holds. Shorter hours fit the season, lower price reflects the smaller weather window.

$2,000
All-in
8 hours Feb 1 to May 30 Up to 6 anglers

Federal Offshore, spring window

The four-month spring run. Red snapper opens, kingfish moves through, wahoo on the troll. Eight-hour trips give the time to make the run, fish, and come back without rushing.

$2,250
All-in
8 hours Oct 27 to Nov 30 Up to 6 anglers

Federal Offshore, late fall window

Late October through November. Federal red snapper reopen often falls in this window. Wahoo and kingfish run hot before the cold pushes them out.

$2,250
All-in
10 hours Long-run Jun 1 to Oct 26 Up to 6 anglers

Offshore Long-Run

The summer bluewater trip. Ten hours of run-and-fish targeting yellowfin tuna, dolphin, and the deep wahoo schools. Federal Offshore permit, longest run on the calendar.

$2,500
All-in
What's Included

Every trip ships with the same kit.

Whether you book the 4-hour jetty or the 10-hour offshore long-run, the same standards apply. The captain handles tackle, bait, fuel, and the cleanup.

Tackle Rods, reels, terminal tackle, lures. Shimano reels.
Bait Live bait when in season, cut bait year-round.
Fuel Fuel cost is built into the trip price, no surcharge.
Ice and cooler Cooler space and ice for your catch.
Catch cleaning Filleted at the dock, ready for the cooler home.
USCG captain Capt. Shannon LaBauve on the helm every trip.
Bring with you Texas saltwater fishing license, food and drinks, sunscreen, polarized sunglasses. Closed-toe shoes recommended for offshore trips.
When to Book

What's biting in Galveston, by month.

Season windows for the species the captain targets most. Plan a vacation around the bite, or book a year-round species and take what the day gives you.

Species Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Speckled Trout
Redfish (incl. Bull)
Sharks
Kingfish
Tarpon
Red Snapper
Wahoo
Yellowfin Tuna
Inshore (jetty) Nearshore (beach front) Federal offshore

Season windows are typical. Federal closures and openings vary year to year. The captain confirms current rules at booking.

How Booking Works

The plain-English policy.

Direct booking

Book through the FishingBooker calendar on the booking page, or call (713) 962-7502 to talk to the captain. Both routes settle the same way.

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 30 days before the trip. Inside 30 days, deposits are non-refundable. The window is set by FishingBooker and applies regardless of how you booked.

Weather

If the captain calls a trip for weather, your deposit moves to the next available date. The Gulf decides; nobody loses money to it.

Kids and groups

Child-friendly age 3 and up. Maximum 6 anglers per trip on the 31 ft Ocean Master. Larger groups need two trips on consecutive days or a different boat.

Payment

Cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express. The captain settles balances at the dock after the trip. Deposits hold the date.

License

Texas saltwater fishing license required for everyone over 17. Buy online at tpwd.texas.gov before the trip.

Frequently Asked

Quick answers.

What is included on every trip?

Rods, reels, tackle, live and cut bait, fuel, ice and cooler space, and catch cleaning at the dock. Capt. Shannon LaBauve on the helm. Trip pricing is all-in.

Do I need a fishing license?

Yes, anyone over 17 needs a current Texas saltwater fishing license. Purchase online at tpwd.texas.gov before the trip. The captain cannot sell licenses on the boat.

Can I bring kids?

Children 3 and up are welcome. Life jackets in kid sizes are aboard. Jetty trips are calmest and best for first-time young anglers; the captain has a folder full of grinning-kid-with-a-fish photos.

What happens if the weather is bad?

If the captain calls the trip for unsafe conditions, your deposit moves to the next available date at no charge. Light wind and chop are normal; the captain's threshold is safety, not comfort.

How do I cancel?

Free cancellation up to 30 days before the trip date. Inside 30 days, deposits are non-refundable. Weather cancellations always reschedule at no charge.

Where do we meet for the trip?

Slip C7 at 715 N Holiday Drive, Galveston Yacht Basin. Look for the 31 ft Ocean Master named Half Time. Plan to arrive 15 minutes early to load gear and brief the day.

What should I bring?

Texas saltwater fishing license, food and drinks for the day, sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, a hat. Closed-toe shoes are required for offshore trips. The captain handles tackle, bait, fuel, and the cooler.

Can I keep what I catch?

Within Texas state and federal regulations. The captain stays current on bag limits, slot limits, and seasonal closures. Catch cleaning and filleting at the dock are included.

Picked your trip?

The booking calendar shows live availability across all 13 trip variants. Same captain on every trip. Replies within the hour. No booking-platform commission.

Open the booking calendar