Galveston kingfish charters, beach front to federal reef.
King mackerel are the fish that connect the two halves of this operation. They run the beach front on nearshore trips in summer and hold on the federal structure offshore, which means there are two ways to book a kingfish day and two price points.
Replies within the hour. The captain answers his own phone.
4.9 stars
1,129 verified reviews
USCG-licensed
Capt. Shannon since 1995
Six anglers max
Private charter, one boat
All-in pricing
Fuel, tackle, cleaning included
The Fishery
Two zones, one fish.
Kingfish move. That is the whole story of how this trip gets planned.
Through summer and fall they push along the Galveston beach front behind the bait, which puts them inside the 15-mile line and reachable on a 5-hour nearshore trip. Later in the year the bigger fish sit out on the federal structure with the reef species, which is federal offshore territory.
The boat carries the NOAA Gulf Charter/Headboat permit for Coastal Migratory Pelagic Fish, vessel 1109029. That is the permit that specifically covers king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, and cobia in federal Gulf waters, and it runs through June 30, 2027.
Method depends on where they are. Slow-trolled live and cut bait along the beach front, trolled or dropped near structure offshore. Every rod, reel, rig, and bait is aboard. The captain rigs it and you fish it.
Timing
The fall run is the one to plan around.
September to October
Iron Fist Fall.
A fall-only trip built for exactly this. Seven hours on the beach front while the bull reds school up and the kingfish push through the bait pods. Two months on the calendar, nothing else like it.
$1,500, 7 hours, Sep 1 to Oct 31
May to October
Standard nearshore.
Kingfish are part of the mixed bag on every nearshore run alongside sharks, tarpon, ling, and bull redfish. Five hours, morning or afternoon.
$1,200, 5 hours
Late fall offshore
Out on the structure.
Wahoo and kingfish run hot together through late October and November on the federal offshore trips before the cold pushes them out.
$2,500, Oct 27 to Nov 30
Book It
Pick your distance.
7 hoursSep 1 to Oct 31Signature trip
Iron Fist Fall
The fall beach-front run. Longer hours, dedicated to the two months when the fall bite is on.
$1,500
All-in
5 hoursMay 1 to Oct 31Morning or 1 PM
Galveston Nearshore
Beach-front mixed bag with kingfish in the rotation. 5 to 15 miles out, up to six anglers.
$1,200
All-in
8 hoursOct 27 to Nov 30Up to 6 anglers
Federal Offshore, late fall window
Bigger kingfish out on the federal structure alongside wahoo, before the water cools.
$2,500
All-in
On The Dock
A day that worked.
Kingfish and snapper, same trip.
Six anglers, one boat.
Frequently Asked
Kingfish questions.
Do I need the offshore trip to catch kingfish?
No. Kingfish run the beach front from roughly May through October and are caught regularly on the 5-hour nearshore trip at $1,200. The federal offshore trips reach the bigger fish holding on structure later in the year.
What is the Iron Fist Fall trip?
A seven-hour beach-front trip that runs September 1 through October 31 only, built around the fall bite when bull redfish school and kingfish move through the bait. $1,500 all-in for up to six anglers.
Are kingfish good to eat?
Plenty of people keep them, and smaller fish are the better table fare. Catch cleaning and filleting at the dock is included on every trip.
What tackle do you use for kings?
Slow-trolled live and cut bait on the beach front, trolled or dropped near structure offshore. Rods, Shimano reels, and terminal tackle are all provided.
More Trips
Other ways to fish Galveston.
Same boat, same captain, different water. Every trip below runs off the same dock at Slip C7.
