What to Bring

What to bring on a Galveston fishing charter.

Short version: bring a Texas saltwater fishing license, food, drinks, and sun protection. The captain handles rods, reels, tackle, bait, fuel, ice, cooler space, and cleaning your catch at the dock. The longer version is below, by trip length.

Check Availability Call (713) 962-7502

Replies within the hour. The captain answers his own phone.

The List

Three columns, no guessing.

This applies to every trip, from the 4-hour jetty run to the 10-hour offshore long-run.

You bring

Packed the night before.

Texas saltwater fishing license, required for everyone over 17. Buy online at tpwd.texas.gov before the trip.
Food and drinks for the day. There is nothing to buy once the boat leaves the slip.
Sunscreen, applied before you board and again on the water.
Polarized sunglasses and a hat with a brim.
A light rain shell. Gulf weather changes faster than the forecast does.
Closed-toe shoes. Required on offshore trips, recommended on all of them.
Motion sickness medication if you are prone to it, taken before leaving the dock rather than after.
A cooler in your vehicle for the fillets going home.

Already aboard

Included in the trip price.

Rods, Shimano reels, terminal tackle, and lures.
Live bait when in season and cut bait year-round.
Fuel. There is no fuel surcharge on any trip.
Ice and cooler space for your catch.
Catch cleaning and filleting at the dock.
USCG-approved life jackets in adult and child sizes.
Eight-person life raft, EPIRB, VHF radio, Garmin radar and chart plotter.
Capt. Shannon LaBauve on the helm, every trip.

Leave it

You will not need it.

Your own rods and reels, unless you have cleared it with the captain first. Tackle matched to the trip is already aboard.
Glass. Cans and plastic hold up better on a moving deck.
A cooler for the boat. Ice and cooler space are aboard; your cooler waits in the vehicle for the drive home.
Expectations about cell service. Past a few miles out there is none.

By Trip Length

Pack for the hours.

4 to 5 hours

Jetty and nearshore.

Water, a couple of snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses. Short run from the dock and back before you need a real meal. The calmest water the boat fishes.

$495 to $1,500

6 to 8 hours

Federal offshore.

Pack a proper lunch, more water than you think, and a rain shell. Closed-toe shoes are required. There is an hour or more of run time on each end.

$2,500

10 hours

Offshore long-run.

The longest day on the calendar. Two meals, layers for a temperature swing, and motion sickness medication if there is any doubt at all.

$2,500, Jun 1 to Oct 26

Where To Go

Meeting the boat.

Slip C7, Dock C, Galveston Yacht Basin. Look for the 31 ft Ocean Master named Half Time.

The address is 715 N Holiday Dr, Galveston, TX 77550. Plan to arrive fifteen minutes before your departure time so gear can be loaded and the captain can brief the day before lines come off.

Departures are at first light for morning trips, 1 PM for afternoon trips, and 7 AM for the Red Shark Hunt early start. The captain confirms your exact time when you book.

If you cannot find the slip, call (713) 962-7502. Shannon answers his own phone.

Frequently Asked

Before you go.

Do I need a fishing license?

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

Can I bring my own food and drinks?

Yes, and you should. Nothing is provided beyond ice and cooler space. Cans and plastic only, no glass bottles.

What should I wear?

Layers you can shed, a hat, polarized sunglasses, and closed-toe shoes. A light rain shell is worth the space in any season.

What about seasickness?

Take medication before you leave the dock rather than after symptoms start. If you are unsure, the jetty trips stay in the calmest water and are the better first outing.

How early should we arrive?

Fifteen minutes before departure. That is enough time to load gear and brief the day without rushing.

Who cleans the fish?

The captain, at the dock, and it is included in the trip price. Bring a cooler in your vehicle for the fillets.