Texas Fish & Game

The National News of Texas

March 12, 2024

Mahi-Mahi on Light Gear

Catching mahi-mahi is always fun, but it’s on light gear that catching these fish really becomes a ball. Few fish will jump, change direction, and peel drag the way mahi can, and on 20-pound spinning gear […]
January 1, 2024

Safety in Stand-Up Gear

Recently I was offshore trolling for tuna and billfish, when a close call reminded me how important safety is when you’re battling big fish with stand-up gear. After a drag-screaming strike a teenage angler grabbed the […]
October 19, 2023

Blue Marlin: Engage in the Ultimate Battle

Blue marlin aren’t exactly a common catch, but when you put in the long hours and run far, far from port, they do represent the ultimate battle any angler could engage in. You say you’re ready […]
September 26, 2023

Fire Up the Mahi-Mahi

Mahi-mahi are one of those species that’s almost always willing to bite. Almost. But on occasion they do get lockjaw, which is doubly frustrating because (unless you’re trolling) you can usually see them swim right up […]
September 6, 2023

Everything You Need to Know about Swordfish Baits

It’s amazing the lengths anglers will go to when they’re prepping up offshore baits. Ballyhoo get rigged and salted. Ribbonfish get love, care, and a chandelier of treble hooks. Eels get scrubbed with steel wool until […]
August 2, 2023

Catch More Mahi-Mahi Offshore

Mahi-mahi are certainly an exhilarating fish to catch. They attack with abandon, leap clear of the water, and go utterly berserk when you get them into the boat. And on the whole, they’re relatively easy to […]
June 20, 2023

Marlin Fishing: 3 Hot Tips

If you’re going to take a shot at catching a marlin, you’re going to be investing a lot of time, money, and effort in the endeavor. These fish live far from port, are tough to fool, […]
May 31, 2023

Finding the Best Offshore Charter

Let’s be real: offshore fishing boats that can get you to distant pelagics like billfish and tunas are a monstrous expense. In fact, you just about have to be a one-percenter to get one of those […]
April 20, 2023

Tactics for Battling Billfish

You want to do battle with the ultimate gamefish? In that case, few would argue with the decision to target billfish in general and marlin in specific. Get one on the line, and you have a […]
April 19, 2023

Deep Drop Rigs: Hand Crank Vs. Electric

The term “deep dropping” means different things to different people, and while sending a bait down 300 feet for grouper or bluelines seems deep, it’s an entirely different endeavor from dropping 1200 feet down for goldens […]