InTheBite

  • Home
  • News
    • All News
    • Featured Stories
    • General News
    • Captain of the Year
    • Tournament Results
    • First Builds
    • Splash Reports
    • Old Salts Rule
    • Tackle Tips
    • Dock Talk
    • Crew Records
    • Conservation
  • Tournaments
    • Calendar
    • Captain of the Year
    • Champion’s Cup
  • Shop
    • All Products
    • Subscriptions
    • Back Issues
    • Shirts
    • Hats & Visors
    • Miscellaneous
    • Release Rulers
  • Classifieds
  • Job Board
  • Contact
    • Contact InTheBite
    • InTheBite Media Kit
  • Log in

Billfish Love Dredges

November 2, 2021 By InTheBite Digital Editor

dredge on boat

By Kevin Deerman

Most of the tournaments in the Gulf of Mexico are won catching one big fish. Boats set up to handle a dozen or more live tuna with high-velocity pumps often head straight offshore. However, dredge fishing for release numbers dominated our tournaments in Texas this summer as the inshore bite remained strong throughout the season.

The Billfish Pachanga, Lone Star Shootout, Texas International Fishing Tournament, Texas Women Anglers Tournament and Texas Billfish Classic were all won by teams that opted to fish natural ballyhoo spreads on the shelf rather than run out to deep water and hit the oil rigs. Normally the latter would be the norm for most of the fleet because of the higher points awarded for blue marlin. However, this year a few of the bait fishing crews were able to find blues inshore to go along with their double-digit white marlin and sailfish releases. At the Texas Women Angler’s Tournament, Tenacious, captained by Vince Ciampa, was able to produce another outstanding performance for their ladies team releasing eight whites, a blue and a sail to take the win in the one-day event. Tenacious also won the Billfish Pachanga with five sailfish, two white marlin and three blue marlin.

The top three places in the Texas Triple Crown Series were similarly occupied by dredge fishing teams, with Quantified’s Capt. Justin Drummond taking first place with 4,300 points from first place wins in both the Lone Star Shootout and Texas International Fishing Tournament. Tenacious finished second overall with 3,150 points and Rebecca tallied 2,800 points, which was enough to secure third place. Walk West, with Capt. Raleigh Morrison at the helm, took fourth place overall with 2,300 points. Their season was highlighted by a second consecutive win at the Texas Legends Tournament. Teams competing in the Gulf often split into two directions. Relying on a consistent inshore bite can be a tough decision come tournament time but these guys definitely made the right call and were on the fish all summer long.

Now that the tournaments are behind us many of our teams will be switching gears to start focusing on the upcoming hunting season. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has forecasted a healthy dove population, especially for the southern areas of the state. Our moderate summer with plenty of rain prior to hunting season has been optimal for all of the habitat in these areas. We are already witnessing some healthy whitetail deer with considerable antler growth from last year and the quail populations also seem to be very plentiful with many young birds and others already paired up again before the season.

As long as we don’t have any major storms or weather events over the next month or so we should be able to look forward to some excellent hunting in Texas.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Do you have any comments or questions for us? We’d love to hear from you.

    Filed Under: Equipment, Featured Stories, Fishing, Fishing Accessories, Gulf of Mexico, Tackle Tagged With: billfish, Dredge Fishing, gulf fishing, texas triple crown

    Recent News

    International Game Fish Association Announces 2023 Tommy Gifford Award Winners

    Dania Beach, FL—The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) today announced its 2023 Tommy Gifford Award winners, an annually bestowed accolade that recognizes captains, guides or crew members who have made extraordinary contributions to r … [Read More...]

    Costa Rica’s Largest and Richest Fishing Tournament

    Quepos, Costa Rica—The 7th Annual Pelagic Rockstar Offshore Tournament makes Costa Rican and Central American sportfishing history two years running! With a record-setting 94 teams and 553 anglers catching and releasing 1,131 billfish for more than $ … [Read More...]

    A Taste of Sportfishing: Blue Crab Claw Rolls

    By Holly Hearn of Game Girl Gourmet Blue water and blue crabs. These two things pair beautifully in the case of this blue crab claw roll. The rolls are light, sweet, savory and just a little bit spicy. This makes them the perfect lunchtime … [Read More...]

    The Masters Celebrate 60 Years in Style

    Costa Rica never disappoints; calm seas, a world class fleet and fast billfishing for 30 Master Anglers who gathered together at Los Suenos on January 24th for the annual boat draw. Veteran anglers welcomed five "freshmen" into the club and after … [Read More...]

    Pelagic’s Vaportek Fishing Shirt

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B32l2Wwscak Check out the video to see why Pelagic’s Vaportek is the lightest and most breathable fishing shirt. The Vaportek Fishing Shirt features full-length fine-mesh vented panels that allow for optimal airflow … [Read More...]

    Leave a Reply

    Connect With InTheBite

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Subscribe to InTheBite Magazine Today!

    InTheBite current cover image

    Our latest issue is hitting the docks now! Be sure to subscribe to the hottest bluewater mag on the market. Purchase or Subscribe »

    InTheBite Champion’s Cup

    InTheBite Champions Cup Logo

    New for 2022, the Champion’s Cup is an optional paid entry with a winner-takes-all prize format for teams who want to up the stakes in each division utilizing our longstanding tournament scoring formula.

    Captain of the Year Cup Standings

    COTY / ITB Cup Logo

    News

    • Proposed 10-Knot Restrictions

      Proposed 10-Knot Restrictions

      It’s Not Over! The Viking Yacht Company and the marine industry’s grassroots campaign to stop the advancement of a proposed 10-knot restriction along the Eastern Seaboard continues into 2023. And now, thanks to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), we have a tool at our disposal that makes it super easy to make your voice heard. In one click, send a pre-written letter... [Read More...]

    • Old Salt: Capt. Eddie Herbert

      Old Salt: Capt. Eddie Herbert

      By Carol M. Bareuther, RD The moon and stars shone brightly in the pre-dawn night as Capt. Eddie Herbert started the engines on the 80-foot Merritt Reel Tight. His destination, the Virgin Islands’ North Drop. Reel Tight owner Jim Lambert Sr. took his passion for fishing seriously. He wanted to be first off the dock so he could catch and... [Read More...]

    • Splash Report: Bayliss Boatworks' Overtime

      Splash Report: Bayliss Boatworks' Overtime

      Every boat built by Bayliss Boatworks is a truly custom project. In the case of Overtime, the newest 67’ 6’’ build to hit the water, the sportfisher is the weapon of choice for a Cabo-San-Lucas-based program. With the help of the experienced captain and owner team, Bayliss Boatworks designed a sportfishing yacht unique enough to meet the demands of conquering... [Read More...]

    • First Build: Jarrett Bay's Sensation

      First Build: Jarrett Bay's Sensation

      By Nichole Osinski "If you’d asked me when I was 16 years old if I was going to build a boat, I would have told you you’re crazy," says Jarrett Bay Founder and President Randy Ramsey when recalling his 30-plus year career in the boat building industry. But to understand how the company has risen to where it is today,... [Read More...]

    • InTheBite Christmas Gift Offers

      InTheBite Christmas Gift Offers

      In addition to the other products listed below, InTheBite is offering two amazing holiday gift deals: a free gift subscription and a hat, shirt and sticker bundle. Act now before the offer ends on December 24th at midnight! Christmas Special: Hat, Shirt & Sticker Bundle (While Supplies Last) Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the fisherman in your life?... [Read More...]

    Search InTheBite

    Copyright © 2023 InTheBite, LLC · All Rights Reserved.