Fishing Buoys Can Result in Fast Action, Variety of Species texas saltwater fishing, texas fishing, wadefishing, wading, bay fishing, speckled trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, texas redfish, texas speckled trout Structure is often the dominant topic of anglers, regardless of what type of fish they pursue. Inshore fishermen clamor about oyster reefs. Nearshore and offshore fishermen are fond of rigs and wrecks, while beachfront anglers yammer about the jetties. However, right in the middle of it all are one of the most productive type of fish holding structure along the Texas coast - one that every boating angler has passed at some point or another. Buoys, whether found inshore or offshore, hold a variety of species and are often overlooked in favor of larger fish holding structure. However, anglers who take the time to cast around these floating fish attractors are often rewarded with fine catches. Although offshore buoys get most of the attention from anglers plying the Gulf waters bordering the Texas coastline, productive buoys can be found right off the beach. "Anytime I'm running offshore, I take a look at every buoy I pass on the way out," said Freeport-based guide Capt. Mike Segall of Reel Threel Charters. "These close buoys can be really good, especially in the summer when we have clean water move in. A lot of times you can find kingfish or Spanish mackerel hanging around the buoys. But, you also have a good chance at seeing a ling swimming around the buoy - even buoys that are right off the beach. When the water's right, all those fish will move in." Part of the attraction of buoys for fish is the simple fact they are a type of structure in a large, watery world. As most fishermen know, when fish find themselves in a wide expanse of sameness, anything that sticks out or provides a bit of shade will draw a virtual food chain of bait and predator fish. And, unlike weedlines and floating jetsam, buoys provide more than just surface structure. "A lot of people think of a buoy as just the part they see floating on the surface," said Segall. "But, remember, there's a chain and some sort of anchor on the bottom. So, a buoy really provides structure from the surface to the bottom. "When you go by a buoy, just because you don't see fish on the surface doesn't mean there aren't fish there. This is especially true of ling. Everybody thinks you'll always seen ling swimming near the surface, but that's not true. If the water's good and there's bait around the buoy, I'll stop and drop some baits down, even if I don't see fish. "Often times, when I don't see fish, but feel like fish are in the area, I'll use a bucktail jig and drop it straight down. You can use just the jig by itself or tip with some sort of baitfish. You can also use Storm Wildeye Shad Swimbaits and catch all kinds of stuff down deep around the buoys. Pretty much anything hanging around the buoy will hit one of those baits. If you can't see the fish, you just need to get the bait down deep enough for the fish to find it." Of course, the same hardware that provides top to bottom structure can also pose a problem for anglers. "When you're fighting a fish around a buoy, you need to be careful not to get wrapped around the anchor chain," cautioned Segall. "Again, everybody focuses on the buoy, but they forget about that big chain that's anchored to the bottom. If you hook up with a big fish, you need to be ready to move the boat around and keep them off the chain." And, as is the case when fishing close to any structure fish can wrap around, it is always wise to go a little heavier than you typically would for a given species when fishing around a buoy. Another big attraction of buoys has to do with their purpose - or rather their location because of their purpose. Since buoys are primarily meant for navigational purposes, they are usually placed along channel edges or over obstructions. In each instance, they are in areas of water depth change. "I'll fish around the buoys in the channel outside of the jetties year around," said Segall. "A lot of people think about this area for bull reds in the late summer and fall, but really, they're there all year long. If you think about it, they have everything they need - deep water, shallow water, plenty of food, and they're close to where they spawn. And, these are all really big fish. It's not uncommon for us to catch 30 to 40 pound redfish around the channel buoys all year long. Muddy water, clean water, winter, summer - it doesn't really matter. We can pretty much find redfish around the buoys all the time. "Of course, there are a lot more species around them in the summer. In addition to bull reds, we'll have a lot of sharks, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, jacks, bonito, ling - all kinds of stuff will hang around the buoy. Remember, the buoy provides structure, but they're also usually located in transition areas between deep water channels and the shallower water. Those types of areas attract fish anyways, then when you have the structure of the buoy, it just kind of adds to it." Another common sight around close-to-shore buoys are tripletail. Most often, these odd looking fish first appear to be a pile of seaweed or perhaps a trash bag or some other debris, as they laze near the surface on their side. Anglers hoping to hook up with tripletail are best served to cast at any suspicious looking target. After all, it is much better to cast at a target and have it turn out to be a trash bag than to not cast and find out it was a tripletail. Regardless of the target species, Segall says buoy fishing bucks traditional thinking in at least one area. "When tide is slack, the buoys are actually better," stated Segall. "I don't really know why, but when the current is really ripping, it can be tough to catch fish around the buoys. It's the opposite of what you would think. But, as the tide starts slowing down, the buoys start turning on. This is especially true with ling. You'll almost always find more ling around a buoy if there's little or no current moving." Buoys, Segall says, can be productive no matter where they occur. "Most of the buoys I fish are pretty close to shore," said Segall. "But, I never pass up a buoy, no matter where it's at. Anytime I'm running by a buoy, I slow down and take a look. In some cases, it may be the only structure for miles around. When that happens, you can bet there will be fish around it." Yet one last benefit to targeting buoys is the fact they are highly visible to boaters and fishermen. "Once you get out past the jetties, you really need to know where the structure is in order to find fish," said Segall. "But, if you don't know where the submerged structure is, it can be tough. The good thing about buoys is they are easy to see. So, if you're not familiar with an area, you can always rely on the buoys." Although most often it is offshore anglers who consider seeking action around buoys, bay fishermen can find much the same results - especially during the summer months. Again, in the bay most buoys are going to placed along shipping channels, small boat channels or the ICW where it crosses open bay waters. During the heat of summer, speckled trout, flounder and redfish will seek out these transitional areas and can be easily targeted by inshore anglers. Tripletail will also be invading Texas bays over the next few months. And, as is the case when they are along the nearshore channels, tripletail will most often be found around buoys or pilings. So, from now through September, it's worth taking a look at any buoy you pass, just in the off chance a big 'tail is lazing nearby. Unlike rigs and other massive structures, buoys generally don't hold huge quantities of fish. But, when the conditions are right, any buoy can hold a bounty of quality fish, close to shore. In most cases, the potential payoff is just to good to pass up, so make sure you slow down and take a peek by each buoy as you run offshore during your next trip. What you find around a close-to-shore aid-to-navigation just may make your trip before it even gets started.