Houston Big Game Fishing

Where to Fish

When you're sport fishing for the big guys such as marlin and tuna, you must travel beyond the nicely stocked lakes and fishing parks to the wilder waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Several businesses located along the Texas Gulf Shore host offshore fishing charters with near-shore day trips, long-range day trips, nighttime excursions and 24-hour fishing trips. According to the "Guide to Texas Outside," you can expect to spend anywhere from $400 to $4,000 depending on where you book and how long you hope to be in the water.

Fintalk.com recommends using heavy duty rods for big-game fishing. Indeed, your average rod and reel just won't do. Choose between heavy duty graphite rods and heavy duty fiberglass rods, which might not last as long as the graphite models but will provide you with flexibility as you struggle with a monster fish.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has two regional and field law offices in Houston. Fishing licenses and saltwater fishing stamp endorsements, required for big-game fishing, can be obtained there or in sporting goods stores, grocery stores or bait and tackle shops throughout the state. Saltwater fishing licenses cost $33 for residents, $16 for seniors and $60 for nonresidents, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. Or you can choose an all-water fishing license for $5 more in any of the three categories.

When you are fishing more than nine nautical miles off the Texas shore, you must adhere to federal rules and regulations that might differ from state regulations. For instance, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife, you must adhere to bag and length limits for saltwater fish. The bag limit for bass under 18 inches long is five, and there is no bag limit for marlin. In general, larger big game fish do not have bag limitations. Several species of shark are prohibited from being fished, such as the Atlantic angel, tiger, Caribbean reef and white.

Houston hosts several big-game fishing tournaments. The Houston Big Game Fishing Club participates in tournaments from January to August, such as the Lone Star Shootout for members, with more than 50 boats participating for $600,000 in prize money. More than 95 percent of the fish caught during the tournament are released. Other nearby tournaments include the Texas Legends Billfish Tournament with an $850 entry fee and the Texas Tuna Mania with $68,000 in total prizes awarded.