Offshore fishing picked up a little this week, and the floater trips had large yields. Some big grouper and tuna, plenty of amberjack and at least one wahoo were caught, as well as kingfish and vermilion snapper.

Jim Baima of Collinsville, Ill., and Port Aransas has been limiting out on sheepshead on the north jetty almost daily. He said he catches live ghost shrimp on the beach for bait, and they work great. "It makes no difference to the fish if they (the shrimp) are alive or dead, though," he said. He has also caught plenty of redfish and black drum. Pompano and whiting have been dominating the surf fishing, according to Baima.

According to MaryAnn Heimann at Offshore Adventures, Redfish Bay anglers have been reeling in the redfish and black drum.

Bill Fintel at Barnacle Bill's Pier House said anglers on Horace Caldwell Pier have been catching whiting, redfish, sheepshead, and gafftop.

John McNatt at Fisherman's Wharf fished aboard the 56-hour trip out of Fisherman's Wharf on Friday, Jan. 23. He reported seeing some unusual fish about 150 miles offshore, including escolar and barrel fish, as well as a large pilot whale. Lots of yellowfin tuna, blackfin tuna, amberjack, grouper and spinner shark were caught.

A spokesperson at Dolphin Dock said offshore anglers have caught Atlantic sharpnose shark, kingfish, vermilion snapper, amberjack and a big mako shark this week.

Scott Garrison at Deep Sea Headquarters said offshore trips are producing kingfish, vermillion snapper and Atlantic sharpnose shark. The 36 to 48-hour floater trips brought back yellowfin and blackfin tuna, some big amberjack, grouper and dorado.