< PreviousThis will allow you to cover more water and perhaps home in on the highest concen- trations of gamefish. In or out of the boat, there are a variety of hotspots with sand and shell that can provide plenty of opportunities for excellent catches over the next several weeks. Some of my longtime favorites are along the south shore of East Galveston Bay and include the Pig Pen, Sievers Cut, Fat Rat Pass, Pepper Grove Cove and Stingaree Flats. I like to wade these areas, but you can definitely stay in the boat and make long drifts across them, too. Wade fishing these spots will help you dial in on small oyster reefs and stretches of scattered shell because you’ll be able to feel the bottom changes under your feet. It’s im- portant to take note of areas where the sand and shell meet — that’s likely where the best action will occur. Other hotspots in the Galveston Bay com- plex include the east shore of Trinity Bay, stretches along the Texas City Levee, parts of the south shoreline of West Galveston Bay and flats near the San Luis Pass. The key to finding good numbers of speckled trout and redfish in these areas is focusing on stretches of water that are teeming with baitfish, as well as targeting 68 COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 HOOKED areas where the sandy bottom transitions into oyster shell. When it comes to bait presentation in April, think simple. All you’ll need is some surface-walking plugs and some soft plastics rigged on light jig heads. I’ve always had good success with topwa- ter baits in April, and I will almost always start a trip by throwing one until the fish prove they don’t want to feed along the surface. When topwater bites just aren’t hap- pening, it’s time to switch to a soft plastic jig. Get out there and enjoy the opportuni- ties that April offers. Until next month, you know where to find me. That’s right, over sand and shell! (Above) Drift fishing from a boat is a good way to cover water over flats with sand and shell during the month of April. (Left) Now is a great time to chunk topwater lures, especially when there is plenty of baitfish activity along the surface. The rod-bending action will become more and more consistent as the month wears on. COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 69 TWOEVIABEAUTIES! KARENFLOWERS-(409)789-7377 DAVEBRIDGWATER-(409)392-5655 JOETRAMONTEREALTY (409)765-9837 INGALVESTON’SHOTTESTCOMMUNITY! 2EVIAMAIN 2EVIAMAIN OFFEREDAT$525,000 OFFEREDAT$525,000 NEWPRICE! NEWPRICE! NEWLISTING! NEWLISTING! Compassionate Guidance in Your Time of Need. E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary has been serving Galveston County and surrounding areas with empathy and reverence for several decades. Our roots are deeply ingrained in the community by standing side by side with families as they take their first steps towards healing. During this time, you will seek guidance from someone who understands the needs of families in celebrating the life of their loved one with dignity. Making sure that we take all precautions in maintaining a safe environment to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of everyone. E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary has always been at the forefront of making sure the families we serve receive our utmost attention and care. We look forward to being your source for compassionate care and exemplary service. We stand ready to help you honor your loved one by keeping the tradition of offering “Quality, Distinctive and Professional Service”. 3828 Ave O | Galveston, TX 77550 409.762.8470 E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary News on the go. Download the app today.70 COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 Knowing where turkeys are roosting on the property that you are hunting can help you come up with a game plan to get into a good position to get a shot opportunity at a trophy long beard. (Opposite) If the birds are talkative, you can pinpoint where they are in order to try to make a move on them. COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 71 FEATURE TO MOVE OR NOT TO MOVE That is the question when stalking big Toms story and photos by CAPT. NATE SKINNER F ew things compare to the excite- ment of having a mature long beard coming in hot to a call, especially when he’s strutting and hammering gobbles at a short distance. Getting up close and personal with a boss gobbler is what all spring turkey hunters dream of. Turning that dream into a reality depends a lot on decisions such as moving up or laying low. When the birds start sounding off, most hunters are ready to close the distance quickly; however, being more patient can sometimes produce better results. But then a true run-and-gun style also can result in tagging a trophy Tom. Deciding whether to move or stay put comes down to a hunter’s ability to read the birds’ mood and behavior and predict their moves. There’s no sure way to do that. But, if you pay attention to how they react to your calls, you can make an educated guess about how to get yourself in the best position for a shot. Understanding the land you’re hunting and how the birds move across it is ex- tremely important. This means knowing the roosting areas and travel corridors, as well as where the birds will go to feed and strut. The best way to learn is by scouting. Spend time on the terrain you plan to hunt 72 COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 FEATURE and set up trail cameras. Gather as much intel as you can. Knowing the lay of the land also will help you when you’re moving on a bird. If you have a good idea where he is, and you know what the terrain is like between, you’re better able to get into position without spooking him. Spooking birds is the biggest con- cern about deciding whether to move in tighter or stay put. If the birds aren’t talking and you can’t see them, it’s almost impossible to know where they are. You might spook more birds than you even know are present if you go tromping through the woods without a plan. When the birds are tightlipped, it’s best to set up in an area along a travel corridor or field they frequent. Pick a shady spot where you can get comfortable and stay concealed, and set up a decoy or two and wait. Call every 20 minutes or so, and be patient. Using a pop-up blind to stake out a high traffic area for several hours can work well, too. If the birds are vocal and respond- ing to a call, it’s time to determine whether they will come your way. Once I get a bird to immediately respond to my calls, I give him the silent treatment. Spring turkey hunting can be like chess. Making the right moves and decisions will determine whether you put your tag on a trophy long beard. Often, I wait until he gobbles three or four times before I call again. When this happens, you can usually stay put and Tom will find you. If I can hear a bird gobbling, but he doesn’t sound like he’s getting any closer, I will try to make a stealthy move to close the distance. Your path to close the distance should be well calculated to use the terrain to keep him from seeing you. I won’t call again until I’ve gotten close enough and I’m ready to take a shot. Often, when you’ve gotten close and then call, the bird will come toward you in a hurry. Spring turkey hunting can be like chess. Making the right moves and decisions will determine whether you put your tag on a trophy long beard. And sometimes making the right move, means not moving at all. Sometimes making a move on a gobbler that won’t close the distance can result in success. COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 73 Call (713) 521-0413 matt.hawkes@nflp.com | nflp.com/matthawkes Matt Hawkes | Branch Manager | NMLS# 201887 1009 Broadway St., Galveston, TX 77550 Matt Hawkes WORK WITH Galveston's Local Lender! RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE LENDER Beach WE MAKE BUYING ON THE AS Relaxing AS LIFE ON The Beach! COAST MONTHLY delivered to your inbox! galvnews.com/ newsletters Sign up for our monthly newsletter74 COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 SHIP SHAPE GET SAILING FIT Training on Texas’ official tall ship works the body and mind story by LAURA PENNINO | photos by JENNIFER REYNOLDS (Above) Michelle Drennan, front, and Jim Smith hoist a sail aboard the 1877 tall ship Elissa at the Galveston Historic Seaport’s Pier 22. (Opposite) Hugues Fausther-Bovendo pauses as he climbs the rigging of the tall ship Elissa during crew training. W hen Mark Scibinico was about 9 years old, he learned to sail on small boats during summer camps in Maryland. Since then, he has become proficient in sailing much larger vessels — the three-masted, square-rigged Elissa at Pier 22 in Galveston being one of them. For the past 13 years, Scibinico has been serving as the port captain and director of the Galveston Historic Seaport with the Galveston Historical Foundation. He leads the annual volunteer sail training program for Elissa, an iron-hulled barque that was built in 1877 in Scot- land. The Galveston Historical Foundation purchased Elissa COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 7576 COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 SHIP SHAPE from a scrapyard in Greece and began re- storing her in 1978. She is only one of three in the world of her type still sailing. The Elissa now is a floating museum that has been designated as the official tall ship of Texas. The Elissa sail training program starts in July each year and is conducted on 20 Saturdays over seven months with about 100 to 150 trainees. Typically, 60 to 65 volunteers complete the training program each year and are qualified to serve as crew in a wide range of roles for Elissa day sail experiences every April. About 65 to 70 percent of certified crew members continue to volunteer after complet- ing their training to help with routine repairs and maintenance, Scibinico said. Volunteers must be mentally sharp and physically fit to sail Elissa, and they must pass two tests to become certified crew members, he said. “We are not competing in an ultramara- thon, but our volunteer crew members need to have a minimum level of physical ability and stamina,” he said. “On training days, they are outside and on their feet for eight to 10 hours. Our crew members also need to have keen ‘situational awareness’ for safety reasons. They need to check their gear, check their harnesses and follow instructions.” The top mast of the ship towers 100 feet above the deck. Elissa’s certified crew members who climb the masts must have excellent upper body strength, he said. “Climbing the masts is much more about keeping yourself safe,” Scibinico said. “We are the poster children for core strength. High climbing requires the monkey bar test and the ability to do two pullups.” Unlike passive water-based activities, sailing engages both body and mind, offering the dual benefits of physical exercise and cognitive stimulation, according to US Sailing, an organization focused on setting and main- Chelsey Pandolph puts her weight into pulling a sail line during crew training aboard the 1877 tall ship Elissa at the Galveston Historic Seaport’s Pier 22. (Opposite) Cameron Cole helps hoist the spanker sail. taining excellence in the sport. Research suggests that activities like sailing, which require focus, balance and situational awareness, promote neuroplasticity and en- hance cognitive functions along with emotion- al regulation, according to the organization. By creating new neural connections, par- ticularly in regions associated with balance, coordination and cognitive processing, sail- ing significantly enhances brain function, experts say. The emphasis on present-moment aware- “We are the poster children for core strength. High climbing requires the monkey bar test and the ability to do two pullups.” MARK SCIBINICO COASTMONTHLY.COM | ApriL 2025 77 VISITMY WEBSITE PAULVINCENT (713)588-1788 paul.vincent@primelending.com ThePaulVincentTEAM.com LoanOfficer,NMLS:49103 Allloanssubjecttocreditapproval.Ratesandfeessubjecttochange.©2025PrimeLending,aPlainsCapitalCompany(PrimeLending).(NMLS:13649)EqualHousingLender. PrimeLendingisawhollyownedsubsidiaryofastate-charteredbankandisanexemptlenderinTXfor1stLiens.2ndLiensRegulatedLoanLic.No.2803.V072822 CallPaulVincent&hisTEAMtodaytoplanttheseedofturninganewhomeintoareality. 4000WashingtonAve.,Suite304|Houston,TX77007 Whereflowers bloom, sodoeshope Whereflowers bloom, sodoeshope ness during sailing also fosters mindfulness, according to the organization. Bryn Merrell, 23, is a Georgia native who lives in the Clear Lake area. She learned about the sail training program and wanted an opportunity to crew on Elissa. Merrell enjoys learning how to haul ropes and lines, and she’ll be taking the test to become certi- fied to climb the masts, she said. “I was attracted by the romance and the history of the ship and that she is still sail- ing,” Merrell said. “Every day during training, I am learning something new and meeting cool people.” Todd Grove, who drives almost every week to and from Conroe to volunteer on Elissa, serves as a mentor on board the ship for current and future crew members. He started sailing more than 50 years ago and has spent most of his career as a naval architect. Grove no longer climbs 100 feet all the way up to the top of the mast, he said. But he still gets a workout, he said. “Serving as a crew member on Elissa works the legs, arms and the back,” he said. “It is a pretty substantial workout.” Galveston Historical Foundation is offering three sail training experiences for up to 60 people ages 10 and older per day on April 11, April 18 and April 25. Children ages 10 to 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The cost is $300 per person. The day sail trainee program includes hands-on and lecture learning, focused on setting sails and maneuvering the ship through the Gulf. Next >