The Fishing Center – Port O’Connor, Texas
Johnny and Georgia Hawes have owned The Fishing Center in Port O’Connor, Texas since 1991. His 63 years of experience living the POC lifestyle will assure you that he and his staff can take care of all of your marina needs. He has spent his entire life in POC, minus the three and a half years he spent serving the USA as a Navy Sea B. He spent one year in Vietnam and a year and a half in New Foundland. He returned to POC after his duty in the Service and started Auto Marine Parts and Service in 1977, he sold that business to Chris Mapp in 2001. Johnny’s father “Buck” Lloyd Hawes was a POC native and was born on Matagorda Island. They were ranchers and “Buck” also served in the USCG in POC until 1945. “Buck” passed away in 1981 and Johnny and family are carrying on the Hawes name and keeping it a POC tradition.
Kristen Hawes helps run The Fishing Center and she can help you get on your way with whatever you need for inshore or offshore fishing. She has helped me gas up, ice up, and bait up for offshore trips many times, long before daylight. She is a slender woman but don’t let that fool you, she can handle those 20 pound sacks of ice with ease and she is not afraid to handle bait...live, dead, or frozen. You will be extra lucky if she is working when you pull up. Kristen is the youngest of the Hawes girls’, one of her older sisters lives in Fleugerville and the other in Houston.
The Fishing Center carries Texaco Gas for fueling water craft. Unleaded, premium unleaded, and diesel is available. Bait and tackle for inshore and offshore fishing is available too. Baits: shrimp (live and frozen), live croaker, mullet, squid, ribbonfish, cigar minnows, and Spanish sardines. Tackle: spoons and lures, line and leaders, kingfish leaders, weights, and much more. They also carry lifejackets, anchors, rope, outboard oil, and drain plugs. Assorted foods and beverages are available too, as well as 8 and 20 pound bags of ice. Tobacco products, maps, and even POC Style gear is available at The Fishing Center.
Poco Bueno is the grand daddy of the billfishing tournaments on the Texas Coast and is hosted at the Fishing Center each July. Last years payout was over $600,000. Some years it surpasses $750,000. Poco Bueno also has a bay division that is ultra competive, with the top bayfishermen and bayfisherwomen from all around competing for cash and trophies. The week of Poco Bueno is a busy time for The Fishing Center and the whole town!
The Fishing Center is located on the ICW in Port O’Connor, Texas. The street address is 1303 West Water Street, POC, 77982. The phone number at the marina is (361) 983 4440.
The link below will take you to The Fishing Center website:
http://www.pocfishingcenter.com/
