I left Ponte Vedra at 5:30 am to trailer Plan B back to Cedar Key where it’s normally kept. A front was supposed to push through Cedar Key later in the day so I was hoping that I’d get in a short pre-front grouper trip. The plan was to do a quick shallow water grouper troll so I could get to Gainesville by 6 pm for that night’s Ducks Unlimited Banquet. As I was fishing by myself you won’t see any great fish photos……
At 10:30 am in Cedar Key the winds were light and the water was glassy. I didn’t see a wave the whole day.
Running out.
Sweet pre-front fishing day!!
I was headed to a favorite spot where I used to stone crab with the kids, about 7 miles offshore in 24 feet of water, but I didn’t get to fish this spot as a boat was on the small set of rocks (go figure….). I moved on as I didn’t want to crowd him.
Pushing to 34 feet I hit a number of old numbers but struggled finding any fish. I trolled some pretty good bottom but my plugs didn’t even get a sniff from the usual problematic black seabass or lizard fish. Let alone a grouper. Totally untypical! Not knowing the area where this fall’s red tide went through I was thinking maybe that was the problem (?). At 38 feet I switched over to bottom fishing and I picked up a number of black seabass and white grunts for a fish fry. Mixed in were a number of small red groupers plus 4 legal red groupers from 8 to 12 lbs – all released since the GOM season is closed (it’s hard to keep up with different coastal regulations that change frequently (updated)).
Although running late I stopped at another favorite spot in 23 feet for a few minutes and trolled through the area. Fifteen minutes later I had 3 grouper on the deck keeping the largest 2 and headed back in.
What a sweet day on the water!
Surface water temp was 65 ˚F and surface grass was not a problem. Despite an overcast cloudy day there was top-to-bottom clarity in 33 feet of water.
Cooler shot
Life is good!
Hoo Yah!!
Brian
Plan B: Short Cedar Key grouper trip: 11/13
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- Big Bend Brian
- Posts: 345
- Joined: May 15th, 2002, 8:00 pm
- Location: Ponte Vedra/Cedar Key
Plan B: Short Cedar Key grouper trip: 11/13
Quality Time
Re: Plan B: Short Cedar Key grouper trip: 11/13
Great job Brian. Very nice Solo run.
"Good Judgement" comes from experience, ... and a lot of that..... results from "Bad Judgement".
Re: Plan B: Short Cedar Key grouper trip: 11/13
Did you notice any foul odor when you cleaned any of those fish?
No strong foul odor would be a great sign that the effects of September's Red Tide are over with. By now, the crabs should be full, fat, & happy............ from eating rotting fish.
65 degrees will certainly eliminate any further Red Tide for the next six months. Hope there is still a box of pink mouths, sea bass, & gags in 30-50 ft between now and Christmas. I might even "recover enough from Gall bladder surgery" to catch some by Dec 5-10! Yee Haw!
No strong foul odor would be a great sign that the effects of September's Red Tide are over with. By now, the crabs should be full, fat, & happy............ from eating rotting fish.
65 degrees will certainly eliminate any further Red Tide for the next six months. Hope there is still a box of pink mouths, sea bass, & gags in 30-50 ft between now and Christmas. I might even "recover enough from Gall bladder surgery" to catch some by Dec 5-10! Yee Haw!
- ontiltttttt
- Posts: 168
- Joined: October 29th, 2012, 12:20 am
- Location: Tallahassee, FL