Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

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DKwakulla
Posts: 28
Joined: March 6th, 2015, 8:41 pm

Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by DKwakulla »

Morning y'all!
I'll do my best to keep this from turning into a wall of text as I can be a little long winded. I really haven't done much offshore fishing since about 2005. Back then, my fishing partner at the time got numbers from an unknown source that were more or less due south out of Econfina in around 25 feet of water and we would troll with magnum rapala's or stretch 30's with great success on grouper. I remember the bottom machine lighting up when we would run over a rockpile or something like that and both rods would go down. As of today, those numbers are long since gone and my old fishing partner is no longer with us.

I live very close to Saint Marks, so I've been putting either at the fort or at Shell Point and Panacea. I gotta tell ya, after 4 trips this past month, the miasma of skunk is strong on my new to me boat. I haven't been able to do much of anything besides stopping off for a trout or two on the way home. So far I've looked at charts and relied upon the public reef locations in my bottom machine (garmin with bluemaps). The plan of action was to troll like I used to for gags in ~20-25 feet of water, but that has been decidedly ineffective. Also the floating grass around here is so thick everywhere I have ventured out that my plugs have yet to come back clean.

Moderators, If the size of this image breaks tables, please let me know and I'll clean it up.
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These are the spots I've tried so far and I've attempted to troll as much of it as possible looking for pips on the sonar possibly indicating rockpiles or cheese bottom. I really thought the loop I trolled through the deepest part of the ocklocknee shoals would be productive on a hard moving tide, but I couldn't keep the plugs clean long enough to accurately gauge it. The competition is surprisingly numerous as well, which doesn't help. Every marked reef has at least 5 boats parked on it :(

What I really want to know is if my approach is really this flawed, and what I can do to be a better fisherman. I've been fishing inshore since I could walk, but I don't have a ton of experience offshore, and even less being the captain. Also, where can I go to avoid giant grass bergs bigger than my boat? Obviously, I'm never going to catch anything when my plugs look like buckwheat's armpits. It seems the places I naturally gravitate to(abrupt changes in depth) are so choked with grass, they're unfishable, however, I'm at a loss of what else to look for on the charts when I am out prospecting.

I appreciate y'all taking the time to read all this. Happy Monday!
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bbb
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Joined: May 16th, 2007, 3:31 pm
Location: Bainbridge/Tallahassee

Re: Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by bbb »

What are you fishing for?

Most likely need to head deeper. Look around Marker 24 barge and south. Also Good bottom South of Alligator Point. About a 20 mile run from Panacea.

If you want to keep your boat runs under 20 miles, head over to Carrabelle and launch. You can catch grouper in site of Dog Island in 45-55’ of water.


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edif
Posts: 76
Joined: February 6th, 2016, 10:27 am

Re: Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by edif »

Was out there this past sunday covered in grass and out 7 miles further south dont have any idea when it will vanish but i am sure ready.
ropeman
Posts: 399
Joined: July 23rd, 2007, 1:24 am

Re: Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by ropeman »

I haven't fished out that far since 2002-2003. Back then those spots you have marked were pretty good.
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bbb
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Location: Bainbridge/Tallahassee

Re: Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by bbb »

How big is your boat?

Trolling might be better in Nov and Dec.


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DKwakulla
Posts: 28
Joined: March 6th, 2015, 8:41 pm

Re: Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by DKwakulla »

21' Robalo. Plenty capable ride. Thanks a ton y'all.
DKwakulla
Posts: 28
Joined: March 6th, 2015, 8:41 pm

Re: Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by DKwakulla »

Whomever the kind soul is who sent me some good luck, I thank you. Looks like I spent it all in one go :-D :-D Got a double on one plug, both were mouth hooked.
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slow motion
Posts: 103
Joined: December 15th, 2019, 10:49 am

Re: Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by slow motion »

DKwakulla wrote: October 18th, 2021, 6:06 pm Whomever the kind soul is who sent me some good luck, I thank you. Looks like I spent it all in one go :-D :-D Got a double on one plug, both were mouth hooked.
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Looks like a good day. Glad you caught some.
ropeman
Posts: 399
Joined: July 23rd, 2007, 1:24 am

Re: Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by ropeman »

DKwakulla wrote: October 18th, 2021, 6:06 pm Whomever the kind soul is who sent me some good luck, I thank you. Looks like I spent it all in one go :-D :-D Got a double on one plug, both were mouth hooked.
Glad you got a picture because that sound like a fisherman's tale!
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FishWithChris
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Re: Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by FishWithChris »

Mannnnn great fish! I'm yet to have a double. Some real tasty treats right there. Looking forward to digging for them here shortly

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Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn. ~Chuck Clark

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kenfly
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Joined: January 28th, 2011, 10:20 pm

Re: Back in the offshore game after ~15 years and I'm struggling a bit. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated

Post by kenfly »

Nice fish!! I recently got another boat that I can do some shallow off shore fishing and looking forward to trying it out myself


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