Aucilla 11/22/03

[rcdclc]

Was doing xmas shoping for the wife when serious frustration sets in. So I called my Valdosta fishing buddy for consultation and to my surprise he was also off work and dodging honey do's.

Before you could say kudzoo we's wus headed south with trailer straps fllaping in the wind. Made Aucilla landing by 5:30 pm to check out whats been biting. Met two fellas geting ready to go mullet giging with a Q-beam. Go figure. Sounds like high adventure though.

Our high adventure came with sunrise and low tide leaving the river mouth. Stoped about two miles out in 5 feet and caught shorts. Keepers came with candy corn tiped with live shrimp. Action quit when water slicked over. Rode on out to location found last trip on rocky botton in 8' water. Cut bait was in again. Caught 2 keeper grouper and lost several more to the rocks. Picked up large Bk Sea Bass (35) fast as you could bait up. One had new jig still stuck in his mouth and another had a circle hook in his stomach with two feet of leader hanging out his mouth. Didn't mess with his appetite tho. Boated other usuals, blue, shark, cats and the unusual---a gar approx 20 lbs. Never know what you ganna catch in salt water. Don't ya just love it? Should have seen him tail-walking like a tarpon. Cooler was full by 2:00 so we decided we'd better make the landing before low tide.

You think when they're there at sunrise to take your money they might put some of it back into fixing the drop off at end of the ramp. All in all it was a great trip, hey, fishing before shoping is just the way its gotta be!

_________________

RCDCLC

[dstockwell]

WOW, keeper Groupa in 8 feet, nice. You all caught a variety for sure.

[CSMarine]

Great report rc. Keeper Grouper in 8 foot, that's amazing.

[Tom Keels]

8 feet is impressive, but am I to understand you were fishing at night? That explains it. Tin Can and I had to go all the way to 16 feet to find keepers.

[rx fisher]

neat report, 8 feet could be a record.
Heading out of St. Marks with my Dad
and son tomorrow am. soon as theres water
in the creek.

[rcdclc]

Tom:
No it wasn't at night. We just went to the landing at dusk to check on the bite and then we went back to Perry to spend the night.

Guess I'm a little confused. Last year I caught my first grouper in September in 12' water out of Econ. Using strech-25. Could see the bottom and the fish so I'm a little suprised everyone is suprised that they're also in 8' water. Went back there this year and have yet to get a bite. We were chuming another time in 6' over grass at Keaton when keeper size followed bait to surface before doing u-turn.

Guess you have to put on grouper size cut bait to get their attention at any depth. We were using large mullet chunks and or cigar minnows. Grouper cought on mullet tail section. Plan to try some squid next trip.

Got pictures but believe I read that I have to have access to a server to post them?
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RCDCLC

[Tom Keels]

Don't get me wrong, I believe they are in 8 feet. In fact I've had hooks straightened on topwater plugs in 4 feet over rocks before. The big fish on the shallow rocks just seem to be more wary, plus you have to either chum them away from their hidey hole, or be a big man to turn one around.

I've also found that on some shallow rocks I can get broken off 4 or 5 times, and maybe land a short, then other times only catch trout or sea bass, and never get bit by a grouper. Its enough to drive a man to drink.

[Littoral]

Tom's right. This time of year they cover a lot of territory. Last Nov. I "caught" a gag (21") in a crab trap in front of the FSU Marine Lab. The trap was in no more than 3' of water.

[dstockwell]

I don't doubt they are there. The biggest I caugt in 5ft grass outa Keaton was 16" so they are here and there.

[CSMarine]

I've also caught quite a few small Grouper in 4 and 5 foot at Keaton. Just never caught one over 10 or 12 inches. Course you don't have all the rocks over there in-close for them to stage on.