StMarks to Ktower and back...

[bman]

I've been working like a dog and the last offshore trip I had planned was canceled because of NOAA or JT
Saturday night I got a text from a friend who had an open slot on his boat and I jumped at the chance...

We headed out of StMarks about 8:30

Seas were calm and the pinfish were thick at the birdrack

We ran out to 24 and picked up some more bait and started fishing...

The bite was never hot but we caught fish steady all day. There was no consitency to what we got them on.. live pinfish, Squid, dead cigar minnows and LYs all worked at times. Caught almost all our fish on Public numbers!


The line broke on this one just after I grabbed the leader and swung it into the boat!



The most interesting this we saw was schools of Amberjack around K-tower... One boat was there with live cigar minnows and they were hammering the amberjack. We tried everything we had but the fish wanted those live cigar minnows. We did pick one up on a flat line later in the day...

HEADS UP...Got checked by the FWC making sure we were within state waters and we were.

The box Shot- and yes its loaded with grunts... I look forward to them as much as the Grouper

Never got rough... smooth as can be on the way in


I think I like the offshore office

[Charlie P]

Nice report Barry!

[woopty]

Nice haul!

[Dubble Trubble]

"HEADS UP...Got checked by the FWC making sure we were within state waters and we were."

Just curious, how did they verify this.....

Also, I thought K-tower was outside of 9 miles.

Dubble

[woopty]

"HEADS UP...Got checked by the FWC making sure we were within state waters and we were."

Just curious, how did they verify this.....

Also, I thought K-tower was outside of 9 miles.

Dubble

Wondering that myself.

I like to go to Dog Ballard which according to Google earth is 10+ miles from the coast.
But on the charts I see the demarcation line a few miles farther out.
Wasn't going to hit around there until I was less confused.

[bman]

"HEADS UP...Got checked by the FWC making sure we were within state waters and we were."

Just curious, how did they verify this.....

Also, I thought K-tower was outside of 9 miles.

Dubble

I agree its confusing...

You can fish anywhere - just can't keep Gags outside state waters.
We were not fishing for gag grouper at KTower... Just trying for amberjacks and bait.
The Captain kept us inside the line and the FWC guys had their GPS to confirm.
Glad it was not my job

[Hit-n-Miss]

Fine haul of fish there. I thought grunts were not that good on the table. I tried them once and did not like them, maybe it was the way they were cooked.

[zload]

My Garmin G2 map on Homeport shows a line called "Natural Resources Boundry - Florida", which I assumed is the 9 mile limit, has not been a concern to date but I guess when FWC pulls up it sudenly becomes more important. When I use the ruler or distance option is comes in at 9 miles as long as you pick the correct "coast" to measure from so it seems to be indicating correctly. Would be pretty hard to see as it tends to go away when using a low zoom ratio or a handheld but on the 20" monitor it seems pretty clear.

[Dubble Trubble]

"HEADS UP...Got checked by the FWC making sure we were within state waters and we were."

Just curious, how did they verify this.....

Also, I thought K-tower was outside of 9 miles.

Dubble

I agree its confusing...

You can fish anywhere - just can't keep Gags outside state waters.
We were not fishing for gag grouper at KTower... Just trying for amberjacks and bait.
The Captain kept us inside the line and the FWC guys had their GPS to confirm. Glad it was not my job

Still a little confused. If you went to K-tower, then that trail was on GPS. Now, how does FWC KNOW that you did not catch Gags there. Not saying you did, just confused about how they can differentiate where you caught what. Did you mean they looked at your boats GPS, or just had their on their boat and you were inside 9 miles when they stopped you.


Dubble

[wevans]

Location when checked is the critical thang You can catch yer limit of Grouper in state waters, acidently enter Fed waters on the way home and be checked, then you are guilty of possesion in fed waters By the same notion, You can catch Gags in fed waters, motor into state waters and drop a line and get checked, and you are considered legal Now, if your GPS shows you go into fed waters, and dosn't show you stopping in state waters on the way in, you could probably be charged AINT THAT CLEAR AS MUD NOW

[bman]

Fine haul of fish there. I thought grunts were not that good on the table. I tried them once and did not like them, maybe it was the way they were cooked.

Really?? I get a great little fillet of of them.. about like a big Crappie. Fried or broiled its good

[generalee]

Very nice catch.. Proud to find someone that shares the same opinion I have of a good table rating for grunts. I have been known to call them "white snapper" when my NC or MS buddies come to fish.posting.php?sid=b47fe6bc24da1aaeb8d75adceb661b55#

[wevans]

Yep, they are some kinda good fried up, but the head is usually about half of the fish

[EddieJoe]

My Garmin G2 map on Homeport shows a line called "Natural Resources Boundry - Florida", which I assumed is the 9 mile limit, has not been a concern to date but I guess when FWC pulls up it sudenly becomes more important. When I use the ruler or distance option is comes in at 9 miles as long as you pick the correct "coast" to measure from so it seems to be indicating correctly. Would be pretty hard to see as it tends to go away when using a low zoom ratio or a handheld but on the 20" monitor it seems pretty clear.

The Natural Resources Boundary on the chartplotter (and NOAA charts) is the state/fed line. So, as long as you are inside that line you are O.K. to keep legal sized gags. Using the chartplotter makes it easy to see where you are, and the FWC boys use it the same way.

[Tom Keels]

Remember that it is Nautical miles and not Statute miles when measuring distance.

9 nautical miles = 10.357015 statute miles