Carrabelle 07-14-04

[Sawbones]

The two of us decided to get in one more trip before the regulations change. Flat ride out to 110' of hard bottom. Lots of bait at the O tower, nothing at the buoys or the S. Wind went from naught to 15 kts at 9 am and stayed that way. Got 7 reds and 3 gags, but only 2 snapper. One nice king off the bottom. Almost every keeper came off cut bait, the live cigar minnows and sardines produced short red grouper by the bucket load. Nothing bent, nothing broken, good day.

[PinFishKing]

Sawbones - I keep hearing about the regulations changing. I go offshore out of Econfina every 2 weeks or so. We normally go 25 to 50 miles out. What regulations are changing?

[EddieJoe]

Sawbones - I keep hearing about the regulations changing. I go offshore out of Econfina every 2 weeks or so. We normally go 25 to 50 miles out. What regulations are changing?

In federal waters (nine nautical miles offshore in the Gulf, three in the Atlantic off Florida), red grouper bag is now 2 fish per person, as part of the overall bag of five grouper. Feds were "concerned" about the status of the red grouper fishery, so even though the commercial catch is about 75% of the overall harvest, they reduced the recreational bag, while leaving the commercial harvest unchanged.

State waters remains 5 grouper, any species mix, in the gulf. Gag minimum size is 22", reds, 20", for recreationals fishers.

EJ