On Saturday, a friend of mine and I went out on his flats boat to target tripletail in Apalachicola Bay. We headed to areas near St. Vincent Island, where we had found numerous tripletail attractors and caught many keeper tripletails several years ago.
On the way out, we fished a buoy that had been productive in the past. On the second cast near the buoy, my bobber disappeared in the murky water and I set the hook. BIG fish on! The rod was bending straight down and reel was screening as the fish pulled out line. Fishing for tripletail is going to be easy, I’m thinking. We’re going to limit out even before we get close to St. Vincent. As the fish started to tire and rise to the surface, it was clear that it was not a tripletail, but a trophy-sized sailcat, perhaps a personal best as well.
As we made our way to St. Vincent and around, we couldn’t find nearly as many attractors as we had found in the past. A couple years back, we found many attractors by nearly running over them as we went from one known spot to another. Maybe the attractors aren’t there anymore. Maybe they were out of sight because of the unusually high tides. I don’t know. Anyway, we ended the day with six sailcats and six undersized tripletail, which we released. If anyone has any triple strategies or suggestions on where I should be looking for tripletail attractors, please share or send me a private message. Thanks.
The weather was beautiful and so was the scenery. Another great day on the water.
Trophy-sized sailcats!
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Trophy-sized sailcats!
Last edited by John21:6 on June 23rd, 2024, 2:38 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Trophy-sized sailcats!
Another great day on the water!! While I too catch a few fish that are not my target species, it is great to get that pull on the line. I'm sorry that I don't have any TT strategies for you as I am not very good at targeting them. It's that old dog new tricks thing.
Re: Trophy-sized sailcats!
I have always wondered if it's legal to set a crab trap and tie a pallet on the buoy line for Triple tail attractors.
Nice sail cats! I've heard they are good to eat.
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Re: Trophy-sized sailcats!
Any fish attracting device is illegal to put in the water. People do all sorts of stuff, but a pallet could be dangerous
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Re: Trophy-sized sailcats!
I know that the guides put a lot of effort into putting attractors out and marking them on gps. I went with a guide last year and it was choppy and would be almost impossible to find any if not marked on gps. I did see some with a 1'x1' piece of plywood about a foot under the buoy. The shrimp boats take a lot out he said. I was told the hotter the better TT fishing is. Also bamboo sticks and pvc sticks were used. If you are going without marked spots then I would go on the calmest days.
I got some buddies that will filet those sailcats in a minute!! LOL
I got some buddies that will filet those sailcats in a minute!! LOL
Work 2 fish 4 days
1988 vintage 1436 Fisher Jon
1992 vintage 15 hp Merc
1988 vintage 1436 Fisher Jon
1992 vintage 15 hp Merc