Our target area for this trip would be south of S Tower in water deeper than 100’ but north the forbidden zone demarked by the 20 Fathom Break. The grouper seaward of the 20 Fathom Break, a line that runs roughly along 120’, are protected during their spawning season from February 1 until March 31. The grouper landward of the 20 Fathom Break are fair game (unless of course, it’s one of those overregulated species like gag grouper).
As we headed out through East Pass under sunny skies, the seas were just a little choppy and the water temperature was about 65 degrees. After a 20-minute ride, we stopped for live bait in one of my offshore bait spots. Our homemade double-hook bait rigs baited with squid quickly brought up pinfish, pigfish, and sandperch. It’s always fun to explain why pigfish are called pigfish to the new guys. Listen to that grunting sound as you remove them from the hook. About two dozen baits were sufficient to supplement our frozen squid strips, LYs, and ladyfish.
After more than an hour later, we finally reached the target area. We were especially optimistic that we were in the right depth as a guide boat was just several hundred yards away. The other guys on the boat were mostly using 3-way swivel rigs with 80 lb. fluorocarbon leader and 8 oz. sinkers and 8/0 inline circle hooks. Fish slowly started coming on the boat as they hit both live and dead bait about equally. Here’s what the bottom looked like in the area where we fished:
One of these grouper, regurgitated a half-digested lobster-like creature. I tried putting it on a hook for bait but it was too soft.
While the others were using big hooks and big baits, I was using a chicken rig consisting of 50 lb. fluorocarbon leader and 2/0 inline circle hooks baited with small squid chunks to target triggerfish and smaller snappers like lane snapper and mangrove snapper. But sometimes an elephant eats a peanut. One of my two keeper red grouper, hit both hooks on my rig at the same time. Later, a 30+” red snapper also hit the same rig.
One of the new guys on the boat had the lucky pole. He brought up the biggest red grouper of the day. Later, he fought a 32” red snapper to the surface where it was vented and released.
Some of the others caught some nice fish, too.
Back at Pirates Cove fuel dock, which is across the river from the main Carrabelle boat ramp, the attendant asked, “Did you catch anything?” I replied that we had six red grouper, a mangrove snapper, a lane snapper, and a black seabass. She said that we were the only boat to come back with red grouper all day. Anyway, I think we were successful because most of the larger grouper are in deeper water until the water warms up a little more and the spawning season ends.
I was also successful because I have about the best fishing buddies you can find. As I pulled the boat by the hose at Martin Marine where we started, the guys jumped out of the truck, and like a NASCAR pit crew, unloaded the boat and started washing away all of the day’s dirt and blood. The best fishing buddies are the ones that really know how to clean a boat.
Here’s our catch:
