Eastpoint 10/2

stevo · Post by **stevo** » October 5th, 2005, 11:28 am

So last sunday we decided to take the drive to Eastpoint and try our luck again on the old bridge. This time my brother was here from p-cola, so him, his gf and my wife went. It was breezy, more so than the 24th. We got set up about an hour before high tide and weren't catching much of anything. Then the wind picked up and blew a good gale for a while. Around that time the tide turned and we started getting bites. My wife caught a nice black drum

(which I think tastes better than the red) and we put it in the cooler. We brought up a few cats and another black drum an inch short. Then my bro pulled in a nice 25" red, just over 6 lbs.

It was his first one and he loved the fight. I had a small shark on the line, dont know what it was though, looked like a black tip, just without the black tips. A little later my brother's lady pulled in another 25" red, this one was right at 6lbs. The two reds were identical sized fish, but side by side I could see the one my brother caught had a larger dome-shaped head while the one his girlfriend caught was sleeker-shaped. The first one was a male and the second a female

I'm guessing? So it was a good day and we had lots of fish to eat.

Even though I pretty much got skunked

, but then I feel like I've got to help them out and let them do the fishing, getting them set up and all. I guess thats just an excuse. I have noticed that the last two times we've been out there the reds start biting right after high tide for about the next 2-3 hours. I used to always fish on an incoming tide, but lately all my bites have been coming as the tide goes out.

I do have a question though. Since its possible (is it?) to tell the difference between male and female reds do you ever feel guilty about keeping the ladies, or as long as you play by the rules and keep the slot fish and limits its alright. I suppose I feel alright about keeping the lass since there appear to be more reds every year. I guess the limits and slot sizes are woking, huh?

Post by **Tom Keels** » October 5th, 2005, 1:10 pm

Actually all the reds you catch inshore are Female. Only when you get offshore (or over 36 " inshore) into "bull reds" do you have males. Same with grouper. All small ones are female and then at a certain age migrate offshore and turn male.

This is the reason the reds were nearly wiped out because the spawning population (males) were the ones being harvested in purse seins offshore in the 70's-80's.

Post by **Jumptrout51** » October 5th, 2005, 1:51 pm

If any one hasn't noticed Big T has switched from inshore to offshore fishing. We better keep an eye on him.

Post by **mjsigns** » October 5th, 2005, 2:05 pm

....

All small ones are female and then at a certain age migrate offshore and turn male.

I thought I saw some hair sprouts on his chin in one of his most recent posts......

Post by **Tom Keels** » October 5th, 2005, 2:41 pm

Jumptrout51 wrote:If any one hasn't noticed Big T has switched from inshore to offshore fishing. We better keep an eye on him.

Big T has switched from very little fishing to NO fishing at all. Offshore or Inshore doesn't matter.

Post by **Frank Bradfield** » October 5th, 2005, 4:54 pm

Been working on that honey do list have you ?

Post by **tin can** » October 5th, 2005, 4:58 pm

Frank Bradfield wrote:Been working on that honey do list have you ?

Frank, I'll defend the boy. He has 3 young children.

Post by **Frank Bradfield** » October 5th, 2005, 5:00 pm

Well i can't talk much, i haven't been but once in the last month, thats what happens when your daughter is on a traveling soccer team !

Post by **tin can** » October 5th, 2005, 5:09 pm

Frank Bradfield wrote:Well i can't talk much, i haven't been but once in the last month, thats what happens when your daughter is on a traveling soccer team !

I understand that. My youngest is 27 now. But when my 2 were in school I was doing something all the time. I actually quit fishing for 8 years to be a dad. Now it's just my wife and I. I miss my kids, and their activities, but I sure do enjoy the fishin.

Post by **Frank Bradfield** » October 5th, 2005, 5:26 pm

Thats a very tough trade off. I love to fish & dive but also love to do things with my kids. I have my son diving and he really like's it and my daughter is wanting to do it in a few years also. I guess life is short any way you look at it, not enough time ! Enjoy all of it !

Post by **tin can** » October 5th, 2005, 5:34 pm

Frank Bradfield wrote: I guess life is short any way you look at it, not enough time ! Enjoy all of it !

Yep. You can eat and sleep when there's nothing else to do.

stevo · Post by **stevo** » October 5th, 2005, 6:22 pm

Tom Keels wrote:Actually all the reds you catch inshore are Female. Only when you get offshore (or over 36 " inshore) into "bull reds" do you have males. Same with grouper. All small ones are female and then at a certain age migrate offshore and turn male.

This is the reason the reds were nearly wiped out because the spawning population (males) were the ones being harvested in purse seins offshore in the 70's-80's.

Huh, I knew that about grouper, didn't know reds were the same way. Thats pretty interesting, I'll have to read up more on that. BTW, do you ever check the age of the reds you catch by counting the rings in their otholiths (sp?) (ear stones)? I read somewhere that you can, but I never remember too. Maybe next time.

Post by **Tom Keels** » October 6th, 2005, 6:56 am

tin can wrote:
Frank Bradfield wrote:Been working on that honey do list have you ?
Frank, I'll defend the boy. He has 3 young children.

I actually feel like I have 30,000 kids most days. I have to make sure my 30,000 kids at FSU get their financial aid and grades.

Post by **Chalk** » October 6th, 2005, 7:06 am

Tom Keels wrote:I actually feel like I have 30,000 kids most days. I have to make sure my 30,000 kids at FSU get their financial aid and grades.

Financial aid and grades - you should be getting kickbacks from the students