After reading all the posts here and on the other site a few weeks ago about trolling for grouper in shallow water I was primed. Little Nut and I have a few Stretch 25s but decided to get a couple of 30s at Wally World in Tally on the way down Friday nite. We got some frozen bait as well for bottom fishing if we found one of those Christmas trees with the bottom machine. The water was almost slick at 0800 on Saturday morning so we headed out for one of the near public spots. Trolled for a while but saw little on the bottom. I am starting to think Jerry's Bait was right when they said the fish were no longer in close. Headed to Marker 24 area and saw some other folks trying the same thing as us. Again, no luck. Headed out for the K Tower area. Got to about 45 ft and put out the new Stretch 30s-one green and chrome, the other blue and chrome. So we start trolling. After about 3 minutes the starboard rod goes into status epilepticus. I pull back on the throttle as we all dive for the rod. Sure enough there is a fish on it. Little Nut brings in his first keeper gag and our first trolling gag at 26 inches.
We get him off, take a few pics for the forum and head back over the same spot. Another hit! My nephew starts reeling him in only to have the line go slack. All he pulls up is our green and chrome with a big scale on the front trebble. I figure he had one foul-hooked. Well we troll and troll and troll and troll..Nothing. Tried bottom fishing on a good looking spot with a few fish on it. My nephew gets rocked twice but otherwise nada.
I guess it was a little beginer's luck. We didn't have another strike the rest of the day. Posey's in Panacea did us right thsat night and we were asleep by 0830.
The next day we hired a guide for a little river fishing as my son wanted to catch some trout. I'll post that on the inshore side to be forumatically corect and post Monday's report later after I get the pictures on the processor.
Nuts
