Doug and I have been chomping at the bit to get his bay scout back in the deep water and it looked like Tuesday was the day. We got to Lanark mart at 8am and were shocked to find about 30 offshore boat trailers already parked...on a TUESDAY! Man what this early Gag season will due for the local economy in Franklin and Wakulla County. Launched and headed east to gather some grouper candy. After about 1/2 and hour we had the live well slammed full and we were on our way. It was a little shaky in the 19 foot bay boat on the way out in the mixed up 2 footers but the farther out we go the calmer it got. We must have passed 20-30 boats working just inside the state line for gags. Upon arriving at our first spot in 55 feet to slick calm seas we proceeded to put a few short Red grouper in the boat and finally got a good keeper at 22". We decided to move a little farther out to a red grouper # in federal and Doug gets nailed on his first drop by what we thought was a giant fire truck only to be disappointed with a 32" 17 pound gag

!! We were super pissed but vented him and sent him on his way. Five minutes later Doug gets nailed and brings up another pig at 29"

! At this point we are pissed and left that hole for state waters to our go to Gag spot. Upon arrival we pulled up 21"-21 3/4" Gags one after another. Finally I get a really good hit and felt like a good Gag and of course I pulled the hook on him 1/2 way to the boat

. We must have thrown back a dozen short gags before they quit. We decided to hit another # on the way in and only got sea bass off of it. Once we got back inshore we decided to hit up a few redfish holes we have around Turkey Point Shoal and found a nice school of slot fish. We boated our limit in about an hour and decided to head in. It was a good day but we were pissed we had to throw back 2 monster gags in federal and only got short ones in state

. We still brought home some meat and had a blast doing it. It was nice to get offshore again. FYI: water temp was 66 in the am in the bay and 72 in the pm in the bay. Pinfish are everywhere.
Finally Tally:
4 Keeper Red to 26"
1 Keeper Red Grouper
2 Monsta Gags that went back
Dozen sea bass
Doug with a very luck Gag...

Me with our two best at the end of the day...

Final catch on the day...
"Many men go fishing all their lives without knowing it's not the fish they are after." -Henry David Thoreau