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As I read the 2013 gag grouper regs for Wakulla, Franklyn, Jefferson, Taylor counties, gag grouper open season in state waters is April 1 thru June 30 2013 and federal waters are not open at anytime for these four counties. Is this correct anyone?

It's getting to the point you have to carry a lawyer and gps expert to know if you are past an invisible line on the water and what the regulations are since the last change. These are two good sources for state waters. Fish at your own risk...

http://myfwc.com/media/2111581/saltwate ... t_gulf.pdf

http://myfwc.com/media/2462342/2013_quick_chart.pdf
Gulf (excluding Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson, Taylor and Monroe) CLOSED through June 30, 2013.
OPEN July 1 through Dec. 3.
Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson, and Taylor OPEN April 1 - June 30. Closes July 1.
Atlantic and Monroe:
Closed Jan. 1 - April 30

Edited due to being wrong...

Federal waters will be open for these counties, state waters will be closed during the federal gag season. So no stopping to fish state waters on the way in with gags on board.

I haven't looked at it since the other day and, If I'm not mistaken. Gag in Federal waters is from, July 1 thru Oct 30. You can look it up in the Gulf Federal fishing regs.

Thank you for your replies, but I still read the charts as the 2013 gag grouper season never opens in federal waters for the four county area. Is there any way to get a definitive ruling from the FEDS?

Joe:
The state manipulated the gag season in STATE waters in the four county area to favor small boat anglers by opening gags "early". When gags open in federal waters, gulf wide July 1,
the state waters, ONLY in the four counties, close to gags. The state estimates that this time switch will result in the same overall gag harvest and that the Feds will not punish florida by closing the season in federal waters early to compensate.

So, July 1 federal gulf waters will be open to grouper harvest, including gags, and state waters for gags will open as well, except it will close in state waters in the four counties.

You can call the Feds or just read their regs on the GMFMC web site. Google it.

Luck,
EJ

I would be surprised if more and more people start getting ticketed for not knowing all the rules. It's crazy how much they change. I think they just extended the Federal snapper season to 28 days now.

Unfortunately when those gags are open in Federal water, the snapper will be closed then in Federal waters but open in the State waters. I had to edit this because I caught my own mistake of when I can or can't keep fish. If you run out and keep gag and/or red grouper and throw your snapper back, you can't come in to fish state waters for the open snapper because you have grouper on board while you are in state waters. Vice versa on having snapper on the boat and fishing in Federal water for grouper.

Does anyone know what they would do if you were fishing shallow for trout and reds with grouper on the boat? I would think it wouldn't be a big deal since the grouper obviously didn't come from the flats, I would hope.

Outdoorsnole wrote:I would be surprised if more and more people start getting ticketed for not knowing all the rules. It's crazy how much they change. I think they just extended the Federal snapper season to 28 days now.

Unfortunately when those gags are open in Federal water, the snapper will be closed then in Federal waters but open in the State waters. I had to edit this because I caught my own mistake of when I can or can't keep fish. If you run out and keep gag and/or red grouper and throw your snapper back, you can't come in to fish state waters for the open snapper because you have grouper on board while you are in state waters. Vice versa on having snapper on the boat and fishing in Federal water for grouper.

Does anyone know what they would do if you were fishing shallow for trout and reds with grouper on the boat? I would think it wouldn't be a big deal since the grouper obviously didn't come from the flats, I would hope.

I have been told by a good source that if you are caught with grouper on the boat anywhere inside the 4 county state water area and you have a line out After July 1, you will be ticketed. If you are willing to pay the attorney fees, then go for it....

You got to understand, it is ALL about the money for the state. I do not care what anybody says, they make it confusing to get your dollars....

And it doesn't help much that some of the FWC boys (not all of 'em) are azzholes!

Dubble

[quote="Outdoorsnole.

Does anyone know what they would do if you were fishing shallow for trout and reds with grouper on the boat? I would think it wouldn't be a big deal since the grouper obviously didn't come from the flats, I would hope.[/quote]

If you mean, what would happen if after July 1 in the four county area you had gags on board and were fishing, even for trout or reds in state waters, and were stopped? Pretty simple. They would assume you might have caught the gags in state waters, which would be closed after July 1.

You could be charged, and probably would be, because if you harvest a fish legal in fed waters but not legal to harvest in state waters you can only pass through state waters, without stopping, to the shore. Don't stop and fish inshore.

EJ

This is from the GMFMC wbsite on June 5, 2013:

"The recreational gag season opens on July 1, 2013. This action closes the season on December 3, 2013. The action also restricts the geographical extent of the fixed February 1 through March 31 shallow-water grouper closed season to apply only to waters seaward of the 20-fathom boundary"

I also called the GMFMC and the person speaking confirmed the above. I repeatedly queried the GMFMC person about the four county April-June state waters gag season opening and the person repeatedly said the state waters four-county opening has no effect on the federal waters July 1-December 3 gag opening.