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I am relatively new to fishing "offshore" in this area as most of my offshore fishing has taken place in the Pensacola area. I have heard people speak of fishing for king mackerel off of Dog Island, but have never done it in this area. I know how to fish/troll for them, but don't know exactly where to go or if there are any other special techniques people use. I am not asking for numbers, but am simply looking to be pointed in the right direction of what do to and where to go. My range is relatively limited as I have a 17 ft bay boat and usually don't try to head south of Dog Island unless the weather is good and the surf is mild. I am also interested in trying to do some reef fishing as well within state waters even though snapper and grouper is out. I usually fish in the Lanark and Carrabelle area. Any help or pointers would be greatly appreciated!

Check out the OAR website for a list of public spots in that area. There is a steel shrimp boat hull in 30' ( The One More Time ) and a couple public rubble drops WELL within your range, just a few miles from the hill, south of Dog Island. Done well on Kings at both those spots in the past.

Thanks for the input! Funny you say that. I have been looking into the public reef numbers within range and saw several in the area. I'm going to go try them next week!

shakenbake wrote:Thanks for the input! Funny you say that. I have been looking into the public reef numbers within range and saw several in the area. I'm going to go try them next week!

It's late in the season for kings nearshore but I bet some are around. Best bet is slow trolling a live blue runner or thread herring around the One More Time. You can catch the bait there too but many will be cut off. Lots of cudas.

EJ


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Yep ED your rite there are cudas there. I was out there this morning and this guy hit a Strech 25. I was also trolling a duster rig with a frozen cig and no hits. That was the story all weekend. Traveled over 70 miles on the boat trying different spots and came home with a empty cooler. Good thing is the weather cooperated and the seas were flat calm and Dod Island beach was very relaxing!

You eat that cuda? My buddy tells me those 20ish lb barracudas are damn good.

Can'tCatchAnything wrote:You eat that cuda? My buddy tells me those 20ish lb barracudas are damn good.

Does he like his ciguatera fried or baked?

Can'tCatchAnything wrote:You eat that cuda?

NO!

That's what I've always thought, the ciguatera and such. Surprised me as much when he told me he keeps those.

Can'tCatchAnything wrote:That's what I've always thought, the ciguatera and such. Surprised me as much when he told me he keeps those.

Cudas, especially big ones, are known to carry ciguatera down in tropical reef areas. Never heard it reported up here, and I have eaten small cudas in the past, which were good. Nowadays I just let them go.

EJ


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CCA mentioned 20-pounders, not little guys, but you're welcome to chow down on any cudas I catch EJ. There probably won't be any Zika cases reported up this way either, so not to worry.

Big Kings hitting large pinfish over live bottom in federal water off Dog island yesterday. Robby's Reef buoy is covered up with great eating Chicken Dolphin right now too. Use a Clark Spoon or small minnow lure. They just sunk a 100' barge and a bunch more culverts on it last week FYI.

Buddy of mine was telling me a story about how the locals would "test" their Cudas on Eleuthera when he lived there years ago...They would feed a cat a little fresh Cuda and check it the next day. If the cat was still alive they would eat the Cuda...if it was dead they would eat the cat...

If you make it out again, plug in any of the nearshore reef coordinates as a reference, and as you're en route be looking for birds working or bait pods on the surface. Most of the bait pods you'll find up top are threadfins...use a small sabiki rig, and once you feel one on, get him in the boat quick or you'll likely get cut off by one of the many toothy predators (kings, Spanish, cudas, Sharks) feeding on them. Put them on a stinger rig and feeline them around the action, and it's almost a sure thing.

silverking wrote:CCA mentioned 20-pounders, not little guys, but you're welcome to chow down on any cudas I catch EJ. There probably won't be any Zika cases reported up this way either, so not to worry.

Last one I ate I shot with a pole spear off of Stage II in Panama City right about 1974. Not inclined since then, although several of them fried up nicely that summer. Pole spear was eventually taken when I tried a head shot on a mammoth AJ while snorkeling. Adios to the gun.

Nah, thanks anyway, it's catch and release for those.






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