Grouper fishing ,Ecofina, July 24th

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Carlabear
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Joined: February 20th, 2004, 5:22 pm
Location: Thomasville, Georgia

Grouper fishing ,Ecofina, July 24th

Post by Carlabear »

Someone needs to tell the red grouper they are in small numbers and need protecting because they are showing up for lunch in large numbers and keeper size fish 21 - 24 inches. We could hardly catch a gag because of the hungry reds. :)

Any left out of Ecofina late Saturday am due to motor problems and had to change boats but got on a 30 foot contender with twin 200s. Nice Ride!
Thanks Billy!

The seas were supposed to be 2 or less but were actually roling chop 2 feet with a few 3s. There was a nice breeze blowing from the southwest. We could still ride 40 miles an hour without any discomfort. What a great boat!

Anyway got within 1/2 mile of our regular fishing hole and spotted some nice live bottom at 32 feet. Put down a live pinfish and grouper candy lys and the bite was on! Caught out 6 fish limit of nice red grouper in less than 15 minutes. We stayed there and at 1200n had almost our limit of gags also. Had 12 fish with 3 gags almost 20 lbs. :D

Left there and moved to the west in about 40 feet water and spotted some more nice bottom. Caught one more nice gag and one nice cobia. Had a great day on the water. With the T top didn't get too hot and nice breeze all day. :)

Stopped out our first spot on the way back in at 300 and they weren't biting. There wasn't enough water movement then I guess but we had plenty of nice fish and didnt like the thunder we were hearing although there were no threatening clouds around close.

Got back in to Ecofina and there was a huge grey cloud with rain on the hill. :cry: We did get in safely even though there was small amount lightening! That's the only thing about summertime fishing I dislike! :(

The water was clear but you couldn't see the bottom, but the bottom was lcean. We didn't pull up any of that brown sludge we had the few weeks earlier.

Several of the fish we caught had brown crabs in their stomachs we have seen swimming offshore.

One of the large gags we landed, I had hung and it got away on the way up to the boat and guess what????? It hit my friends rod and he landed it. It still had my sailors choice bait in its mouth. Talking about a hungry fish. The large gag groupers were hitting hard and wanting to swim out.
Several hit like sharkes. What a great trip!
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Chalk
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Post by Chalk »

30' Contender rolling out of Econfina :o :smt060 .....Glad you caught some and had a spare boat to boot :lol: ...... :thumbup:
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birddog
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Post by birddog »

Amen on the red grouper, Carlabear. Good report. WTG.
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Sea Fox
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Post by Sea Fox »

Good report, thats a good catch and good eating. I hope the bite holds till I get there this weekend. :beer: 8)
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EddieJoe
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Post by EddieJoe »

Bear:

You guys were probably more than nine nautical miles offshore (in federal waters) so the fed red grouper bag applied. I went offshore Saturday, too, and thought I was in fed waters so I stopped at two. Looked at the chart today, and found I was well within state waters.

Something to keep in mind when off Dog Island.

Contender out of Econfina. Wooooooo. Cool. I normally only see them in TV ads, and when Cap. Tom goes thundering by me....

Luck,

EJ
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dstockwell
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Post by dstockwell »

Good report, nice catch. :thumbup:
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pops
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Post by pops »

Carla
you go girl,
hope to see yall soon
pops
GO GATORS!!
If it does not meet your standards, Lower your standards!!
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Tom Keels
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Post by Tom Keels »

Chalk wrote:30' Contender rolling out of Econfina :o :smt060 .....Glad you caught some and had a spare boat to boot :lol: ...... :thumbup:
Just so you know, when I get mine, we aint rollin out of the Econfina in it. :roll:
Tom Keels
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Chalk
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Post by Chalk »

Tom Keels wrote:[Just so you know, when I get mine, we aint rollin out of the Econfina in it. :roll:
:smt025 Sure we will, I'll drive too :smt043
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Tom Keels
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Post by Tom Keels »

Chalk wrote: :smt025 Sure we will, I'll drive too :smt043

Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full. :-D
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Sir reel
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Post by Sir reel »

Awh.... heck Tom. With the route you got marked ....pull er ears back and get that contender up on plane..... no problem :o
"Good Judgement" comes from experience, ... and a lot of that..... results from "Bad Judgement".
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