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Whoda thought it. I rarely expect anything other than pelagics at a public reef. I pounded my way out to Rotary Reef in significantly greater than the 1-2 foot waves predicted Sunday morning to see if any Cobia were still around. South wind, water was 78 degrees with about 7-8 feet visibility. I had some nice live pinfish for bait. No other boats there. Not long after a pin was dancing on the bottom a keeper grouper was caught and in the boat. Measured right at 24inches, a little more with a tail pinch. So close, I measured and remeasured a few times, but then worried about thermal shrinkage in the ice chest. Now for my question, does tail pinch count to get maximum length for the legal fish status? No cobes found, but the grouper made my day. FFF

fishforfun wrote:Whoda thought it. I rarely expect anything other than pelagics at a public reef. I pounded my way out to Rotary Reef in significantly greater than the 1-2 foot waves predicted Sunday morning to see if any Cobia were still around. South wind, water was 78 degrees with about 7-8 feet visibility. I had some nice live pinfish for bait. No other boats there. Not long after a pin was dancing on the bottom a keeper grouper was caught and in the boat. Measured right at 24inches, a little more with a tail pinch. So close, I measured and remeasured a few times, but then worried about thermal shrinkage in the ice chest. Now for my question, does tail pinch count to get maximum length for the legal fish status? No cobes found, but the grouper made my day. FFF

Not worth it.

I copied this from Fl. fishing regs.

Measured as total length. Total length is the straight line distance from the most forward part of the head with the mouth closed to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed together while the fish is lying on its side.

Remember with mouth closed
I would still allow for shrinkage.

Bit surprised at the lack of luck with the cobes... didn't have luck with keeper-sized ones, but think I tagged five shorts last trip out just two weeks ago.

Warm as the weather has been so far this early fall I suspect they'll be hanging around at least until the end of the month.

All depends on who checks you. I was checked last year on the flats out of St Marks and the FWC officer measured a fish at 15 1/4 when I mentioned that is my minimum. He said if the mouth is closed and the tail touches that 15 line at any part "throw it on ice".