# Florida Fishing for VARIETY



## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Florida Fishing for Variety
One very good thing about Florida fishing, there is always something to catch. When one season closes, another opens. May welcomes Amberjack season, June it's American red snapper and Gag grouper. The 'variety' is staggering.
As we board the Florida Fisherman ll for a 39 hour trip deep into the heart of the Gulf of Mexico we will be targeting mangrove and vermilion snapper, as well as the mighty Amberjack. First up, let's catch some big AJ bait. The bigger the bait, the bigger the AJ:

Will, long time first mate on the Florida, is a proud father. Some day soon young Madison will follow in daddy's footsteps:

Friday night welcomes mangrove snapper:

Nice Mutton. We do not see too many Muttons in Central Florida Waters. Hopefully that will change when, on May 17, it's deep drop time. Time to head way South on a 63 hour trip in search of Mutton snapper and snowy grouper:

The very fast, powerful, Blackfin tuna:

The fishing Friday night, by our standards, was a little slow, regardless, we ended up with a catch to be proud of:

Come Saturday morning the mangrove snapper are still running big:

The vermilion snapper are on fire. They are everywhere. These deep-water snapper, when really fresh, are excellent eating:

Will carefully records every fish caught. Talk about accountability:

More Florida 'VARIETY'. Do you know the difference?

It's about a fifteen mile run to the demise of a once proud ship, and, we hope, Amberjack City. Trolling in between stops can be very productive:


Hope your back is in good shape:



The 'endangered' American red snapper continue to be a problem. Next month is pay back time:


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Talk about teeth:

The very good eating Almaco jacks are plentiful:

To talk about 'very good eating' is to talk about Scamp grouper:

As we fish deeper & deeper the Vermilion snapper are getting bigger and bigger. This is turning into a major vermilion catch, and, the best part, our two day limit is 20 each:

Amberjack season opened May first. Sure is nice being able to keep them. Smoked AJ over oak chips is hard to beat:


Mr. John Martin, (L) fishing coach on the Florida Fisherman ll, is a native Floridian who has been fishing Florida waters for decades. He is one of the best. John is always more than willing to share his vast knowledge. John Martin can make a good fisherman a great fisherman:

Even the very good eating Porgies out here are big:

Another master fisherman, Mr. Omar Castillo, is one of the best. Omar, like his good friend John Martin, has been fishing Florida waters for decades:

We have been fishing most of Friday night and all day Saturday. We are not hungry, we are starved! Nothing is too good for Chef Tammy's guests. Jersey Girl has been preparing made from scratch chili for hours.
Tammy, you are the best!

Those ear-to-ear smiles on Sara and John's faces are for real. This has not been just a trip, this has been an adventure:

Time to call it a day, we are stuffed full and ever so tired. Our four inch thick foam bunks are calling out to us. Let's go home. 6 A.M. Sunday morning. Now that was one quick, comfortable, night:


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Sara, it was a real honor having you on the Florida. Please do not be a stranger. Omar, see you 3 P.M. Tuesday when we do it all over again:


Many of the bigger AJ's & snapper were not in the jackpot The winning mangrove snapper hit the scales at 6.0 pounds, AJ, 28.0:

Mr. Doug Dallier is ready for a fish-fry. It really is a small world. Doug and I both graduated from Jesuit High School and the University of Tampa. We both graduated from the University in 1967 with a degree in Psychology:


We did not know each other until we fished together on the Florida.
Mystery fish: Mystery fish this week is a 'mystery-tail'. What kind of fish has a tail like this?


Check out the short action packed video of our trip:






Bob Harbison
Florida Outdoor Writers Association


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## Sea-r-cy (Oct 3, 2007)

Nice video. Looked like a fun trip.


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Thanks! These tips are a lot of fun. The best part is the wonderful people we get to meet.


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