# First edge trip



## ChrisP14 (Jun 17, 2009)

Saw a decent weather window to take the aby boat out to the edge and do some scouting. I've only fished the edge one other time and it was barely even worth mentioning. I marked the more pronounced edge just south of the pass the night before on google maps and wrote down a few numbers. Also, did some reading on the forums from a few years back trying to get an idea of what to do since i didn't have any real numbers to fish. Decided to fish the top part of the ledge and just drop down on any little bit of cloudiness I marked. We ran by the mass looking for bait and got only a couple of cigs and a few other different baits. Cigs have been hard to catch this year for me no matter how small of a sabiki I use.

Started heading south with what looked like a strong storm to our west. I was a little reluctant and was thinking of waiting out the storm but my buddy was persistent and confident wed get around it. Got out to our spot and just did beat the storm. It appeared to start forming a little more to the south and we go some rain, thunder and a little wind but nothing bad. Found the edge and started moving around until we marked something. W stayed around the 180ft to 190ft area. Sure enough we marked a cloud of fish and dropped the trolling motor, chum bag and started chunking with bonito. Started pulling up mingo and had a few small sharks eat the flat lines. Mingos weren't the big ones we were hoping for a good one would come up every once in a while. Finally got a decent king on the flat line and lost another halfway through the fight. Sharks messed up the 2 wire rigs I made the night before and just tied on a long shank J being lazy. Got our limit of mingos with a almaco mixed in and decided to explore a little more. Found a spot where there appeared to be a little Density change and dropped down to find a legal scamp. Unfortunately he was the only one home. Dropped down hoping for an AJ since were were getting some higher marks fairly frequently but no luck. Dropped the Mingo all the way to the bottom and had an immediate fish on that felt like a good grouper. Unfortunately the hook pulled halfway up. We tried fishing the actual ledge itself as well and never got anything. We actually ran a small section of the ledge and never marked anything either. I thought for sure there would be fish stacked on the down current side of it but never saw anything.

Decided to head back in after that since we had what we thought was a more than successful day considering we went out looking for something with google earth numbers I pulled the night before. Gulf looked more like a pond on the way back in and was absolute glass. If anyone is able to provide more tips I would sure appreciate it. Looking back a few years at some posts really helped and gave us a good idea of what to to and look for.


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## OutsmartedAgain (Oct 12, 2018)

Sounds like a nice trip! I’d recommend getting a cmor/g3/strikelines scan which helps give you a solid overall picture of the nooks and crannies in the edge. It’s also a good way to stay occupied marking 100’s of spots when you are wishing you could be fishing.


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## Lipz (Mar 19, 2013)

Good job, you guys did excellent. One thing I do that had helped me get bigger Mingos is use 30 lb fluorocarbon Leaders for my chicken rig and keep my bait up in the water column over the school, so let’s say you marked the “fuzz” of fish at 170ish I would keep my bait about 20’ over wait few seconds no bite then I drop little more until I start getting bite. 2 weeks ago I did same thing you did on my buddy’s boat, we trolled over for a bit and marking ledges and some fish on the way back we dropped baits, again congrats and thanks for the report!


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## Corpsman (Oct 3, 2007)

Hey man, I will PM you some edge numbers. Nice report. Glad you made it out there.


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

i've heard about the lake of mexico. is that it?
good job on the catching.
jack


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## Getsome (Sep 28, 2007)

Good job guys, thank for the report. And I will X2 on the fluorocarbon leader. Makes a world of difference especially for grouper. .


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## jwilson1978 (Mar 23, 2021)

jack2 said:


> i've heard about the lake of mexico. is that it?
> good job on the catching.
> jack


I saw it one time years ago Haha been looking for a day like that for along time! Just never works out


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

Scary, great report glad you guys dodged that, good mess of fish!!!


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## ChrisP14 (Jun 17, 2009)

OutsmartedAgain said:


> Sounds like a nice trip! I’d recommend getting a cmor/g3/strikelines scan which helps give you a solid overall picture of the nooks and crannies in the edge. It’s also a good way to stay occupied marking 100’s of spots when you are wishing you could be fishing.


I've seen the cmor maps and would love to have them but the price tag was a little scary. Can't remember exactly but I think they were around $700.



Lipz said:


> Good job, you guys did excellent. One thing I do that had helped me get bigger Mingos is use 30 lb fluorocarbon Leaders for my chicken rig and keep my bait up in the water column over the school, so let’s say you marked the “fuzz” of fish at 170ish I would keep my bait about 20’ over wait few seconds no bite then I drop little more until I start getting bite. 2 weeks ago I did same thing you did on my buddy’s boat, we trolled over for a bit and marking ledges and some fish on the way back we dropped baits, again congrats and thanks for the report!


We did fish a little higher up but we were using 50lb yo zuri flouro. Definitely scale down the flouro next time and see about concentrating higher up bc we were reeling up some rubys as well. Didn't know rubys made it out that far.



Corpsman said:


> Hey man, I will PM you some edge numbers. Nice report. Glad you made it out there.


I would definitely appreciate a few numbers and I know how much time and effort can go into finding some of them.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

My best trips are to the Edge. Anchor up, chum, catch mingos, go home. Meat trips are the best. Nice catch!


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## Lipz (Mar 19, 2013)

ChrisP14 said:


> I've seen the cmor maps and would love to have them but the price tag was a little scary. Can't remember exactly but I think they were around $700.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You can try single hook with longer leader too, takes little longer to limit out but you get bigger ones sometimes, I like to drop a chum block down too, they bite much better.


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## jwilson1978 (Mar 23, 2021)

Lipz said:


> You can try single hook with longer leader too, takes little longer to limit out but you get bigger ones sometimes, I like to drop a chum block down too, they bite much better.


Shhh! Your giveaway to much LOL just kindding


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## jwilson1978 (Mar 23, 2021)

jwilson1978 said:


> Shhh! Your giveaway to much LOL just kindding


Used to use a electric with a brick or 2 to put down the chum on the bottom but the ol tax man gets me ASAP past few times I did that!


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## Lipz (Mar 19, 2013)

jwilson1978 said:


> Used to use a electric with a brick or 2 to put down the chum on the bottom but the ol tax man gets me ASAP past few times I did that!


That’s a great way to do, I seen guys doing with downriggers too, I add sand on my chum so it goes straight down near the school, and then another chum block goes on the bag behind the boat, one time the boat bag got sharked too lol, so don’t use Bonita when you make you make your own chum lol


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## OutsmartedAgain (Oct 12, 2018)

I’ve been dropping a go pro down to get an idea of what’s going on and there are A LOT of sharks just cruising around down there. It doesn’t seem to bother the bottom fish either. I have yet to get sharked on porgies, mingos or triggers though so it hasn’t stopped us yet. I stopped chumming cause it brings the Bonita in like a magnet and I hate reeling them up from 160+’.

I use 60 lb mono chicken rigs that deep since my dropper loops test out at like 20-30% strength (not that I ever get anything big on these particular rigs with tiny baits) so I’ve shied away from light flouro chicken rigs. But hell maybe I’ll give them a shot. I still haven’t mastered the art of the multiple mingo stringer yet so maybe it’ll help.


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## O-SEA-D (Jun 28, 2016)

Great report but be less descriptive about what you drop down as bait for grouper as it may be illegal to use as bait. Glad you are getting the edge fishing figured out. Now that you’ve found the ledge just spend some time trolling it, zigzagging back and fourth over it and you’ll mark more spots that you can go back and bottom fish on.


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## ChrisP14 (Jun 17, 2009)

OutsmartedAgain said:


> I’ve been dropping a go pro down to get an idea of what’s going on and there are A LOT of sharks just cruising around down there. It doesn’t seem to bother the bottom fish either. I have yet to get sharked on porgies, mingos or triggers though so it hasn’t stopped us yet. I stopped chumming cause it brings the Bonita in like a magnet and I hate reeling them up from 160+’.
> 
> I use 60 lb mono chicken rigs that deep since my dropper loops test out at like 20-30% strength (not that I ever get anything big on these particular rigs with tiny baits) so I’ve shied away from light flouro chicken rigs. But hell maybe I’ll give them a shot. I still haven’t mastered the art of the multiple mingo stringer yet so maybe it’ll help.


We were using 50lb flouro and had a few double ups surprisingly.

On a side note, I appreciate the feedback on my lack of knowledge on what bait is legal to use. What I thought was legal to use appears not to be. Thanks everyone for not criticizing and instead educating me on my mistake.


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

You can use them as bait if you count them in your limit. The old regs stated you couldn't but new regs don't (that I could find).


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## OutsmartedAgain (Oct 12, 2018)

lastcast said:


> You can use them as bait if you count them in your limit. The old regs stated you couldn't but new regs don't (that I could find).


I've had an email in at the FWC for a while asking for clarification I'll post what they have to say about the matter.

I believe the use of reef fish as bait (except for sand perch/squirrel fish, I'm not sure if porgies and grunts are exempted too) is illegal per NOAA federal regs but I can't find that link, but I definitely saw it 1-2 years ago. In my book if you are allowed to take 10 vermillion greater than 10 inches, and you decide to put 5 in the cooler and use 5 for bait that seems completely ethical to me. But if fish and game rolls you up and sees them in the live well or you have one on as bait there's a good chance you're getting a ticket.


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

i've always heard that regulated fish are illegal to fish with. it would be good to know the rules.
jack


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## OutsmartedAgain (Oct 12, 2018)

I found it.

Reef Fish as Bait 

The use of federally managed reef fish as bait is prohibited.





__





Federal Fishing Regulations






gulfcouncil.org





The list of federally managed reef fish is 31 species long and it counts snappers, groupers, jacks, tiles, triggers and hogfish. So it looks like porgies and grunts are legal. I'm assuming this is for federal waters only. It also doesn't say anything about using kings or spanish mackerel for bait either.









Federally Managed Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish


Thirty-one species are federally managed by the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico. Learn about the status of these species and find information on the most recent assessments.




www.fisheries.noaa.gov


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

More government over reach. AJs eat mingos all day and the monster grouper love a butterflied red snapper.


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

when we catch those bluenose porgies (white snapper) (or bob will tell us other names) the butterflyed will catch a good-sized golden tile every time. i don't think progies are regulated. let me know. they may be regulated in tampa since they come home with stringers full on the charters. lol.
jack


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

jack2 said:


> when we catch those bluenose porgies (white snapper) (or bob will tell us other names) the butterflyed will catch a good-sized golden tile every time. i don't think progies are regulated. let me know. they may be regulated in tampa since they come home with stringers full on the charters. lol.
> jack


If you rename species, you can use them as bait. I call mingos, red porgies and send them back down.


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

MrFish said:


> If you rename species, you can use them as bait. I call mingos, red porgies and send them back down.


good idea, josh. let me know how it works out for ya when the feds tell you it's a snapper. 😀
jack


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

new fish pronouns lol


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

proper pronunciation in south ala. would be ret porgies. lol
jack


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

jack2 said:


> good idea, josh. let me know how it works out for ya when the feds tell you it's a snapper. 😀
> jack


Bob is gonna vouch for me.


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## O-SEA-D (Jun 28, 2016)

I mean if a human can identify with whatever creature it wants to be why can’t we identify a fish as any species we want. 🤷‍♂️


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

O-SEA-D said:


> I mean if a human can identify with whatever creature it wants to be why can’t we identify a fish as any species we want. 🤷‍♂️


Indeed. I caught a rare sneaker headed cobia off the beach yesterday.


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)




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## Buster68 (May 5, 2021)

ChrisP14 said:


> Saw a decent weather window to take the aby boat out to the edge and do some scouting. I've only fished the edge one other time and it was barely even worth mentioning. I marked the more pronounced edge just south of the pass the night before on google maps and wrote down a few numbers. Also, did some reading on the forums from a few years back trying to get an idea of what to do since i didn't have any real numbers to fish. Decided to fish the top part of the ledge and just drop down on any little bit of cloudiness I marked. We ran by the mass looking for bait and got only a couple of cigs and a few other different baits. Cigs have been hard to catch this year for me no matter how small of a sabiki I use.
> 
> Started heading south with what looked like a strong storm to our west. I was a little reluctant and was thinking of waiting out the storm but my buddy was persistent and confident wed get around it. Got out to our spot and just did beat the storm. It appeared to start forming a little more to the south and we go some rain, thunder and a little wind but nothing bad. Found the edge and started moving around until we marked something. W stayed around the 180ft to 190ft area. Sure enough we marked a cloud of fish and dropped the trolling motor, chum bag and started chunking with bonito. Started pulling up mingo and had a few small sharks eat the flat lines. Mingos weren't the big ones we were hoping for a good one would come up every once in a while. Finally got a decent king on the flat line and lost another halfway through the fight. Sharks messed up the 2 wire rigs I made the night before and just tied on a long shank J being lazy. Got our limit of mingos with a almaco mixed in and decided to explore a little more. Found a spot where there appeared to be a little Density change and dropped down to find a legal scamp. Unfortunately he was the only one home. Dropped down hoping for an AJ since were were getting some higher marks fairly frequently but no luck. Dropped the Mingo all the way to the bottom and had an immediate fish on that felt like a good grouper. Unfortunately the hook pulled halfway up. We tried fishing the actual ledge itself as well and never got anything. We actually ran a small section of the ledge and never marked anything either. I thought for sure there would be fish stacked on the down current side of it but never saw anything.
> 
> ...


You are a jackass


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

Buster68 said:


> You are a jackass


may i delve into the conversation and ask why such a statement? at least he posted a fishing trip. let's see yours.
jack


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Good potential here....


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## jwilson1978 (Mar 23, 2021)

MrFish said:


> Good potential here....


Been waiting on it sense op


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

i'm biting my fingernails and glued to the screen. lol.
jack


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## Buster68 (May 5, 2021)

jack2 said:


> may i delve into the conversation and ask why such a statement? at least he posted a fishing trip. let's see yours.
> jack


NO


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Buster68 said:


> NO


Troll. Don't start shit, then step back and watch.


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## Buster68 (May 5, 2021)

jack2 said:


> i'm biting my fingernails and glued to the screen. lol.
> jack


I didn’t get invited to the fish fry he is having right now. I didn’t know Chris was on the PFF and wanted to mess with him.


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## Buster68 (May 5, 2021)

MrFish said:


> Troll. Don't start shit, then step back and watch.


Easy big guy


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## Rickey85 (Sep 18, 2019)

Looks like a great time for you guys there.


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