# Florida at its best (Part 2)



## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

:thumbsup: PART 2
Captain Mark Hubbard ran trip number 1, and Captain Garret Hubbard number 2; both were absolutely outstanding. Captain Garret will run trip number 3, and Captain Mark number 4. Will trips 3 & 4 also prove to be, ' Some of the Very Best Florida has to Offer?' Join me as we find out together. Three P.M. Wednesday, day four of red snapper season.
Let's go catch some fish Middle Grounds stile:
First a Tammy dinner, and goodnights sleep, and then:





Shark attack! This one only counts as 1/2 a fish:

Sun up! Will the bite continue?
Absolutely! Mr. Tony Baker:



Here comes the grouper:

It's a good thing the Florida has a permit to bring goliath grouper on board. Without being properly vented this great fish has no chance of ever seeing his rocky home again:

The air must be forced out of the air bag:

He dove instantly.
The grouper & snapper bite is strong, very strong:


Woman power on the Grounds:

Gag season is going to be a good one:


The red grouper refuse to be left out:

Joe Diebold shows his years of experience by landing a huge sandhill shark using 25 pound test leader. The mighty shark was released. Thanks for the memories:


'Some of the Very Best Florida has to Offer,' the Middle Grounds mangrove snapper:

The Grounds, Part 3, is looking good; very good!

The flat lines are producing also. Way to go Ed & Rich:

The Middle Grounds is known for it's 30 + foot ledges. Look at the fish piled up on top of that ledge:


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Trip three has been very good. To talk about the 'Very Best Florida has to Offer' is to talk about the Florida Middle Grounds. Captain Garret Hubbard oversees part of an outstanding American red snapper catch:

Trip four, Captain Mark Hubbard guides us:
The bite is immediate & strong:




Sun up! The bite is still strong:


Now that's a nice scamp grouper:

NOAA, get away from behind the desk; get on the water & tell us the American red snapper population is in danger:


July 1 can't come soon enough:

Middle Grounds size mangrove snapper have been biting all day long. This weekend will be a full moon trip. The mangrove snapper catch should be outstanding. Good thing about Florida fishing, there is always something to catch & keep:

The water is getting a little too warm for tuna, but we are still catching them. Nice one Joe:

Well! The Florida's three huge fish boxes are all but full. Time for a hot shower, a Tammy feast, and a little more fishing before hitting the bunks for the long ride home.
Hold on! Now there is something we do not see every day; in fact, we have never before seen a hybrid cross between a yellow tail & lane snapper.


Time to hit the bunks for the long ride home. Take us home Captain John, take us home to beautiful Madeira Beach, Florida:
Talk about being in the money:

Will trips 3 & 4 also prove to be, 'Some of the Very Best Florida has to Offer?'


This month's full moon is 6/13 @ 12:13 A.M. We will be fishing the day after the full of the moon. The mangrove snapper bite should be very strong. Our two day limit of mangos is 20. Twenty Middle Grounds size mangrove snapper is a good catch in itself. Add red grouper, scamp grouper and large B liners and it's very easy to see why Florida is the fishing capitol of the world.
Catch the action from trips 1,2,3,4 in this action packed video. See 'The Very Best Florida has to Offer.'
Click on the Youtube link






Bob Harbison Florida Outdoor Writers Association


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

Bob, the photo of the fish identified as a scamp, it looks more like a yellow mouth grouper than a scamp. Maybe others could comment on this?

Looks like a fun trip with good seas. :thumbsup:


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

It was a fun trip. The first couple of days of ARS season were rough; then we saw real Florida weather. 
Scamp or Yellow mouth grouper. They are so very similar. We have even had the FWC take samples to make a positive ID. I called it a scamp because the tail looks more like a scamp to me. What do you think? Bob


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## Captdroot (Jan 18, 2012)

Bob, another trip in your rear view mirror. So glad you are able to keep going, & going, & going, & going........

Hurbbard Jr looks more and more like the his old man, with each passing year. Mangos will be waking up with this June moon. Good luck.

Oh, called them "scamp grouper" 35yrs ago.


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Thank you sir. I am 72 & 1/2 crippled. I will keep going a long as I possibly can. Mark does indeed look more & more like Wilson. I fished with Captain Wilson Hubbard many times. 
Scamp is a variety of grouper:


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