# Middle Grounds



## Lyin Too (Aug 31, 2009)

Where is the Middle Grounds?


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## billin (Oct 14, 2007)

*Middle grounds*

Off of Tampa about 100 NM roughly


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## 36Hatt (Feb 8, 2012)

Plot these points, and you will have a rough outline.

N28 42.500 W84 24.800
N28 42.500 W84 16.300
N28 11.000 W84 00.000
N28 11.000 W84 07.000
N28 26.600 W84 24.800


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## ryanbr (Oct 10, 2007)

Between Panama City and Tampa


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## capcoe (Aug 12, 2009)

Starts around 100 miles due South of Port St. Joe, great area to fish though.


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## SnapperSlapper (Feb 13, 2009)

The middle grounds is a great overnight trip when the weather is right. Lots of natural bottom, and a lot of fish. We went once, with no concrete numbers but a general area. There is a lot of bottom, and you will find fish. BUT, don't expect to catch monsters unless you wander a little further South/West and get into the 240' range or just luck up on the mother load of undiscovered fish..

It's all about fishing pressure. The middle grounds are basically like the Trysler Grounds (natural bottom in 100-120' of water), but they are 100 miles from shore. So the fishing pressure is reduced. So there are more fish.

If I could get everyone on this forum to quit fishing, along with everyone else that has a boat, the Trysler Grounds = the Middle Grounds.

Again, awesome fishery and something everyone should do. But it is what it is. With that said, if you fish out of Steinhatchee/Crystal River/Tampa/etc. and bring in some big gags and AJs from the Middle Grounds, they will ohh and ahh when you get to the dock. It's all about fishing pressure.

If you have the opportunity to fish it repeatedly and get good numbers over the course of several years, I'm sure it is insane. But, good luck getting exact numbers. With that said, we went out there and drove around and found a good catch of red snapper, AJs, big gags, red grouper, and a few black snapper. And that was with no concrete numbers and never having been there. So, the fish are there if you want to go 100 miles.


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## Reel Mccoy (Dec 30, 2009)

I have fished out of Steinhatchee and Suwannee for several years and those areas do produce a ton of quality red/gag grouper. In Steinhatchee visit Sea Hag marina and if in Suwannee go to either the Suwannee Marina or Bills fish camp. They will point you in the right direction and hook you up with some numbers. You will be amazed that you are catching quality keeper Grouper in only 40' of water.


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## foxbo (Oct 4, 2007)

Went out of Mederia Beach (Tampa) on the Florida Fisherman II on a 36 hour trip. Fish had lock jaw only thing caught was a boat load of AJs. Captain saw loads of fish on sonar just wouldn't bite. Will be going out again in 2014 as a retirement gift to myself.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

That's a long, long haul for some bottom fish.....


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## TinCan (Jul 22, 2012)

jrmcallister said:


> I have fished out of Steinhatchee and Suwannee for several years and those areas do produce a ton of quality red/gag grouper. In Steinhatchee visit Sea Hag marina and if in Suwannee go to either the Suwannee Marina or Bills fish camp. They will point you in the right direction and hook you up with some numbers. You will be amazed that you are catching quality keeper Grouper in only 40' of water.


 Shallow water grouper

I had pleasure of going out with local guy and his partner out of Crystal River for gag grouper fishing day,left dock at daylight caught some pinfish, fooled around little checked tide took off for his spot, (Panga not a dry boat) we was 9 mile and 800yds (his GPS ) from shore (Crystal River,barely in Federal waters and in ((17ft ))) of water, we arrived on spot at 0800 and left at 1100 with Six keeper Gag's 26-29 not monsters but good keepers caught all on pin fish, he waves to those flying by going out to deep water 40-50ft . No doubt left that he has done his homework and has many succesful days . He stated some guys just think Grouper wont come in this close so I let them go out looking .


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## Fishn-on-credit (Apr 27, 2012)

Anyone ever down in the north central Florida area gimme a PM, we fish the middle grounds on overnight trips 10 or so times a year for numerous years. The bottom fishing out there is second to none in the world...


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