# Who Else Sucked It Up Offshore This Weekend ?



## etrade92 (Jul 30, 2015)

Wind and waves were favorable all weekend. Y’all cough it up on how bad y’all did…

Rolled under Perdido pass at 5:45 on 05/14 in search of mingo, mangrove, trigger, and possibly an AJ. Hit a ton of public spots out to 20 miles due south of the pass and nada. We renamed a few of the reefs the “nursery” based on the amount of 8-10” trigs we caught. Marked a few AJ on the Lulu but no takers. Fished live shrimp, frozen squid, and a few Ruby’s.

Seems like everyone else we talked to out there was in the same boat. Got stopped by the man at the pass and showed him our one mangrove. He said that was about par for the course for the day. To top it off I had a co worker in the boat who was green in both offshore fishing and the face for the entire trip.

Don’t know what we did wrong but I hope I paid up all my back taxes to the offshore fishing gods for the year.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

Sorry you guys didn't hit it, I haven't been out at all still painting this damn house.

How is your hand doing? Hope all is well.


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## jaster (Oct 7, 2007)

Got some much needed therapy in today....










Buddy caught PB Grouper


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

etrade92 said:


> Wind and waves were favorable all weekend. Y’all cough it up on how bad y’all did…
> 
> Rolled under Perdido pass at 5:45 on 05/14 in search of mingo, mangrove, trigger, and possibly an AJ. Hit a ton of public spots out to 20 miles due south of the pass and nada. We renamed a few of the reefs the “nursery” based on the amount of 8-10” trigs we caught. Marked a few AJ on the Lulu but no takers. Fished live shrimp, frozen squid, and a few Ruby’s.
> 
> ...


If you marked AJ and didn't get them to bite, then you weren't using mingos.


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Well dang Evan ! I sure was hoping that ya'll were going to put a whupping on'em ! Bottom fishing during the day when the moon is full or near full can be tuff ! I sure hate that I won't be able to fish with ya'll this summer. I was jokingly going to suggest bringing your rods and reels by the house before your next trip, and I would touch 'em for you Lol !....but then I got to thinking....my luck hasn't been so great lately. Lol ! 


Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Man, did we have a trip on half the old "A" team! Went to the edge, caught , I don't think anything. Ran in about 17 miles and hit a few Mingo's and a surprise Big Eye in like 90-100'. Drifting, line in the prop and had to do the motor balance trick to unwind the line from the prop. Started the motor and electronics blanked, changed selector to both and underway. 1 1/2 miles later the boat bogs. Check the fuel filter and see black smudge, not good. Start the motor and 1 1/2 miles later boat bogs. Made it about 13 miles that way until it was getting more frequent. Call was made to clear the fuel filter. Motor wouldn't start. Selector switch on both. Hooked fresh jump starter to best battery and hear the whine of a starter motor with no bendix kicking in, low power. 3-4 miles outside Pcola pass. Call Sea tow. 30 min and the red bow appeared. A great tow later we were put at Sherman Cove with precision! Cleaned the boat and a few fish and home by 8:30pm. Left at 04:30am. At least when I walked in the house I smelled a fresh roasted Turkey! Life is good!!!! 1


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

We hadn't been offshore in months, forecast sounded pretty decent but our son has been asking about going to the beach for the last few weeks. Wife and I decided we would give one day to the kid and take a day for ourselves - took the boat out to Ft. Pickens beach on Saturday, anchored up and did the beach thing with the boy. He had a great time, he thanked us for taking him without even prompting.

Sunday we got a later start than planned, hit the road about 0545, launched out of Mahogany Mills. Hit a few spots to the southwest of the pass, caught some red snapper but no target fish. Struggled to catch much at several of our usually-productive spots. Hit the I-10 rubble, put a few lanes and a couple mingos in the boat on a combo of salt-cured frozen shrimp, squid, and finger mullet. Oddly the live shrimp which are usually our better bait, didn't do much today except get stolen. Hooked up with a couple back-bending fish that we had hard time lifting from the structure, would make some gain, lose some drag, back and forth till they got us into the stuff and popped us off. 



















Had been like a lake all day, but the wind started to pick up out of the SW, so we hit one more spot on the way home, wife nails a stud trigger using a whole squid. Close to 24 inches, didn't weigh it, but it was a beast. Wind started picking up, figured the storms would be firing up any time so we headed home with the building chop, got to the ramp and got loaded just before the big storms hit. Drive home was interesting, very heavy rain and had hail hitting the truck at two points between I-110 and the Garcon exit. Got all the mess cleaned up, fish cleaned and vacuum sealed with the Food Saver, and I am whipped!

At the ramp, there was a boat that pulled in just ahead of us where the guys were taking pictures of an amberjack - looked at my wife and just grimaced, was pretty sure it was not 34 inches. FWC officer came up, politely asked us if he could see our fish, then went to do the same with the other fellas. As I was walking to get the truck heard the guys saying they though the min size was 30 inches followed by the officer carrying the fish to his truck and he was still talking to the guy when we left.


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## etrade92 (Jul 30, 2015)

Jaster - Some nice dolphin. We checked plenty of weed patches but nada. Did see one undersized triple tail though. 

Russ - I am going to drop them all off and you can do whatever you want to em! lol

Surf - That is a stud trigger. Our original plan was to run SW to the bridge rubble as well, but we nixed it trying to save fuel and just went due south.


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## polar21 (Nov 5, 2007)

Saturday afternoon sucked for us. It was rough and the bite was terrible. Hello Full Moon!


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## Dhowell (Feb 11, 2020)

etrade92 said:


> Wind and waves were favorable all weekend. Y’all cough it up on how bad y’all did…
> 
> Rolled under Perdido pass at 5:45 on 05/14 in search of mingo, mangrove, trigger, and possibly an AJ. Hit a ton of public spots out to 20 miles due south of the pass and nada. We renamed a few of the reefs the “nursery” based on the amount of 8-10” trigs we caught. Marked a few AJ on the Lulu but no takers. Fished live shrimp, frozen squid, and a few Ruby’s.
> 
> ...


We had the same experience you did. 20 miles out and not much to speak of. Had a few break offs from live pin fish. Caught mostly juvenile fish.


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## Buddy Scott (Nov 28, 2012)

Ran out Saturday to Tenneco and couldn't get a AJ to bite, ran around a couple more places and finally got some mingo to hit. Got about 2 dozen 1.5-2 lbs in the box along with some porgies. Trolled for a spell when a 21lbs King hit. Wasn't the greatest but not a bad day on the water.


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## Fargo007 (Jun 2, 2020)

jaster said:


> Got some much needed therapy in today....
> 
> View attachment 1090222
> 
> ...


Dude.... Sweet.

How far out are the Mahi? That's one of my favorite eating fish.


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

Saturdays trip that I was invited to go on. I didn’t go though.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

This is all I got.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

You described our Saturday trip perfectly. Brought home some rubys and squirrelfish for crab trap bait. Got hammered a couple of time on big live baits, but couldn't get a hook in em. Was a shake-down cruise after boat repair, so mission accomplished. Heard the same story from several captains. Seems like the Edge had some life, but it usually does.


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## JVT (Jun 5, 2009)

Trolled for wahoo and dolphin along the drop West of the Nipple and toward the Elbow. Lots of scattered grass made trolling difficult, and had no love. Water was beautiful, but the grass wasn't really formed into a good line or large mats. A good number of boats trolling in the same area.

Did some bottom fishing on some spots in 250' - 180'. Lots of 10 -12 lb red snapper (released) and some small beeliners (released). Kept a couple of porgies for the frying pan. Better luck next time.


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## DPete (Nov 27, 2020)

etrade92 said:


> Wind and waves were favorable all weekend. Y’all cough it up on how bad y’all did…
> 
> Rolled under Perdido pass at 5:45 on 05/14 in search of mingo, mangrove, trigger, and possibly an AJ. Hit a ton of public spots out to 20 miles due south of the pass and nada. We renamed a few of the reefs the “nursery” based on the amount of 8-10” trigs we caught. Marked a few AJ on the Lulu but no takers. Fished live shrimp, frozen squid, and a few Ruby’s.
> 
> ...


Your report pretty much sums up my Saturday. Jaster seemed to have the best day of anyone I've heard of based on the pics he posted. I can confirm that there is no shortage of Remora in the Gulf. On a positive note we did catch a bunch of very healthy red snapper before noon around the 10 mile bridge rubble in addition to a few undersize mingos and grouper. We did hook into an AJ that got away by straightening a hook. Good fun, but not the first time this fish was close to a boat and he wasn't digging it. We also returned with one mangrove. Hell, it's a sammich........................


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## DPete (Nov 27, 2020)

Boat-Dude said:


> This is all I got.
> 
> View attachment 1090239


I hear they taste like chicken.


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## FishinFreak (Oct 2, 2007)

Left Big Lagoon around 6:30 and stopped at sailboat cove and caught some big tiger minnows then headed to the Mass and filled the livewell with alewives. Headed southwest around 8:00. Hit the spot and dropped the chum bag. Water was exceptionally clear. Within 5 minutes the water behind the boat was full of mangroves, small AJs and a random ARS. Mangroves were a little leader shy. Drifted chunks of menhaden with buried hook on 15-20 pound flourocarbon. Hooked somewhere around 30 of them. Lost 5 to the tax man. Was fun watching him chase them in the clear water as I tried to horse them to the top. As a result, I only ended up landing 10 in the 3 to 5 pound range. Lost the others to cut offs from the light line and the hook popping as I tried to lift them in the boat. Yes, I forgot to take the landing net!!! Grrrr!!! Dropped a few of the tiger minnows down to the bottom in hopes of finding a scamp, but no luck. Got rocked on a couple of the alewives, even straightening a hook on one, but didn't waste much time bottom fishing when the mangroves were swimming up to me. Overall a great day watching the mangroves grab my bait and the line flying off of the spool! Daughter turned green around noon, so we called it day and posted up at Ft. McRee for a while. Seas were around 1 foot when we went out, 1-2 and sloppy on the ride back in.


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## etrade92 (Jul 30, 2015)

^^^ Great report! Thanks for the insight


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

Took the boat for a spin to the Mass and lots of bait there.


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## jaster (Oct 7, 2007)

Fargo007 said:


> Dude.... Sweet.
> 
> How far out are the Mahi? That's one of my favorite eating fish.


19 miles SE at about 8 Sun morning, that same patch tad more broke up was 2 miles closer at 3 and still had em on it, we picked up 4 more before calling it


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## bcahn (Jan 10, 2013)

Count me in!
Got out Friday and Sunday with nothing to take home, WTH! Burned alot of fuel going south then SW on Sunday. Caught nice gags, snapper, and trigger. All trigger were short, mingos were non player and of course the gags and snapper had to go back. Lots of weed beds we circle but nothing active. Water was clear and flat on Sunday as glass. Great day out but very costly.


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## Flyguide7 (Jan 29, 2014)

We went offshore and hit some private spots and took 34 min go, two almacos, four trig, two little scamps and many many ruby lips. Fished Tenneco for AJs and did nothing. Chalk it up to the full moon. The water quality was amazing and sargasso everywhere. Never saw a chicken dolphin.


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## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

Got a few mangos and a gag. Threw back a bunch of big red snapper. As usual, the sharks got about as many as we did.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

Dang, look at those Mangs!!!


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## etrade92 (Jul 30, 2015)

What I am saying. Those are some studs!!!


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## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

Actually the bigger ones mostly got ate, along with some reds. Not too happy at that moment.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

Way to many sharks out there.


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## MaxP (Jan 31, 2008)

Went out Sunday with my youngest daughter and started catching mingos. Turned around to see her throwing up over the side. She said she wanted to stay fishing, but we headed back in and she passed out immediately on dad. By the time we passed Robinson Island, she had recovered so we went swimming.

Tried again Monday on my own. First stop the dolphin were stealing everything so I moved on to another spot without catching anything worth keeping. Etrade92 jinxed my snapper jigging method last year when I out fished him with it. Dropped the jig down for snapper using 17lb flouro leader and got slammed by a large AJ. I managed to keep it from reefing me and proceeded to fight the beast on a stradic 5000 for over an hour and a half. Chased him over a mile only to have my leader finally part trying to get it up in the water column. Went back to that spot with 50lb leader and got reefed a few more times. Nothing to show for all that work, but a very DEEP sleep that night.


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## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

Boat-Dude said:


> Way to many sharks out there.


Anybody that says different doesn't fish.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Catchemall said:


> Anybody that says different doesn't fish.


Probably less than there were 30 years ago, but they figured out where the easy meals are.


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## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

I'd have to disagree on that one. I've fished both coasts for over fifty years and there are many times more sharks now than there have been in my lifetime. From tigers to hammerheads and bulls to blacktips not only are there a lot more, there are a lot more really big ones. Having to crank and fight a fish like a madman to get him on the deck before he's devoured takes a lot of the fun out of it for me.


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## jwilson1978 (Mar 23, 2021)

MrFish said:


> Probably less than there were 30 years ago, but they figured out where the easy meals are.


TRUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gona get killed maybe but there are less fish now and releasing all the fish we do and now with all the boats doing it. Well it trains flipper and the sharks to hone into boats. Then you have to think Well can't keep this to short or out of season. Its already f'ed up from being drug up to the surface trying to keep it away from the gray guy's. Now lets poke a hole on it or send it down with a weight. Yep that fish gets eat on the way down or in the next few days because its stress and sticks out.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Catchemall said:


> I'd have to disagree on that one. I've fished both coasts for over fifty years and there are many times more sharks now than there have been in my lifetime. From tigers to hammerheads and bulls to blacktips not only are there a lot more, there are a lot more really big ones. Having to crank and fight a fish like a madman to get him on the deck before he's devoured takes a lot of the fun out of it for me.


You can disagree, but doesn't make you right.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

MrFish said:


> You can disagree, but doesn't make you right.


You're not right but you can disagree.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Boat-Dude said:


> You're not right but you can disagree.


Show me your shark study. The vast majority of marine biologists agree that shark populations are on the decline. Sharks have learned to congregate where easy meals are. I.e. piers, reefs, boats, etc.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

I looks for it on Yahoo because I know its you favorite.

*Something in the water: Shark population on the rise in Atlantic Canada, researcher says*

*Shark populations off American coasts growing rapidly*

*Coastal shark population on rise in region, study says*


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## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

MrFish said:


> You can disagree, but doesn't make you right.


No disrespect but hands on and eyes on experience does mean something. I guided shark fishermen and chummed like crazy to get my people a big shark thirty years ago. Now, in the same areas, there's no getting away from them. If you don't believe me, ask any shrimper that's been at it for any length of time. The chafing gear they have to put on their nets to keep from being destroyed on every drag is ridiculous. Just a few years ago, those dragging nearshore rarely used chafing gear, now they all do. I still deckhand on a buddy's shrimp boat from time to time and it's pretty unbelievable when you cull off. Think about the red snapper boom we've seen since seasons and bag limits were installed. Many species of sharks now have total and complete protection from harvest and to expect any less wouldn't be logical.


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## LY-zer (Jan 16, 2019)

There may be less sharks in Fishie's back yard grilling expeditions then Catchem'alls fishing trips. 🤣


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

All of y’all are wrong
I’m the only one who is right
The Only One!!

Im about to try and find a link to a article to prove it. Be back in a few


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

Joey has a classic shark fighting video.


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## jgraham154 (Jul 15, 2008)

There’s going to be some long faces on people this summer with gas prices so high and the fishing sucking so bad.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

The FWC doesn't care what gas prices are.


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

Sharks are instinctive creatures, well-designed and adapted, but I wouldn't say they are overly smart. In the current climate of protections on sharks, as an explanation for the increase in shark hits on angler catches, choosing between the likelihood that they have gotten smarter or have gotten more numerous, I am going to have to go with the likelihood that they have become more numerous. Wildlife biologists unfortunately are vulnerable to the same bias that most of 'science' these days seems to be, so I take it with a large grain of salt and factor in my own observations and experience.


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## OutsmartedAgain (Oct 12, 2018)

Or it could be the studies are right that shark populations worldwide are decreasing, and locally they are increasing because the US has some of the best natural resource management practices in the world. Just because you ate lunch today doesn't mean people aren't starving elsewhere, just like seeing it snow once doesn't mean global warming is a myth.

IMO shorter seasons with high catch and release mortality means there's a steady supply of food for the tax man. A tag system that lets anglers keep the same number of fish per year, but spread out when their schedule allows it would mean more fish going into the cooler and less being eaten by sharks and dolphins.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

Why can't we be the top predator in the gulf instead of a shark? 

Screw the sharks we need the fish.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)




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## LY-zer (Jan 16, 2019)

OutsmartedAgain said:


> IMO shorter seasons with high catch and release mortality means there's a steady supply of food for the tax man. A tag system that lets anglers keep the same number of fish per year, but spread out when their schedule allows it would mean more fish going into the cooler and less being eaten by sharks and dolphins.


I agree with your logic but..... it doesn't take into consideration spawning times and the government would be deciding how many fish you can keep and not just when. Most of us catch more now then we would be allowed if it were to be spread out and divided over the number of fisherman. I kinda doubt "they" would allow each of us to keep 60 snapper a year just because the season is 30 days. "They" would find a way to make it worse for us and not a benefit. Sorry but I have Zero trust in any governmental regulation, regulatory agency or entity.


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

OutsmartedAgain said:


> Or it could be the studies are right that shark populations worldwide are decreasing, and locally they are increasing because the US has some of the best natural resource management practices in the world.


That is possible; it would fit with the observation that there seem to be more sharks in this area than there used to be.


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## jwilson1978 (Mar 23, 2021)

SurfRidr said:


> That is possible; it would fit with the observation that there seem to be more sharks in this area than there used to be.


Sharks are not caught and killed in the gulf and around Fl. like they use to be. Don't really know if there is more or less than 50 years ago here. But I do know there are a lot less fish (food) than there was just in the short 20 or so years I have been playing around down there.


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