# Help planning out our charter



## 2nd sandbar

Hey guys - I would really appreciate some help. We are taking a charter out in mid-July. As opposed to the usual charter of bottom fishing and some trolling - we want to firts fill our coolers with good eating fish (snapper, trigger, grouper etc) and then head out further to do some game fishing....

If we were planning on leaving around midnight - would we have enough time to get out to some of the better spots. We would like to target yellow fin, marlin, wahoo etal...

Thx for the help!


----------



## Sea-r-cy

Go before snapper season is out. Sea-r-cy


----------



## 2nd sandbar

We are going before the endangered snapper are saved for another year... But can you give me some insite as to how far we need to travel to have a reasonable chance for YFT, marlin etc


----------



## FenderBender

60+ miles for a good shot. could be as close as 30 -40, you never know


----------



## 2nd sandbar

So if you were my captain and we left at midnight and planned on staying out 17-18 hours, how would you sculpture my trip?


----------



## macbac

How many gallons does your boat hold? In 17-18 hours just depending on were ya'll leave from and how much fuel you hold. The ram powell and the rest of the rigs out that way would be the best spot. If your out of florida i would head to the spur. Good grass lines have been spotted in both area and tuna have been at both the pass two weekends.


----------



## xyzzy

Fish for pelagics in the morning, then do your bottom fishing on the way in, not vise-versa.


----------



## FenderBender

If you plan on leaving at midnight, I would head immediately to the spur or deep floaters (ram powell as mentioned) and be there before daylight jigging/chunking/trolling for tuna. After the sun came up and the bite slowed, look for some good weedlines running slightly north and try and get mahi or wahoo. Not much fartther north I'd deep drop for deep water groupers and tilefish during the middle of the day. As the sun began to set run shallower yet and catch my snappers, mingos, and triggers and then the trip would be over with (hopefully) a tuna or two, maybe some mahi or a hoo if you're lucky, and certainly some tasty groupers, mingos, and trigger and snaps.


----------



## 2nd sandbar

OK - much thx. Sp how long would it take from destin to get out far enough to the rigs (or the Spur). Just trying to see what time we should leave. Do we have to wait until daybreak for fishing? I know some fish such as swordfish are night feeders not sure what else though.

We will have plenty of fuel capacity... 

Probbaly a good call on the bottom fishing unless the captain wants to get that done before daybreak. He talked about leaving between midnight and two am. Sunrise for teh date of our trip is 5:56 am although we will have a full moon at the time.


----------



## 2nd sandbar

Fenderbender - that sounds like a good call... Dumb question though - I am assuming the Spur and ram powell are considered Blue water? Will we actaully be out insight of any rigs?

Any chance for gamefish such as marlin, etc


----------



## FenderBender

The spur is about 69 miles from destin, the ram powell is about 132 miles. If you want to go to the rigs I'd go out of somewhere other than destin, like Pensacola or Orange Beach. Obviously it depends on how fast your boat is to say how long it will take to get where you want to go. If you plan on swordfishing I would commit to it all night and start fishing at nightfall instead of 4 am.


----------



## FenderBender

You will not be in sight of any rigs at the spur, the rigs are considerably farther to the west. Ram powell is a rig, and there are many others like it nearby (marlin, beer can, petronius). Most of these places would normally be considered blue water, but that can change daily depending on rain, currents, etc. There are normally billfish associated with both of these locations, so there is definitely a chance. Just don't try and do too much in one day, find a plan and do your best to commit to it. Normally people troll different baits for marlin than they do for wahoo or mahi, that's not to say you can't get one on any lure at any time though. Just find what you want to target most and go for that. The bottom fishing like I mentioned earlier on the way in is usually a pretty sure bet. If you go to the rigs, you will have a pretty good chance at at least finding blackfin tuna at night and very possibly yellowfins. Good luck!


----------



## 2nd sandbar

I think swordfishing is out because the Captain has a charter the day before. I will do some research but can you tell me the difference between the spur and ram powell? Are they blue water?


----------



## 2nd sandbar

oops - I see you answered that question... We have done so many 8-12 hour trips and i know if you don't tell the captain ahead of time he will just try to put as mnay fish in the boat as possible knowing that will make for a good trip. 

Last yera we did that and i got sick of pulling king mackeral out of my freezer after the first 100 pounds or so. Made me wish I had just said "how about fishing for triggers for awhile..."


----------



## FenderBender

The yellow line originates in destin and goes to the spur. The spur is an area of the desoto canyon. The ram powell is to the wsw, it is a floating oil platorm.


----------



## 2nd sandbar

thx Fenderbender and others who responded. I will be sure to post photos when we return.


----------



## bombtosser

you need a 36 hour trip. run to the rigs with kelly windes and back. You'll get your fill of fish.


----------



## 2nd sandbar

Could someone give me a map like above showing beer can, petronis and any other spots reachable from Destin


----------



## FenderBender

Here ya go


----------



## 2nd sandbar

Thx FB - is there any sign of blue water? I know the floods in the Miss are playing havoc on us this year


----------



## onoahi

Fished floaters Sat-Sun. Water was very nice blue, but zero fish. We hit Marlin, Beer Can, Vertigo, Spirit, RP and Horn Mtn. Few flying fish around not many. Jigged thru the nite virtually non-stop on all rigs ad never caught a single bft. Hooked >25 hsrdtails and several cuda. Multiple boats on every rig, saw one small wahoo boated and that ws it. For now rigs are not happening. I hope the MBGFC Ladies this w/e delivers better news.


----------



## macbac

We were at horn mountain on sunday morning. Water was blue and we caught one yellowfin that weighted 82 and a couple that were around 40. There was alot of blackfin and some big eyes mixed in. There was a long line boat set up in the area which isn't good. The yellowfin were all caught trolling, the blackfin were caught chunking and jigging. Hope this helps


----------



## macbac

Oh the yellowfin didn't start rolling until the sun was up good. The big yellow's that is.


----------



## 2nd sandbar

Look at hte map on page 2 - where is "horn mountain" in reference to teh other spots?


----------



## Pinksnappertrapper

The spur is probably going to be your best bet, that way it will give you time to do some trolling/looking for weedlines ect.. then bottom fish on the way in to fill the cooler with bottom fish.


----------



## 2nd sandbar

How long to teh spur from Destin? So would you head right out there and be there before day break?


----------



## chanman

The spur area from destin is a little more than 60 miles. I would be there early.


----------



## ScottH

*Charter - Offshore/Bottom*

2nd Sandbar, I think it is essential to communicate with the captain about what you all want to do, but my suggestion is to leave the specfic offshore locations you fish to him. He should have a read on where the fish/good water are at the time, weather and seas, range of his boat in that amount of time, etc. For example, you may need to stay nearer to the Spur to avoid being on a long boat ride out and back in.


----------



## ScottH

*How Long?*

How long depends on the cruise speed of the boat. Understanding you are leaving at night when most captains slow down a bit, fuel prices, and assuming you are on a twin diesel 40+ footer, you may cruise out around 20 knots give or take. But that is highly variable depending on the boat and the captain. If you are going to a rig, you would want to get there before daybreak if possible. If you are going toward the Spur, you want to be there at daybreak. If he has spare time, I imagine he will hit a bottom spot or two going out to break up the ride.


----------



## 2nd sandbar

A long day by Sand + Water = Paradise, on Flickr


----------



## 2nd sandbar

ttt


----------



## 2nd sandbar

ttt 

ttt


----------

