# Shallow water Grouper and Sea Monsters off Yankeetown.



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

It took me 3 hours to find a school of any baitfish. Inshore water looked like chocolate milk, screaming outgoing tide and 15kt wind right against the tide. Very choppy. I trolled out close to 9 miles before finding cooperative Threadfins. We caught about a dozen along with 3 or 4 Bumpers. I figured that would be enough since we could only keep 4 Gags.

I ran back inshore 6 or 7 miles before stopping on a rock in 15'. One 8# Gag and no more bites. I had blown off the spot a little and really wanted to fish another spot in 12' that showed big fish a few days ago.

We had 3 break offs on 80 in three drops. Instant bites, instant break offs. I landed a Gag about 10# but he came up pretty badly chewed. John landed another about 8 then got broken off again. I think we caught 3-4 shorts or fish we really wanted to replace with bigger ones. My last fish was grabbed on the way up but I managed to pull him free. About the time my sinker came out of the water, a gaping maw grabbed him again. I managed to get him out again and the Jewfish came back after him again. Not too many years ago, I would have free gaffed that sucker but I am older and wiser now after too many gaff broken fingers.

Right now, Jewfish are on just about every rock of any size around here. I catch 10 over 300# for ever one around 100#. Honestly, if I had a supply of 10# Jack Crevalle handy I could probably catch a ton of those suckers per day--if I were man enough. When I was chartering, I'd put big ole boys on a couple of them, just to see them sweat. Now days the Jewfish are just getting bigger.

We fished for Grouper about 30 minutes total yesterday. We went in with 30 plus pounds for 4 fish--not bad for shallow water in the middle of the summer. Next trip I am going to catch pinfish before I head out. I figure I can catch limits on 2 gallons of gas. I never catch Red Grouper inshore here. No Snapper either. At least ya'll have a little variety in the Panhandle.


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

I'd trade our variety for your grouper.

Good job Capt'n.


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## wrightackle (Oct 29, 2007)

Running offshore to catch bait, then running back in to catch gags in 12-15 feet of water. I wouldn't trade one gag for ten red grouper. I love to read the big bend fishing reports on the florida sportsman forum. You guys have it made.


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## Pinksnappertrapper (Dec 7, 2007)

> *JoeZ (7/28/2009)*I'd trade our variety for your grouper.
> 
> Good job Capt'n.


Me toooo. 

What are you pulling them off of? What kind of structure?


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

99% of the fish I catch are on natural bottom. Some of the rocks are the size of cars then there are huge areas of larger rocks. 

When trolling, I troll from spot, zig-zagging and circling over a half dozen rocks per pass. The Gags in less than 20' are a different breed of cat from deep water Gags. Everything in shallow water is sharp and these fish darn sure know it. Most folks lose 90% of the fish more than 5-6#. When I was chartering regularly, I bought Mustad 12/0 circle hooks in the 1000 pack and regularly lost 40-50 per day when I had duffers. My son manhandles fish and lands lots of the bigger ones that others can't.

The last trip my son and I had together before the limit on Gags dropped to 3 fish, we kept 10 Gags that weighed 173#. The biggest was 29# but I had a larger one come un hooked right on the surface. If Rhett hadn't had a fish on at the time he could have gaffed mine. We were fishing in less than 20' on a small rock that is sort of out in the middle of nowhere. 

We often catch Redfish, Flounder, Trout and an occasional Snook when bottom fishing on these inshore rocks. Not a lot of fishermen hit these spots, prefering to head way offshore where the "Big Grouper" live. My Gag Grouper catch usually looks as good as those caught way off shore but I never have a red or a snapper.


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## Pinksnappertrapper (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks for the info. If you can think of any tips or pointers you would like to share, shoot me a pm. oke


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## Ocean Man (Sep 27, 2007)

Great post, thats got to be a blast catching that many Grouper and the big Jewfish too. Thanks for the report.


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

Years ago, when I fished out of P'cola and earlier still, when I fished out of Destin, I caught a few shallow water Grouper from time to time including some big fish in P'cola Pass and on the little wreck between the Ft. Pickins Pier and the bow of the Lex. The bigger fish were really hard to handle. I used to get ripped up bad by fish around the pilings by the Lex, anytime I had great big live Menhaden. (once in a blue moon) Live Menhaden are the best of the best for darn near anything that swims. The bigger the better if you want big fish. A 25# Snapper will eat a 2# Menhaden on sight.

There is (maybe was) a nice patch of bottom about 3/4 to one mile off the east fence at Hurlburt (field 9). I caught nice fish there and it was always a good place for a few trolling passes for Kingfish.

As far as Goliath/Jewfish go, around here, all you have to do is hook on a Jack Crevalle, drop him to the bottom and hang on. Just about any rock will do. We got lots of 'em. I hate to use Blue Runners over about 4" long because a Jewfish will eat bigger ones pretty darned quick. With 10 5 to 10# Jack Crevalle, I can get 10 big bites and usually, only one will be a Shark.

Check this out if you want to see how they fight and how I rig to catch them. Actually, there are several Jewfish and other instructional videos there. http://www.bigbendsportsman.com/video/Ken_and_Goliath.htm


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