# Way offshore from Destin



## BlackJeep

yakntat, BBarton13 and myself headed 6 miles off of Destin this morning to the Phoenix. We got a good variety of bait nearshore before heading out. We caught cigar minnows, hardtails, a squid, mini bonita, a threadfin, and another fish like a threadfin with out the thread. It was a long pedal, but we marked a few spots on the way out to check out later and the conditions were pretty good. We got a few bonita on the way.

As soon as we get there, BBarton immediately pulled up a nice mingo on the only squid we had. I dropped down a hardtail for a good while but nothing big was on the reef. Dropped a few frozen cigar minnows down and they got picked apart by little guys. We had to watch a storm blowing up to the south of us, but it stayed far enough away.

We gave up on the Phoenix when I dive boat pulled up, but we'll be back. It's a long run out, but it's probably worth doing again.

We headed back to where I had marked some fish on the way out and both yakntat and myself hook up on some pretty big bonita. BBarton felt left out for a brief moment until he pulled up a fat red grouper on his king duster rig. We tried to find more, but eventually moved on to the next mark. I think I got two more bonita on the way.

The next spot we checked out had fish on it when we cruised by on the way out, but a boat was fishing it so we didn't bother. We ran into fish again and BBarton thought he saw a sailfish break the surface. Then we spotted something odd in the water. We thought it was something weird swimming down and we quickly lost it but found it again and it turned out to be a FAD (last photo). Probably the same FAD Stressless found last month. I dropped my hardtail down and a few minutes later had my first cobia on. It only measured 29, so it went back, but I'm pretty stoked about getting a kayak cobia.

We started to head towards checking out a Tank, but by then it was getting pretty hot and we were thinking about heading in. As we went in we had several storms getting ugly just north of the beach, south of us where we had come from, and to the west where a parasail captain seemed to be using his customer to recreate Ben Franklin's lightning/kite experiment. It got pretty windy and choppy, but we made it in fine and took our time getting things packed up. I don't know about the other guys, but my legs started cramping pretty bad pulling the yaks up to the pavement. Six miles is the farthest any of us have been out in the yaks. I'd probably be up for a little bit further, but not when its 100 degrees and storm cells are popping up all over.


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## bbarton13

had a great time, yall were killing the bonitas! i couldnt get one to save my life except the cigar minnow size ones. my legs hurt also but would do it all over again. heres some of my pics.


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## bbarton13

heres a couple more, including one of the big bonitas they were catching


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## Hydro Therapy 2

Very nice report.


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## Ardiemus

You guys are machines! I would not make it out that far. Good job on catching a wide variety of fish! Bobos are a nice way to tighten up the line on your reel!


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## bbarton13

Wirelessly posted (Iphone )

I could barely keep up with there outbacks with the turbo fins!


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## Chris V

It was a good day for a long haul. Very pleasant weather with the exception of the afternoon storms. 

Good report


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## Wilbur

6 miles?? Dang, that's bold (but cool). Thank for the report fellas.


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## osborne311

what is a fad??


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## sureicanfish

yeah clue me in on the FAD too please. great report, i bet that grouper eats great!!


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## BlackJeep

FAD = fish attracting device. I had never heard of a FAD until I went to one of the Saltwater Series seminars back in March for Cobia. They explained that its basically a tarp anchored to the bottom with floats on top that keep the tarp open and suspended 10-20 ft below the surface. Resident cobia hang on them and it explains why Brandon probably saw a sailfish there.

I'm sure they're not legal because you'd never get a permit for it and you're basically dumping trash that other people will snag on. 

By the way, I'm hurting pretty bad today from the extra long pedal trip. I'm seriously thinking about the Surf to Summit Expedition GTS seat as well, as I was all day yesterday.


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## Caddy Yakker

bbarton13 said:


> heres a couple more, including one of the big bonitas they were catching


Nice! Thats alot of snapper chocolate.


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## Robin

And I thought I was tough going 3mi. out.You guy's are machines!!Nice trip........

Robin


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## Caddy Yakker

Nice grouper! I have never fished Destin before and just curious what depth 6 miles put you guys? I've paddled out to just over 100' off Pcola beach.


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## Stressless

BlackJeep said:


> FAD = fish attracting device. I had never heard of a FAD until I went to one of the Saltwater Series seminars back in March for Cobia. They explained that its basically a tarp anchored to the bottom with floats on top that keep the tarp open and suspended 10-20 ft below the surface. Resident cobia hang on them and it explains why Brandon probably saw a sailfish there.
> 
> I'm sure they're not legal because you'd never get a permit for it and you're basically dumping trash that other people will snag on.
> 
> By the way, I'm hurting pretty bad today from the extra long pedal trip. I'm seriously thinking about the Surf to Summit Expedition GTS seat as well, as I was all day yesterday.



FAD = Illegal


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## BlackJeep

The Phoenix is listed as being in 75' of water and that was fairly accurate +/- 2' for tidal differences perhaps, but we went over an area that went as deep as 80-86'. The wreck has 5-15 feet of relief, so parts of it were reaching up to 60' depths.


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## Night Wing

Great report. From the beach, I've only paddled about 2.5miles to the nearest rig out of Surfside, Texas. 

Thanks for the report and all the great photos.


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## yakntat

I had a great time and loved catching the large bonita. I did eat the one spanish mackeral I caught on the way in. I still can't believe how fast BlackJeep had the cobia to the boat. The poor thing was probably confused on what just happened. Was hoping for an Amberjack, but still had fun. I remember one guy on the dive boat saying I think they are a little far out for kayaks. Haha. BBarton, I need to go buy some king dusters so I can catch some grouper. What a crazy day. I don't think I have slept that good in a long time. My wife poked me at 830 last night and said go to bed.


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## bbarton13

yakntat said:


> I had a great time and loved catching the large bonita. I did eat the one spanish mackeral I caught on the way in. I still can't believe how fast BlackJeep had the cobia to the boat. The poor thing was probably confused on what just happened. Was hoping for an Amberjack, but still had fun. I remember one guy on the dive boat saying I think they are a little far out for kayaks. Haha. BBarton, I need to go buy some king dusters so I can catch some grouper. What a crazy day. I don't think I have slept that good in a long time. My wife poked me at 830 last night and said go to bed.


haha yea that dive boat was laughing calling us crazy and saying we must of had trolling motors! one said "man they must really love fishing to be out this far on kayaks" well he is right! the dive boat capt was very nice and asked us how long we were going to be there and we said not much longer and he said he would wait before they dove!


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## BlackJeep

Yeah, I heard the guy on the boat ask another guy if we had trolling motors to which the guy replied yes. Right about then we grouped up and 'motored' away. 

Did your duster make it to the bottom before the grouper nabbed it or did he come up for it?


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## osborne311

I am still trying to get my head around 6 miles out. Wow!


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## bbarton13

BlackJeep said:


> Yeah, I heard the guy on the boat ask another guy if we had trolling motors to which the guy replied yes. Right about then we grouped up and 'motored' away.
> 
> Did your duster make it to the bottom before the grouper nabbed it or did he come up for it?


i think it made it pretty close to the bottom cuz i stopped to watch you fight the bonita and i felt a bump, bump then bam


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## Foulhook

Fish Attracting Device = FAD. Captains put them out to create a quick structure hoping to attract bait and then larger fish.


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## bbarton13

fad really means Fish aggregating device, but means the same thing heres a couple links on them if interested
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_aggregating_device
http://www.hawaii.edu/HIMB/FADS/
http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/f21/question-about-fads-fish-aggregation-device-8581/
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recreational/saltwater/fads


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