[| Contents | ]
Date: It's Grouper Time!!
Title: Nov 29, 2004
Date: 29 Nov 2004
Time: 21:11:42 -0500
“What time is it? Grouper Time” “I can’t catch the fish because I don’t have enough time to put the reel in gear before the fish takes the bait!” I heard that this week. Words I’d love to hear more often. Any newcomer to offshore fishing was spoiled this week. In their minds, you just ride out to some random spot, drop down anything on a hook and reel up a big grouper, if you can manage to keep it out of the rocks. Fishing is a simple matter of reeling up fish. I remember this time of year, six years ago, I had a party of two young couples (early twenties). At the time I was fishing out of Suwannee. Well, I ran from Suwannee to Horseshoe and decided to troll Stretch 25’s from Horseshoe to shallow rocks off Pepperfish. We put the 24th and 25th grouper in the box off Pepperfish and we’re back in Suwannee by 1:00pm. They gave me three fish because their coolers didn’t have space for them. As they drove off, I thought, they learned two things: 1) trolling plugs catch grouper and 2) any idiot can do it. They had no idea of the work necessary to spot hop all over the Gulf of Mexico to put together a nice catch. Or the times when extra work, extra gas, extra bait and a patience stretch were necessary bring in a marginal catch. Then there is a another bad scenario...when they find time to come back and fish, they’re going to expect the same experience. Perfect days are hard to replicate. Anyway, I’m enjoying it while it’s happening. Grouper are biting strong in 42’ of water on out. I’ve been running out to 50’, dropping 4 lines back and trolling to the first bottom location. Trolling picks up a king and a couple keeper grouper with some shorts while I learn a new slice of the bottom as we go. When the boat is moving I learn things. When the boat is stopped I learn little if anything. As far a best bait goes...live bait is fantastic, the bait of choice but frozen herring is putting fish in the box fine, too. Whole small grunts, grunt heads, grunt steaks, grunt fillets and butterflied grunt are making folks, are you ready for this...GRUNT. “Are you serious?” is asked of me or Little B as we pin a whole grunt on a hook. “Are you scared?” is the smiled reply. “Give the bait five minutes, if it doesn’t work we’ll switch it out, OK?” Funny, it’s not unusual, in that time period, for them to ask for God. “Oh, God!!!” “He’s busy at the moment, with Iraq and all, but I’ll help as best I can.” “Don’t put the rod butt between your legs, dude.” “Arrrrrgh” “Yea, that tends to smart a bit.” “Nice grouper, you’re in the lead for the big fish pot.” “I’m going to take a five minute break.” “I understand.” Big bait means big fish. I’ve heard good reports of trout taking jigs and shiner tails in 2-4 feet of water both north and south of the river. South of Tater Island and North of Dallus Creek seem to be the most productive areas. If the wind is up plan a day up the creeks in pursuit of red fish, trout and flounder. One thing about inshore fishing, unless it is absolutely miserable, you can tuck in a creek and still manage a good day on the water. Thanks for reading and take care of yourself and your tackle. Capt B