SW FL-Bonita Beach: Goliath-Mania, Red Grouper, Kingfish, even a Mahi

:awesome:Monday, six/20, was a ideal day for offshore fishing, and I invested the day in the great organization of Jamie Prolonged, Tom O’Donoghue, Abundant Shamer and Matt Booth. We fished about 36 miles west of New Pass in 70 ft, employing stay shrimp and bait-fish. We created out excellent with red grouper, catching 5 keepers all 22 to 24 inches, and we launched about 35 further grouper that were small of keeper-size. We also caught fifteen great yellowtail snapper to sixteen inches, 20-five nice whitebone porgies, of which the group kept ten, a mess of grunts, and a handful of keeper mangrove snapper to 14 inches. We had a actually great mang on the line at one particular point—about 16 inches—but a barracuda spotted that a single and mangled it as we reeled it in. We also caught a 39 inch king mackerel, and caught and introduced two sharpnose sharks at 3-foot each, a four-to-5-foot bull shark, and 4 goliath grouper ranging 50 to a hundred and fifty pounds. And, our surprise catch of the day was a mahi-mahi, generally caught in Miami and the Keys, but these days we ended up surrounded by them—small ones to about 18 inches.

Tuesday, I had a half-day trip and I didn’t venture as far as I had on Monday. But, that didn’t cease us from acquiring some wonderful catches, about 20 miles west of New Pass. I fished with Jeff Wampler, whose family has fished with me for many many years. Jeff is now second-generation, and now taking his own youngsters fishing. This time, he brought his son, Joe, and also Mike Prolonged, who is Jeff’s daughter’s boyfriend. We utilised pinfish and dwell shrimp to catch four keeper red grouper that ranged 20 ½ to 22 inches prolonged. We caught more than fifty red groupers in all, but only four were keepers, though many of the throw-backs had been only ½ inch shy of keeper-size. We also caught eight wonderful lane snapper, all about twelve inches, and released twenty-five smaller sized ones, along with grunts and some brief mangrove and yellowtail snapper.

I had a lull in fishing journeys for the following week, although this coming full week appears to be a occupied one, that is, if our rainy season’s kick-off will allow me to get out.

I lastly fished once more on Tuesday, 6/28. Monday was canceled, secondary to rain showing up on radar all about the Gulf. I headed offshore Tuesday early morning with Mike Bochman and loved ones, who are repeat customers who check out to get two or a few days of fishing with me integrated in their June trip to our place every single calendar year. Although NOAA had predicted two-foot seas all the way out to 60 miles, we encountered 25-thirty knot winds and tough seas close to the numerous storms in the gulf. We, consequently, did not head out quite as far as we’d have liked to. Fishing in about 43 ft, we caught nine keeper lane snapper, a few Spanish mackerel, all 23-24 inches, grunts and porkfish-keepers. We launched small triggerfish, gag and red grouper, yellowtail snapper, and a 100 + pound nurse shark.

Mike Bochman fished with me yet again on Wednesday morning, this time accompanied by Zach Clark and Steve Anderson. There was nonetheless a whole lot of rain out about the gulf, but we ended up ready to puddle-leap and stay away from the heavier rains. We fished about 17 miles west of New Pass in 39 ft. The trio caught four keeper mangrove snapper, all 12-113 inches, and launched eight more compact ones. We also caught and introduced a few hogfish, a couple of which have been also modest to keep and the other a female, which we chose to release. We also kept eleven nice whitebone porgies and 10 good-sized grunts, along with 3 keeper porkfish. We launched short yellowtail snapper and red grouper shorts, along with a four-foot, 35-pound barracuda. We caught every thing on live shrimp, apart from for the ‘cuda, which bit a grunt that was minimize in half.

Thursday early morning identified me keeping away from rain storms as soon as again, when I fished with Paul McConnell and his two sons, Andrew and Tim. We fished about 20 miles west of New Pass with live shrimp. The boys caught four keeper lane snapper and introduced fifteen smaller ones, 1 keeper mangrove snapper and introduced 10 smaller ones, and a 13-inch keeper jolthead porgy. They also launched triggerfish and red grouper shorts, along with a 4-foot barracuda.

Friday early morning, Mike Bochman fished the very last of his trio of journeys with me this week. It was the only day of the 3 that was rain-free in the gulf. Because Mike and pals planned to head back north the subsequent day, they had no curiosity in trying to keep fish. They determined they’d like to do some goliath grouper activity-fishing. We headed out to catch bait for the huge men: Spanish mackerel to 24 inches, crevalle jacks, ladyfish and blue runners all created it to the bait box. In the program of catching individuals, we also caught and introduced about twenty-5 snappers–mangs and lanes. Following, we set about obtaining the goliaths about tough bottom. Mike and buddies, Zach Clark and Tim Lynch, wrestled with a few goliaths, one particular at 125 pounds, a single at about 200 lbs, and a single about 300 lbs. We called the trip at the 50 percent-day mark, right after everyone had exhausted arm, shoulder and neck muscle tissue!

Saturday began with some unanticipated large storm exercise. I delayed my offshore trip by a couple of hours to allow the worst of the weather to pass, then I headed offshore with Brad Wind, his son, Matt, and close friends, Andrew Williams and Josh Brown. We went searching for goliaths, as this group, like a number of other individuals this full week, wanted to have enjoyable with big game. The men caught and released a total of 8 goliath grouper, ranging amongst thirty pounds and 250 lbs, employing bait that we caught, these kinds of as Spanish mackerel, crevalle jacks and blue runners. We also launched mangrove and lane snappers, as effectively as a great 26-inch gag grouper, which is at the moment out of time.

The picture demonstrated is of angler, Jamie Extended, with a 39-inch king mackerel, caught on shrimp in 70 feet on a current offshore trip, 36 miles west of New Pass, Bonita Beach.

Goliath-grouper battle video clips can be viewed at: