Hot bite...American Red Snapper..with lots of rules.
We ran far offshore this time, and it paid off big!
Is it true: the old guys catch the biggest fish?
William Strasser fought this Goliath Grouper (~60 lbs) and poses with it before it was released.
Captain Eddie with a big Amberjack--about 50 lbs.
Here's an even bigger Amberjack
Red Grouper in the 20-lb class caught by Capt. Eddie.
This 70 lb Cobia--sometimes called "Ling"--is one of the largest we have seen.
Large Gag Grouper can be found on deep water ledges.
Captain Eddie's big Hogfish has this little fellow impressed.
This is an American Red Snapper that Larrie is holding.
Larrie with a very nice Snowy Grouper.
Eddie with a 53 lb gag grouper.
Captain Eddie with a pair of hogfish.
Mangrove Snapper and Gag Grouper.
This happy angler is holding a true Black Grouper.
Kitty Mitchell Grouper...a deep water grouper.
Capt. Eddie displays one of the many American Red Snappers caught on this trip.
Open season in Gulf federal waters opens on April 21. Anglers in Gulf federal waters may keep a four-red-snapper daily bag limit and the captain and crew of for-hire vessels may retain this limit for the first 11 days of the season, from April 21 through May 1. However, beginning on May 2, the daily recreational bag limit for red snapper in Gulf federal waters is reduced from four fish to two per person, and the captain and crew of for-hire vessels no longer will be allowed to retain the recreational bag limit. Book your red snapper trips well in advance to take advantage of this recent rule change.
The recreational Gulf red snapper fishing season closes on Nov. 1, and the minimum size limit for recreational red snapper is 16 inches total length.
These rules may change for the 2008 Red Snapper season...stay tuned.
Limiting out on American Red Snapper and Red Grouper; plus Gag Grouper and Tuna.
Goliath Grouper are protected, even though they are no longer endangered. But it makes for a good fight, and a nice photo opportunity.
The Greater Amberjack is often found near wrecks, and may be caught with live bait. The Florida record is 142 lbs.
This fish weighed in at 87 lbs gutted/drained.
One of the two primary groupers caught in our area. (The other is the Gag Grouper.) Reds are fished by drifting hard bottom or by anchoring over natural limestone ledges. The Florida record is 39-1/2 lbs.
The Florida record is almost 104 lbs. Cobia typically school around inshore reefs and wrecks. If the water is calm, cobia can be sight-fished from some distance as they swim near the surface.
This specimen weighed in at over 50 lbs. The Florida record is just over 71 lbs. To catch this class of fish requires an overnight trip ( and two USCG-licensed captains) to reach the 175 to 250-ft depths.
Amberjack of this size can test an angler's commitment. Larrie used an electric reel to boat this AJ while commercial fishing with Captain Eddie.
Hogfish are sometimes taken by hook and line, but are often taken by spearfishing.
This fish is similar to a Mutton Snapper, even though it appears to have a small black spot below the dorsal fin.
This fish is about 25 lbs, but Snowy Grouper have been recorded to 50 lbs.
The Florida record is 16-1/2 lbs for the Mangrove Snapper; and 71 lbs for the Gag.
Often confused with Gag Grouper, Black Grouper or "Carboreta" is grouped with the gag for record purposes. The Florida record is over 71 lbs.
Also known as a Speckled Hind..
All of these were running 15 - 20 lbs. The world record is just over 50 lbs; Florida record, 46-1/2 lbs.
