I had the pleasure of fishing with the Jersey Boys on this past Saturday.  Rich Greger, Ray Dimm and Gerry DuBeau were all good experienced salt water fisherman from New Jersey.  Our plan was for a reef trip and hopefully a mixed bag of snappers and who knows what.

The shallow reef bite that has been so successful for the last two months is now waning in my opinion.  The many, many groupers that have been on the shallow reef edge have moved away.  This Saturday we only caught one small grouper and can you believe...no yellowtail.

We started off our day in about 67' of water.  The current was steady and about the perfect speed directly out the back of he boat.  We fished fresh peeled shrimp, squid strips, and scaled ballyhoo chunks.  Nada, nothing, it was just not happening.  As my crew continued the flat lining, I dropped down  a large shrimp on a 1/2 oz jig head.  Almost instant hookup on the bottom.  I passed the rod off and a big mangrove came up. I set up two more rods, this time with 20# spinners and jigs.  The current was strong enough that I even added additional lead weights above the leader knot.  The bottom bite continued strong with BIG lane snappers and more good size mangroves. We picked up an occasional spanish mackerel and also small kingfish. Occasionally, someone would send a yellowtail intended bait back with flat lining techniques.  A tiny 1/16 oz jighead from Z's Jigs was baited with a small strip of squid.  Run off & hook-up with Ray Dimm on the rod.  We knew it was something big, certainly not a yellowtail.  I thought it might have been just a kingfish and expected the line to be cut at any second.  A long fight brought the fish to boatside.  I first had my regular size landing net ready but quickly threw it down and ran for the gaff when I saw the big pink snapper.  19# mutton on 15# class line and leader using the tiny Z's jighead,  UNREAL!  A second big mutton also came on the YT designated rod and 15# line.  This time on a whole shrimp left hanging in the current with the small jighead for angler Rich Greger.

We continued on putting a nice mix of snappers in the box.  None were yellowtail.  Live shrimp were the hot ticket this day.  We had a good supply of pinfish including some small ones but the snappers were not interested in them or fresh dead ballyhoo plugs.  The bite slowed toward lunchtime and a move was in order.  Deeper water this time, but nobody was home.  We moved in early afternoon to an amberjack spot and finished the day there with about 4 hookups but only two fish boated providing us with strong fights and some fish for the smoker.

Ray Dimm and Muttons

Angler Rich Greger and muttons

The happy group with our mix of fish including amberjacks

Close up of our fish.

This post was modified at March 21, 2010 - 11:49am (EST) by TeamTeke