monday 2/26 offshore

Capt Dan Medina · February 2018

Monday the 26th I headed out with Joe (forum member Thunnus), Jack and Sal for an 8-9 hr trip. We met up at the bokeelia boat ramp and we're underway by 630 AM. We made the run out thru Boca grande pass picking up some live hardtails, pinfish and squirrel fish for bait. We had great weather all day with the waves getting smaller as the day went on. We started off at a spot in roughly 85 ft of water. We managed a couple nice jolthead porgies, a red hind grouper (tried to release but it just wouldn't go down, so in the box it went), a small under size scamp, and Sal had a nice one on that came unglued part ways up. We made a move in out to 100 ft where we plugged away at the Vermilion and Lane snapper. Joe sent down a hard tail and was shortly greeted by a gorgeous 27inch red grouper. The tide swing a bit and we drifted off the area, so we picked up the anchor and did a few drifts. Sal picked up 2 nice fat mangrove snapper for the box. Jack sent down a live pinfish which was inhaled by a fat 29 inch red grouper. The bite was pretty consistent all day with lots of throwback snapper and grunts. Had a great time with you guys and look forward to getting out with you again.

tileman · February 2018

Thanks for the report... nice day!

stallan54 · February 2018

Nice day Cap! Please ask the fish you throw back to tell their bigger buddies there's a really nice spot in 75 FOW about 20 miles due west of Knapps Point that there's a really generous amount of chum and large squid chunks tossed over by a 24' Mako. Food competition is probably less too! Send them!!

I've got a 24' Mako with 110 gallon fuel w/ a well maintained 2 stroke 2005 Mercury Optimax. I need to stop being a **** and just go deeper! This past weekend I loaded up on 10-12" lanes, some nice white grunts, and about 4 million short red grouper! I had a lively blue runner down there as well on my bigger conventional and nobody was interested. The bite was non-stop which is always fun... just no biggins.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030354/uploads/editor/kj/ovcnijxmgvqe.jpg

CaptainBly · February 2018

Some of those on the left look like mutton...maybe? Spot on back..

stallan54 · February 2018

Not sure. I thought lanes had spots too. Either way, he made for a good fish fry!

Capt Dan Medina · March 2018

stallan, this time of year, and with the added fresh water releases weve had for the past couple years non stop, the red tide, and cooler than normal water temps (big thermacline), the red grouper bite in shallower hasnt been stellar as it has in the past. The lanes, porgies, grunts, and juvenile grouper are pretty abundant in those depths as you know. Youve got the fuel range to get out deeper... but you know your boat better than I do. Just make sure youve got TowBoat Us membership, an epirb, a good VHF radio... I am a big believer in redundancy... For offshore, I like 2 bilge pumps in my bilge, Pick your days and you should be fine. MY good buddy takes his 20' Angler CC out to the Fantastico when we've got the right conditions.

CaptBly, all lanes. muttons can have a spot as do lanes, but they usually have a little blue in the face as well as generally less yellows. they are usually a much "taller" fish as well. here is a smaller "muffin" mutton for reference along with a bigger one.