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Allow me to introduce myself and a couple reports lots o pics

1K views 0 replies 1 participant last post by  troutman57 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello all. My name is Kyle and I am a fishing addict. I posted a bio on my profile so I won't be redundant here. I am a moderator on Florida Sportsman's Fishing Forum where I post lots of reports with some cool pics of our flats fishing as well as grouper and pelagic fish. My goal here is to reproduce these reports right here and hopefully make a few friends that would like to trade some trips back and forth. I love all types of fishing but up to this point steelhead is my favorite. I miss them and need to spend some time chasing them once again. Enjoy the reports!

A report from a trip to the west coast last week.

Ben & and Mickey joined Doc and I for an early April sampler of our Nature Coast fishing. This year I was invited to join Doc to head to the west coast and join our California friends to sample some of their Pacific coast fishing. Two factors were serious considerations when planning this adventure. Being an “intercept” fishery (meaning these fish travel the coast in waves on their way to their spawning rivers) being on the water at the right time is very important. Almost more important is that the weather can foil a trip due to big swells and high wind chop. Mother Nature looked down upon us with a smile as the seas were something we would look forward to on an inshore trip here on the Gulf. The fish were a bit more difficult. A good wave of salmon moved through the week before we arrived and were scarce for the 1st couple days. Monday we trolled all day and hooked 4 salmon that all won the battle. Barbless hooks are mandatory there so a tight line always is crucial. On Tuesday we decided to work one of the numerous near shore reefs for rockfish and lingcod. Much like bottom fishing for grouper and sea bass these fish were in present in numbers along the kelp beds. Yellowtail Rockfish, Black Rockfish, Blue Rockfish, China Rockfish went into the cooler along with a decent lingcod. The tackle is typical of bass levelwind reels and medium action rods with a 2-4 oz. jig and a shrimp fly tipped with squid above on the leader. We  took home a decent cooler of fish on this trip which turned into a tasty fish fry. Wednesday it was Salmon or bust! Doc’s friend Rusty arrived with Doc’s old boat so I fished with Mickey and Ben as Doc and Rusty set out on their boat. It seems that as soon as Doc was off our boat the salmon liked us. 1st  thing Mickey hooked a real nice fish and after a good battle a 33lb King came to the net. That proved to be the only fish we took on the morning bite but as the tide slacked off another rod went off and I landed a 22lb king. A couple more hook ups and long distance releases finished off this day. Doc and Rusty did about the same this day but I will let Doc chime in with the details. Thursday we trolled for salmon again and the first fish took my rod after & only 15 minutes of trolling. A 24lb king came to net after a spirited fight. Ben took the next fish as a 18lb king joined us for the ride in. This wasn’t one after the other fishing but when we hooked one of these brutes it was a real thrill and a team effort to get the fish in the boat. The set up for these fish was rather simple. 8’ rods spooled with 65lb braid, 20’ of 60lb mono leader. The terminal tackle is an 11 inch dodger followed by 25” of leader and a plastic squid (hoochie) tipped with a anchovy. Then it was hours of boredom followed by moments of pandemonium. This was my first Pacific fishing trip although I spent 12 years chasing the same fish on the Great Lakes. The biggest difference is the Pacific fish are great table fare. What a distinct change of fishing style compared to what I have become accustomed to here on the Nature Coast. As the former governor of California said “I’ll be back!”

Leaving the Fort Bragg port A China Rockfish The rockfish take Lee scored big ling of the day you don't lip these babies Awesome electronics made searching easy Note the relief....wish there were gags here!
Been a long time since i held one of these babies!
Another shot of the same fish 22lbs</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>My best this trip 24lbs this was a feeder fish not a spawner</div><div></div><div><br></div><div>Captain Ben with his 18lber</div><div></div><div><br></div><div>Lee with his 20lb salmon (On the water shots to come)</div><div></div><div><br></div><div>OK now we gotta pack them</div><div></div><div><br></div><div>Mickey working the Vacuum packer</div><div></div><div><br></div><div>Fridge shot YUM!</div><div></div><div><br></div><div>Doc sent some shots from their boat I'll post them up real soon.</div><div><br></div><div>Aluminum is the boat du jour over on the Pacific North West</div><div><br></div><div>Doc sold Rusty this boat a few years back and Rusty had to pry Doc's hands from the wheel!</div><div></div><div><br></div><div>Ben's Duckworth was a fantastic vessel for what we were doing</div><div></div><div><br></div><div>Rusty took big fish of the trip by ounces 33 lbs. 8 oz. ...sorry Mickey</div><div></div><div><br></div><div>Docs salmon with a lil too much crop</div><div></div><div><br></div><div>It doesn't take many salmon to fill a big cooler</div><div></div>
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A recent report right out of my own back yard<br><br>
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Neighbors Tom and Laura Howell invited me to do some grouper fishing with them today. My friend Kelly joined us for the day to dig some grouper for her freezer. The plan was to explore a new area a bit deeper than i have been over the past few trips. We shoved off at 7:00 and ran out close to 50' and set up on an area that I knew held some gags. As soon as we dropped out bait the bite was on with a pair of gags one 31 and one 33 inches. The continued with a good 23" red grouper and a few shorts then shut down. Rather than wait them out we started trolling and looking for new bottom and took one 24" gag on stretch 30 which we tossed back. After another 45 minutes of trolling we found some good bottom and set up on it. The bite started to pick back up and before we knew it we took 3 reds between 23 and 27 inches and another gag right at 30. A couple more local moves over new bottom and a couple more grouper at each stop. We counted 14 grouper in the box so we moved once to finish our limit but all shorts. One last move and it was a triple 2 really nice reds over 24 and a 27" gag. One red went back and before we finished we took another short gag and a pair of 24: red grouper. It was another great day out there in grouperville. A variety of Cut bait on Carolina rigs did it all for us today. Tom, Laura and Kelly were really beat after the battle and I was totally exhausted this being my 3rd trip out there since Saturday. Thanks for the great day Tom and Laura!


Nice sunrise

The pirate and the anchor boy

One of many doubles

Me hiding behind a nice gag

Kelly taking the gag caught on a stretch 30

Laura's best gag to date

Kelly and I doubling up

How could ya not smile after a day like this

The crew on the way in

Ditto

I need a bigger table I guess

 
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