Gone Fishin' Too 4/12/2010

Gone Fishin' Too · 04-14-2010, 02:18 PM

Well I was off Monday, and didn't really have plans to go fishing, I really needed to do some chores around the house. I planned on cleaning the garage and about 5 minutes into it, I thought "the hell with this!!!!, it's too nice not to go fishing". It was going to be a late start and I wouldn't be getting the boat on the water until about noon, but I didn't care. My wife was working and I called her after I was already in route with the boat in tow so she couldn't make me feel guilty, and I told her "Sorry I've been such a bum around the house lately, I plan on making it up to you--------So I'm going to go work on my tan!!!!" :moon:moon:moon

She didn't think it was as funny as I did, but when nature calls, you just have to heed the call.

I bought a couple of downrigger's from a PFF member a couple months ago and didn't really have a chance to try them out since grouper fishing was closed until April 1st:banghead:banghead:banghead. Well I got some great advice from a fellow PRFA member and decided to give it a try. Since I have never used a downrigger I figured I better start out with just one. I set the downriggera few feet off the bottom pulling a lure similar to a stretch 25' with a smaller lip on it. I wanted to use a pink or red/white color lure, but the only ones I had were green with tiger stripes. I started pulling it east of Fort Pickens and headed west towards the Fort. It was no more that 5 minutes and my rod was bouncing - Fish On!!!!! It wasthe nicest grouper that I have caught in the bay, I'm not sure how much it weighed, but it was about 26 inches long. I thought this was going to be too easy. I tried to get my limit of gags, which is 2 :banghead, and never did get another knock down all the way to the pier. I thought with one gag it was already my lucky day, and I pulled up the downrigger and whipped out my cobia rod and rounded the corner into the gulf to see if I could find my first cobia. I slow trolled in about 10 feet of water all the way up to the beach pier with no sightings. The water was pretty and clear in the 10 ft range. I didn't have much expectations in my boat in being able to actually sight one, drive the boat, cast on it, hook it and land it by myself, but it sure did beat cleaning the garage. After going to the beach pier, I turned around and cruised back to the bay to try to catch my 2nd grouper. This time I got brave and tried both downriggers at the same time. That is a real challenge to manage both downriggers and drive the boat and try to keep the boat at the same depth range. I drove around for another hour or so with no more luck. I did get some good experience and had a great time. I can't wait to try it again.

Brad King · 04-14-2010, 02:21 PM

Great work!! That is a stud grouper

Ultralite · 04-14-2010, 02:23 PM

way to go christopher:clap that's a nice fish and will feed the family...and a heckuva lot better than cleaning the garage! (which i need to do too)...

KAYLEIGH E · 04-14-2010, 02:56 PM

wow great fish. I tried the very thing on tuesday with no luck. but i did ge tto watch the blues and catch a few reds. Ill have to try again now that ive seen that fish of yours.

Jason · 04-14-2010, 03:07 PM

Nice grouper brother....at least you are getting the hang of them down riggers!:letsdrink Great job getting out and enjoying this weather we are having!:letsdrink

Private Pilot · 04-14-2010, 08:25 PM

Excellent report! :hungry

Chris Phillips · 04-14-2010, 08:38 PM

Good job! I betthe wifewas happy when dinner time arrived with that fresh grouper...

mdrobe2 · 04-14-2010, 11:18 PM

You should recruit some help from the forum- lots of people on here would have loved to go with you and help. I have taken a guy fishing(from the forum) on my boat before and it was a good experience. Most folks want to help with gas, bait, ice, etc.

Gone Fishin' Too · 04-14-2010, 11:19 PM

We had Grouper tonight!!!!! It was delicious. We grilled one whole fillet and I chunked up the other half and deep fried it with Zatarain's Southern Crispy fish fry. I also cut out the cheeks and throat and deep fried them. It was awesome!!! We cooked a lot of fish and there wasn't much left over. I can hardly move. Can't wait to do it again.

bluffman2 · 04-14-2010, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Gone Fishin' Too (4/14/2010)We had Grouper tonight!!!!! It was delicious. We grilled one whole fillet and I chunked up the other half and deep fried it with Zatarain's Southern Crispy fish fry. I also cut out the cheeks and throat and deep fried them. It was awesome!!! We cooked a lot of fish and there wasn't much left over. I can hardly move. Can't wait to do it again.

how dare you....you need to be using our "Krispys fish fry"

good job on the grouper....i will bring you a sample of our fish fry to the next get together!!!:clap

04-14-2010, 02:18 PM	#1
Gone Fishin' Too Senior Member Snapper Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pensacola,Florida Posts: 435	Gone Fishin' Too 4/12/2010 Well I was off Monday, and didn't really have plans to go fishing, I really needed to do some chores around the house. I planned on cleaning the garage and about 5 minutes into it, I thought "the hell with this!!!!, it's too nice not to go fishing". It was going to be a late start and I wouldn't be getting the boat on the water until about noon, but I didn't care. My wife was working and I called her after I was already in route with the boat in tow so she couldn't make me feel guilty, and I told her "Sorry I've been such a bum around the house lately, I plan on making it up to you--------So I'm going to go work on my tan!!!!" :moon:moon:moon She didn't think it was as funny as I did, but when nature calls, you just have to heed the call. I bought a couple of downrigger's from a PFF member a couple months ago and didn't really have a chance to try them out since grouper fishing was closed until April 1st:banghead:banghead:banghead. Well I got some great advice from a fellow PRFA member and decided to give it a try. Since I have never used a downrigger I figured I better start out with just one. I set the downriggera few feet off the bottom pulling a lure similar to a stretch 25' with a smaller lip on it. I wanted to use a pink or red/white color lure, but the only ones I had were green with tiger stripes. I started pulling it east of Fort Pickens and headed west towards the Fort. It was no more that 5 minutes and my rod was bouncing - Fish On!!!!! It wasthe nicest grouper that I have caught in the bay, I'm not sure how much it weighed, but it was about 26 inches long. I thought this was going to be too easy. I tried to get my limit of gags, which is 2 :banghead, and never did get another knock down all the way to the pier. I thought with one gag it was already my lucky day, and I pulled up the downrigger and whipped out my cobia rod and rounded the corner into the gulf to see if I could find my first cobia. I slow trolled in about 10 feet of water all the way up to the beach pier with no sightings. The water was pretty and clear in the 10 ft range. I didn't have much expectations in my boat in being able to actually sight one, drive the boat, cast on it, hook it and land it by myself, but it sure did beat cleaning the garage. After going to the beach pier, I turned around and cruised back to the bay to try to catch my 2nd grouper. This time I got brave and tried both downriggers at the same time. That is a real challenge to manage both downriggers and drive the boat and try to keep the boat at the same depth range. I drove around for another hour or so with no more luck. I did get some good experience and had a great time. I can't wait to try it again. __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> Christopher Knieja ><((((º>`·.¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·..¸><(((º> "GONE FISHIN' TOO" (Recreational Fisherman) 2001 19' Cape Horn 200 HPDI Yamaha Pensacola,FL kniejac@hotmail.com Christopher Knieja cell # 850-261-9409 MMSI# 338089788 Secretary of the PRFA http://www.fishpensacola.net

04-14-2010, 02:21 PM	#2
Brad King Senior Member White Marlin Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Gulf Breeze Posts: 3,450	RE: Gone Fishin' Too 4/12/2010 Great work!! That is a stud grouper __________________ Capt. Brad King South Again Charters LLC 850-316-0997 www.southagain.com www.pensacolafishcharters.com captbrad@southagain.com Inshore/Nearshore Charters

04-14-2010, 02:23 PM	#3
Ultralite Senior Member White Marlin Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Innerarity Point, ICW, Pensacola, FL Posts: 3,457	RE: Gone Fishin' Too 4/12/2010 way to go christopher:clap that's a nice fish and will feed the family...and a heckuva lot better than cleaning the garage! (which i need to do too)... __________________ "Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the worked are so formidable as the will and moral and courage of free men and women. It is a weapon adversaries in today's world do not have". -Ronald Reagan, USA

04-14-2010, 02:56 PM	#4
KAYLEIGH E Junior Member Cigar Minnow Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 10	RE: Gone Fishin' Too 4/12/2010 wow great fish. I tried the very thing on tuesday with no luck. but i did ge tto watch the blues and catch a few reds. Ill have to try again now that ive seen that fish of yours.

04-14-2010, 03:07 PM	#5
Jason ~~~~~~~Creepin'~~~~~~~ Grand Slam Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: In the woods, lookin' fer ticks! Posts: 7,930	RE: Gone Fishin' Too 4/12/2010 Nice grouper brother....at least you are getting the hang of them down riggers!:letsdrink Great job getting out and enjoying this weather we are having!:letsdrink __________________ Deuteronomy 1:41 Then you replied, “We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us.” So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.

04-14-2010, 08:25 PM	#6
Private Pilot Senior Member Grouper Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Gulf Breeze Posts: 1,079	RE: Gone Fishin' Too 4/12/2010 Excellent report! :hungry __________________ ---------------------------- 2012 Hobie Outback

04-14-2010, 08:38 PM	#7
Chris Phillips Senior Member Grouper Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 678	RE: Gone Fishin' Too 4/12/2010 Good job! I betthe wifewas happy when dinner time arrived with that fresh grouper... __________________ Captain Chris Phillips www.hotspotstackle.com www.hotspotscharters.com

04-14-2010, 11:18 PM	#8
mdrobe2 Senior Member Sailfish Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Innerarity Point Posts: 1,285	RE: Gone Fishin' Too 4/12/2010 You should recruit some help from the forum- lots of people on here would have loved to go with you and help. I have taken a guy fishing(from the forum) on my boat before and it was a good experience. Most folks want to help with gas, bait, ice, etc. __________________ Mike 2009 Key West 1520 Pro 2009 70 HP Yamaha 2 stroke Garmin 540S GPS/Bottom Machine Sound by Clarion and Bazooka Coastal Night Lights Transom LED's Minn Kota Riptide Co-Pilot/Auto Pilot GPS Enabled Remote Control Trolling Motor

04-14-2010, 11:19 PM	#9
Gone Fishin' Too Senior Member Snapper Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Pensacola,Florida Posts: 435	RE: Gone Fishin' Too 4/12/2010 We had Grouper tonight!!!!! It was delicious. We grilled one whole fillet and I chunked up the other half and deep fried it with Zatarain's Southern Crispy fish fry. I also cut out the cheeks and throat and deep fried them. It was awesome!!! We cooked a lot of fish and there wasn't much left over. I can hardly move. Can't wait to do it again. __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> Christopher Knieja ><((((º>`·.¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·..¸><(((º> "GONE FISHIN' TOO" (Recreational Fisherman) 2001 19' Cape Horn 200 HPDI Yamaha Pensacola,FL kniejac@hotmail.com Christopher Knieja cell # 850-261-9409 MMSI# 338089788 Secretary of the PRFA http://www.fishpensacola.net

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode