[Popeye64]

Took my brother out to the 300+ ft natural bottom area which is on the drop off somewhat south of the yellow gravel area. Dropped baits on deep drop rigs (squid and cut mullet, pin fish). Caught a couple huge B-liners, a nice AJ and numerous white snapper, but never got on to a grouper which I was hoping to catch. I had anticipated the Grouper would be thick out there but not on that day. Had a great day and brought back some nice smaller fish and caught some snappers on the way home. But.....just gotta ask those of you fishing the deeper stuff what I need to do different to target a grouper or two. Is there a target depth for scamp versus other groupers, etc....I would like to get a better feel on how to prepare for my next trip out there as it’s a pretty good haul out that far!! Any sage advice would be most appreciated! I hunted around the area and found the blue fuzz on the fish finder indicating fish, but apparently mostly the smaller stuff?????

Advice really appreciated!

 

[stevenattsu]

Only use live bait

 

[Linkovich]

You start getting into scamp good around 180-200'. Live bait or jigs

 

[Popeye64]

Using only live bait makes sense. And 180-200 water is about the shelf edge rather than on the natural bottom out where I was. Do scamp orient to structure in that depth zone? I don’t see a lot of bottom relief in that depth zone along the shelf???

Thanks for the feedback...it helps when you are out to try new stuff!

 

[hjorgan]

I've always wondered what happens to a pinfish that has spent its life at < 10 ft when it gets dropped to 200 ft. Are you better off catching small porgies and rubies at the depth you are fishing?

 

[Linkovich]

Bottom relief on most of the spots we fish is minimal, a lot of times your looking more at changes in bottom density as much as you are relief off the bottom. Some spots mark better than others but the ticket on pretty much any of them for grouper is live bait. You take a tank of live bait back to the spot you just fished and you’ll probably do pretty decent.