Sunday April 11th SSP report

[goindeep]

C'mon guys, you KNEW Id be the first to post a report....lol...

So Thursday I think it was, I got a call from an old Pier and forum regular...Asked me if I was riding to the SSP solo...as a matter of fact, I was...so long story short, I picked up SkyJay this morning at about 6:30am to head on out

Got there at about 7:30am....Rich (fishonfishoff) was already set up in the alley and had us a section roped off with police CAUTION TAPE...lol...

So we set up shop and before long, Chris (Dive2CFish) and Marrio's crew were there (Ripnlips, KnottyByNature, and friends)...quite the alley reunion today...its that time of year...ya gotta love it. It was great seeing everyone again after a LONG COLD WINTER. So we've got myself, fishonfishoff, SkyJay, ripnlips, KnottyByNature, Dive2CFish, and BillJacques down the way a bit...the forum is in full force...

It was Incoming tide, which was scheduled to last until about 12:20-1:00 pm...yeah riiiiight. Anyway, whitebait was easy to come by as well as pinners....Everyone was just gettin ready, and messin around...At about 8am, Rich hooks up with the first fish of the day, about an 18 inch RED GROUPER ...Ive never seen one just 2 inches shy of a keeper at the pier...so we're off and running....everyone was on a fishin mission, so we skipped the pics for some reason....next time, we GOTTA get a pic of the crew for the forum...

Anyway....about 30 minutes later, I hook up with my old friend Sammy (aka SHORT gag, about 12 inches....but Im on the board)...Meanwhile, Jay has a king setup working...but it wasnt happening today...

Then things start to pick up with the Macks. Marrio and crew start hauling them in left and right....Live greenbacks under popping corks...not many other fish being caught around us, but these guys are in the zone...as usual...

A few of us were trying the east side during incoming for grouper...Chris had a few on here and there, and landed a few short gags...I landed an 18 incher...but other than that, not much as far as grouper goes...kinda disappointing after seeing all the reports of the bite being ON, but thats how it goes...

So I decide to get in on the mack action....start freelining live greenies and end up with 5 keepers, ranging from 13 to 18 inches...Jay hooked up with one, only to be robbed by flipper as he was ready to haul it up...lol....sorry bud, damn dolphins had other plans for you today...

Fast forward til about 2pm before the tide started moving out....Marrio and crew were still killing the macks...So Jay, Rich and I started sending out balloon rigs for grouper...Jay had a few hits, then hooks up and lands about a 17 incher...Rich gets rocked up on at least one occasion...and myself, I went oh-for on the outgoing....

Meanwhile, Rip and crew continue to slay the macks...it was an all day slaughter...Im not sure how many they ended up with, but it was a BOATLOAD.

Didnt see any keeper gags come over the rail anywhere, but Bill said someone near him got one on the east side...overall, the weather cooperated, it never rained, and it was great to get back out there and fish with some friends...

So for myself, I brought home 5 mackerel, and gave one to a neighbor (I coulda got more but only wanted to bring home what I was gonna eat today)...Marrio and crew were the winners of the day with enough macks to feed the entire forum....lol...

Great day, great weather, great friends....cant ask for much more than that.

I DID of course snap a pic when I got home...I try to include pics with every report...


the 4 Macks I ended up with

And 5 minutes later, filets ready for frying...

[bigmackattack]

nice haul guys. I had a last minute change of plans but i am gonna be out this coming sunday with my younger nephew hopefully. HOpefully i can join in on the reunion next weekend. sorry i missed out but seems lately something always comes up.

great day it sounds like.

tight lines,

BMA

[goindeep]

Yup, great day, everyone was havin fun, and I got to hear some great stories from Jay on the ride home...Jay if you read this, anytime you wanna ride with me on Sundays, just say the word....it was great havin you out there today ...

SkyJay - the newest alley crew member - who woulda thunk it?!?!?! lol...in all fairness though, he HAS been fishin the Skyway since before most of us were born....lol (just kiddin, Jay)...so I guess he could be considered the FOUNDING member of the "alley crew"....

Days like today are what keep me comin back...Man I love livin here...

[grouperscooper]

Sounds like a great day goindeep....

Best part of the report is hearin how all you guys got together.....good stuff bro.

18 inch Red!

fishonfishoff

Good ta hear ya got Jay out there too............he needs it.

ps....your fillet knife looks pretty sharp!!!!

[havetofish]

Great report there Steve. Sounds like ya'll had some fishin fun. So where the heck are the Kings..they should be there?

[BigDawg71]

nice report

[ripnlips]

steve, we ended up with 44 macks for the church fish fry. 120 qt cooler nearly 3/4 of the way filled with macks. we threw a bunch of them back too.

jason, when are you guys coming back down. haven't seen you guys in nearly a year. we will be down on the 25th. hopefully we will be able to get in on the kingfish.

[filletnrelease]

Way to go fellows, wish I could make it some Sunday and wet a line with ya'll. Gonna plan on next Friday/Saturday if anyone can make it. Course this is mighty early to make plans in my business.

[lostmans1]

very nice, i was out there on the boat sunday, the morning was really rough, we had about 2 dozen pins and went through all of those in about an 90 mins. of fishing....had to battle the swells in the 18 ft bay boat, anchoring wasnt an option so we decided to rodeo the pilings....plenty of fish bitin but we couldnt break the 21" mark- u know its lookin rough when u have 3 fish between 20-22" before noon, lol, but we headed back across the north pier to the flats and caught more pins, then headed back, we ended our day around 2 with one keeper(24"). raced back towards st pete, had 15 of our closest friends and did our thing....10 grouper filets, n cheeks, diced into nuggets, coated with ritz crackers, and fried, 4 filets of trout caught saturday grilled, and about 12 filets of sheepshead also cut up into nuggets, then boiled in some lousiana crab boil( our buddy did it and we all second guessed him)....i have no clue what was in that pot but by the end of it it tasted great and melted in ur mouth like lobster, it was awesome, were definately inviting him back:) but i lied, no pics, i do have a video though! lol i recorded my buddy as he hod the rod in one hand and the net in the other with the grouper, it was awesome...lol

[havetofish]

Hey Jack,

Knock it off your making me hungry.

I presume you mean the East side pilings..huh?

[inshorebasher]

great report Steve and the Alley crew. better luck on them skyway groupers next time.

[eaglesfanguy]

I got squat friday night to sat morning. SO i stopped by Land and sea... Picked up 2lbs of Grouper fillets, and there getting grilled tonight....emmmmmmmmm.

[tylerdurden]

hey steve did you smoke those? mackereell are an easy fish to target but i havent come up with a good recipe besides smokeing them? If i do Ill be all bout them

Nice to see some gags are starting to make em in shore, when I start posting pics hope some of the people I have contacted hit me up, I finally got laid off so its all fishing now. tight lines everybody I will post a report when its worth it,
so far just convicts which are starting to leave the area, pretty soon snapper

Damn my dad had been bugging me when the snapper are going to show up

Or any of the other old timers of this forum hit me up if you get some time during the week, I dont fish skyway but Ill show you a few spots that are close to free, but only the alley cats from earlier you know who you ar and made me feel welcome here, I gotta say it sucks without the skyjay poetry and pose showing up here ever now and then tho

[eaglesfanguy]

Maks are great fried. But cut there throats and ice em good. DOnt freeze em.. there gross when frozen. Gotta eat em fresh. And they can be fried, grilled, broiled.

[lostmans1]

yea, well north side main span pilings....on a nice day it wouldnt be a bad idea if no one else on here has a boat, to rent one, i usually rent a boat when i travel down to boca grande and we get a 22 ft pathfinder decked out for 220/day, not bad if u split it 4 ways. somehow i spend 60 bucks everytime i fish the skyway anyways after bait/food drinks/ livewell setup.. actually it doesnt matter what i do im pretty sure i spend 60 bucks even if i do nothing all day, funny how that happens.

[arrantzale]

i broil my macks and they are really good. ive heard people bash them but i think they are delicious. they are right though you cant freeze them and you should eat them same day or day after. i rub the fillets down with extra virgin olive oil and season them liberally then let em sit in the fridge for 2-3 hours then broil them. too good