Deep Diving Plugs?

[redneckrob]

I remember the first time I fished the Skyway, a guy next to me had a big bucket of artificial, deep-diving lures. Are these any good for fishing near the bottom?

[BigDawg71]

I personally wouldn't try it, too much line and tackle floating around down there to get snagged on

[redneckrob]

Thanks Dawg, you're right.

I really think it would be fun but I can only imagine the breakoffs down there.

[korts]

I saw a guy fishing with plugs over one of the reefs. He was telling me he special ordered them from California for about $10-15 a piece. A few minutes later he hooked up and immediately got rocked up. He turns to me and said "that's the bad part of fishing with these things".
If you have old ones laying around you can try it, but I wouldn't.

[markbe24]

I've had talks about this with quite a few pier rats. a lot of them swear by using big diving plugs for grouper. Apparently you let the tide take it way out over the rock piles and slowly crank in. I've heard a diving depth of 5 to 7 feet is adequate due to how high the rock piles come off the gulf bottom. However with grouper season being closed..I see very little reason to attempt it.

[havetofish]

I have used plugs many times at the pier and been successful. You do have to be careful, obviously, and you don't have to be directly over the rockpiles if they are on the hunt. A grouper will come up and hit them, but you better be ready.
I would bet that the plugs mentioned from California are the Yozuri Pink, which are not to be found locally. I ordered some and had to get them from California. Guess what they were lost to a snag, but did catch grouper.

Below is a couple of photos of my Brother in law, from 4 years ago, with a shortie grouper and a puffer, both caught on a blue and white fresh water plug. I told him it would never work, so he had to prove me wrong and he did.

[juck]

>>I've had talks about this with quite a few pier rats. a lot of them swear by using big diving plugs for grouper.
>>However with grouper season being closed..I see very little reason to attempt it.

We don't all take them home you know,, I've put many a keeper grouper back in, much to the chagrin (and sometimes outright hostility) of those fishing around me.

[grouperscooper]

Great pics Haveto.

Nice seein the east side.Look at that water!

Pics look to be taken around 160ish numbers?

I miss the ole skyway.


They work....but my pockets stay slim.I'll stick to a 10/0 Gammy and fat frisky live baits.

I caught a 19 1/2 on a gotcha plug at sunrise once,pretty cool.

Big swim baits.....cheaper and less likely to get snagged up and just as much fun.