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Post by mazda92940 on Nov 7, 2011 15:10:14 GMT -5
Hi Everybody.
This is a great site with a lot of good information. I just moved to Clearwater from NJ and this site definitley helped me land some fish already. I have landed a bunch of mackerel and a bonnethead so far. I am now targeting grouper but have not had any luck. I usually fish the SSP.
I did not bring a rod that is stiff enough for grouper so I picked up a $50 ugly stick combo until I move the rest of my stuff down here. I loaded it with 50# mono and use a 7/0 circle hook on a about 20" 80lb flourocarbon leader. I have been catching pinfish and mostly greenbacks for bait, then I send them out on a fishfider rig, under a cork, or just free line them. Had most Success with the fish finder rig. I have been catching what I think are crevalle jacks on a sibiki. Not sure if it is them but it looks like them from what I have looked up. Are those good to use as bait as well? There are about the same size as the greenbacks and pinfish.
Any other advice would be greatly appreciated and if anyone is going to NJ to fish I can definitley help you there. Still getting my feet wet with Florida fishing, so cant really help anyone in that department yet.
Thanks again and this is a great site!
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Post by blacktip on Nov 7, 2011 17:03:57 GMT -5
Welcome to the Forum
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Post by eaglesfanguy on Nov 8, 2011 2:23:21 GMT -5
Welcome to the board. You seem set up right. Skyway pier grouper are a difficult species. Sooner or later you will get a dumb one. I do better on the fish finder rig also. But others swear by freelining. Also braided line on the piers is a bonus, there are a ton of snags out there, mostly old mono, and braid will sometimes cut through the old mono snags. The fish you are getting on the sabiki are probably Bluerunners. Excellent bait! You might also want to familiarize yourself with the structure locations. look in the pics part of the forum. Browse around some people have done the homework and highlighted the rubble piles. Snag city, but your best option for getting that Gag.
Lizard fish is also a great grouper bait.
You didn't mention what kind and size of reel you are using. Fire away with any more questions.
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Post by eaglesfanguy on Nov 8, 2011 2:24:36 GMT -5
Sooner or later you might have a day like this.
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Post by BigDawg71 on Nov 8, 2011 22:42:57 GMT -5
welcome
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Post by mazda92940 on Nov 9, 2011 11:31:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the info and the welcome!
As far as rods and reels I am using: 10' Penn captiva w/ a Daiwa 5500 Baitrunner 9'6' Lamiglass with a Captiva 8000 which I use mainly for throwing lures 6' ugly stick combo I picked up at Walmart 7' spinning no name combo that I use for sabiki's or just to throw a lure out with some light tackle.
I have a couple more rods which I am storing back in NJ. Those are set up for either Fishing for trout (5' spinning with 4lb test) in streams and the rest are set up for NJ Surf fishing (10' and 12' surf rods with spinning reels). I do have a boat rod which is a 6'6" Tsunami with a shimano corvalus 401 which is coming back with me next trip I make up north. Couldnt fit it in the car when I moved down here.
Eaglesfanguy: the fish i am talking about have a completely yellow tail. I am still learning so I even throw those suckers on a hook and what to see what happens. Trial and error - best learning method.
I am out on the pier pretty often. Probably the only on with NJ plates out there.
Thanks again! Very informative site
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Post by tears143 on Nov 9, 2011 11:42:36 GMT -5
Probably a skipper jack, not worth getting poke at and fish don't usually eat those guy.
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Post by dolfan015 on Nov 9, 2011 19:02:44 GMT -5
I caught a bunch of the same fish with a sabiki rig. They look like amber jacks and has a yellow tail. I was also wondering what they were.
I have had some success catching groupers using cut greenbacks. Your gonna have to cast far enough to reach the ruble or rocks. Goodluck...
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Post by havetofish on Nov 9, 2011 23:32:58 GMT -5
They are probably Leather Jackets if they look like this: Better watch those dorsal fins, once your are stung with one, you'll always remember. "The dorsal and anal fin spines are connected to venomous glands and can inflict painful wounds so caution should be used when handling this species. Little is known about the properties of this venom. " LinkyOh and Welcome Aboard
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