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Post by karneei on Jun 8, 2019 18:08:40 GMT -5
Ok, so all this Grouper talk has got me amped up. My plan is to try my had at plugs and swimbaits. I bought a half dozen Bomber Windcheaters and a couple of big lip Mann's Strecth 25. Going to order some 5.5" and maybe even some 9" plastic shads. I have 100lb power pro (yellow) and 100lb berkley big game leader. My question is my rod/reel. I suck with conventional so I'm planning on using my Diawa 6500 BG magsealed reel. It's pretty big for a 6500. I have two rods in mind. First my 10' Oceanmaster Brawler or my 8' 13 Fishing Envy EGS8H. Will this give me a chance or will I get my butt handed to me? My plan is to take just a few items and wander the peir, casting till my arms fall off or I lose all my lures. The biggest Gag I've caught so far, while fishing for snapper, is 16". Welcomming all advice from you Grouper veterans.
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Post by parkpass on Jun 8, 2019 19:59:54 GMT -5
Wind is south then SW, not good for plugging, it will wash your plug back to the pier, unless you choose to fish under the old pier. NE or east winds are best or no wind
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Post by parkpass on Jun 9, 2019 21:41:58 GMT -5
Never used big jigs for gags, but if I did I would use a reel that's castable, at least to the middle of the rockpiles, preferrably along the edges. Not easy if you can't see the rocks, but some days they are clearly visible out just past the last restroom then they fade in the deeper water. When one hits you have about a second to react or you're rocked, same with plugs and when you get rocked with all those treble hooks you're not getting him out, most likely won't feel him again as he's already ripped free. I never take more than 3 plugs, if I lose those I quit
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Post by shadowxmas on Jun 9, 2019 22:12:53 GMT -5
MM Posted on another thread re getting hooked in the rocks with treble hooks on the plugs and switching out the treble hooks for j hooks. He also posted a picture of his plugs with the j hooks.
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Post by parkpass on Jun 9, 2019 22:22:39 GMT -5
Might be the way to go, gags don't always inhale a plug, they just whack the crap out of it and get hooked outside the mouth. I think the plugs just piss them off and they're trying to get rid of something that annoys them, snook do the same thing
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Post by Fish.On. on Jun 9, 2019 23:28:31 GMT -5
Never used big jigs for gags, but if I did I would use a reel that's castable, at least to the middle of the rockpiles, preferrably along the edges. Not easy if you can't see the rocks, but some days they are clearly visible out just past the last restroom then they fade in the deeper water. When one hits you have about a second to react or you're rocked, same with plugs and when you get rocked with all those treble hooks you're not getting him out, most likely won't feel him again as he's already ripped free. I never take more than 3 plugs, if I lose those I quit On a bright sunny day you can see the rock piles on the sides easily but once you walk directly in front of it, its hard to see. |
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Post by parkpass on Jun 9, 2019 23:34:13 GMT -5
That's true, it's a guessing game at best, thing is the current doesn't run straight with the rockpiles, it runs at an angle across them. To get to the very end of the piles you need to start your bait/plug 20yds up current
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Post by karneei on Jun 9, 2019 23:57:07 GMT -5
MM Posted on another thread re getting hooked in the rocks with treble hooks on the plugs and switching out the treble hooks for j hooks. He also posted a picture of his plugs with the j hooks. Yes, saw that. I am considering that. They might be stronger than the trebles that come with most plugs anyway. |
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Post by parkpass on Jun 10, 2019 0:05:25 GMT -5
Do as you will but I know a few pluggers out there and they all stick with the trebles, sure they lose some plugs but that doesn't stop them, they know the game
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Post by karneei on Jun 10, 2019 0:42:13 GMT -5
That's true, it's a guessing game at best, thing is the current doesn't run straight with the rockpiles, it runs at an angle across them. To get to the very end of the piles you need to start your bait/plug 20yds up current Trying to visualize this. So cast past the piles at an angle and bring them across diagonally against the current? |
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Post by parkpass on Jun 10, 2019 1:07:58 GMT -5
Not necessary with a weighted jig, but with a floating plug you should see the rockpiles or know it's exact location and move back to your left 10-15 yds then cast to the left side and feed out line. On a falling tide current moves left to right. Some guys can see and watch their plug but my eyes are shot and I can't follow mine. Once out there you can make your plug come straight back over the piles. Crank it down and stop, let it wobble, use your rod to move it slowly closer, don't crank, move your rod left and right, give it some slack let the plug come up and reel it back down, keep it off the rocks and stay focused, a strike could come anytime. One thing you should never do is float it out then crank like hell
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Post by parkpass on Jun 10, 2019 1:43:49 GMT -5
I wanna drive up out there one day and watch you sling a 28" gag on the deck with a face full of treble hooks
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Post by Mackerelman on Jun 10, 2019 7:53:49 GMT -5
MM Posted on another thread re getting hooked in the rocks with treble hooks on the plugs and switching out the treble hooks for j hooks. He also posted a picture of his plugs with the j hooks. Yes, saw that. I am considering that. They might be stronger than the trebles that come with most plugs anyway. Since I switched out the Treble Hooks to J-Hooks, I haven't got caught up in the Rocks. I tried My Lures last Week and I had No Problems getting Hung Up. I casted Straight Out & Diagonally with No Problems. |
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Post by parkpass on Jun 10, 2019 15:14:03 GMT -5
It's the big lip that hits the rocks first which can feel like a hit and fool you into rearing back thus snagging the hooks
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Post by Mackerelman on Jun 10, 2019 16:16:03 GMT -5
It's the big lip that hits the rocks first which can feel like a hit and fool you into rearing back thus snagging the hooks And that is why I Switched the Treble Hooks to J-Hooks. Plus I got Rocked because of that. I had to say Adios to that Lure.  |
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Post by karneei on Jun 10, 2019 16:18:25 GMT -5
I wanna drive up out there one day and watch you sling a 28" gag on the deck with a face full of treble hooks That would be awesome. It's a long shot, but I figure atleast I'll have fun trying. And you never know what might be out there and hit that plug. |
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Post by corpuszero on Jun 19, 2019 19:25:03 GMT -5
Are most skyway groupers able to be swung up onto the pier with just the rod alone? Or would you guys recommend a pier net every time? How often are people losing groupers by trying to swing them up?
I threw a pinfish out there today and something big ripped it off my hook so that got me thinking about how I would land a fish like that.
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Post by parkpass on Jun 19, 2019 19:34:01 GMT -5
More gags are lost to flipper using a net than any that get lost slinging. Get the right gear, better yet, get out there and watch how it's done, then get the right gear. If you're not serious about it, then nothing else matters
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Post by Fish.On. on Jun 19, 2019 21:23:56 GMT -5
Are most skyway groupers able to be swung up onto the pier with just the rod alone? Or would you guys recommend a pier net every time? How often are people losing groupers by trying to swing them up? I threw a pinfish out there today and something big ripped it off my hook so that got me thinking about how I would land a fish like that. Probably depends on size. Pretty risky though. I sometimes have trouble swinging over 20"+ macks. But my guess is the more backbone your rod has, the easier slinging them over. |
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Post by corpuszero on Jun 19, 2019 22:47:25 GMT -5
Are most skyway groupers able to be swung up onto the pier with just the rod alone? Or would you guys recommend a pier net every time? How often are people losing groupers by trying to swing them up? I threw a pinfish out there today and something big ripped it off my hook so that got me thinking about how I would land a fish like that. Probably depends on size. Pretty risky though. I sometimes have trouble swinging over 20"+ macks. But my guess is the more backbone your rod has, the easier slinging them over. My plan is to sling them over without regard to breaking my rod and go from there. |
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Post by Mackerelman on Jun 20, 2019 8:25:51 GMT -5
If You cannot sling them over the Rail with Your Rod, it may be simpler just to grab the Line and pull them up over the Rail to avoid the Dolphins & Sharks.
Why Sling part of a Grouper up when You can pull up the whole Grouper up over the rail.
I have My own Pier Net to use but sometimes, time is of the essence when pulling up Fish to avoid the predators.
Look at how fast the Dolphins go after the Macks.
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Post by SkyJay on Jun 20, 2019 9:43:03 GMT -5
i keep a small bridge gaff looped to
my belt for the ocaisional Mogan.
Only use a Gaff on obvioisly keeper
fish.
much quicker than a net, prevents losing
that 10 pounder thats not hooked so good.
just my 2cents
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Post by corpuszero on Jun 20, 2019 9:58:36 GMT -5
If You cannot sling them over the Rail with Your Rod, it may be simpler just to grab the Line and pull them up over the Rail to avoid the Dolphins & Sharks. Why Sling part of a Grouper up when You can pull up the whole Grouper up over the rail. I have My own Pier Net to use but sometimes, time is of the essence when pulling up Fish to avoid the predators. Look at how fast the Dolphins go after the Macks. I'm thinking my rod will be able to sling them over, unless they're huge maybe not. Only one way to find out! |
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Post by SkyJay on Jun 20, 2019 12:17:30 GMT -5
if its obviously not a keeper just handline
em up like Makeralman suggested.
No sense smacking the babys on
the roadbed.
Be gentle with em.
Theres a guy on U tube slinging shorts
all over I'd like to have a talk with.
The reason for the size limit and the closed
season is to protect the resource.
If we go smackin em on the road thats bad Karma
if you ask me.
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Post by SkyJay on Jun 20, 2019 12:20:19 GMT -5
also if there are Dolphins present, as there
usually is these days walk down a ways
and release the shorts on the inside so
they have a chance to hide before becoming
lunch.
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Post by parkpass on Jun 20, 2019 20:13:03 GMT -5
Good stuff Skyjay, another reason I prefer big plugs, so many shorts get gut hooked and die.. Why? Because sometimes you can't tell when one hits and when you do realize it he's already swallowed the hook and when you lift him you tear his vital organs, I've seen it and done it, they go belly up and float away. Not gonna happen but I'd like to see a 2yr ban on gag fishing on the SSP so they can recover, especially after what I witnessed during the fall of 2017
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Post by SkyJay on Jun 20, 2019 20:51:02 GMT -5
look for a minimumn size increase soon.
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Post by tears143 on Jun 21, 2019 10:04:36 GMT -5
look for a minimumn size increase soon. Little bird is talking to you about it? So hard to get an 24" grouper at skyway... Well if there's a bunch of them, that just mean they are growing well but also mean we are catching a lot of them. |
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Post by SkyJay on Jun 21, 2019 11:40:26 GMT -5
all the kill shot photos are gonna get their
attention
and they just cant stand it seeing
the pier guys catch fish like that.
itll be going to 26 real soon
they all but shut the hogfish down
this past season with the 2 inch increase
aaand the inshore cobia guys.
the ultimate goal here is to reach total
catch and release fisheries by default.
then and only then will they be happy.
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