Offshore Trip

[carlf]

I know this is not pier related but had a fun day Friday:

I blew off work and went out on the Double Eagle all day yesterday.
Kept over 40 grunts and porgies, threw back at least 5 short red grouper and 2 short mangrove snappers.
Tossed back some small grunts and tomtates too.
Lost a huge Spanish Mac at the boat, was only hit on a flat line all day.

Yeah its a "grunt-barge" trip but its cheap and some times you need a day offshore.
It was a fun day, only about 20 guys on the whole boat (had the port stern corner to myself), guys fishing closest to me was a super nice retired Army vet, weather was amazing, and I didn't have to drive or clean the boat.

Spinning tackle, light rigs and live shrimp are the key when going on these trips (and avoiding tourist season).
I used a 6500 series rod with 25# line, 3/0 hooks and a 2oz bank sinker with live shrimp. Out-fished everyone else on the boat. 

[tears143]

surprised you didn't get any hogfish with your shrimp bait. Very nie haul for such a short trip.

[carlf]

Not a single hogfish caught all day, surprising right? Also no lanes, no keeper mangroves and no black sea bass.
Captain made two stops where they usually get keeper mangroves and was stumped why it didn't produce. Full moon maybe they're feeding at night??
There were a pile of short red grouper caught. Nice to see that many juvenile ones out there but a keep would have been nice!

Yep, pretty good haul for an 8 hour trip.

Their other boat did a 10-hour with a big group of disabled/blind veterans. They had a pile of fish too, they went farther out to the south. they had a lot of nice lanes and some mangroves.
Very cool to see our vets being taken on a trip like that.

[tears143]

8hrs no lane snapper is pretty weird. Usually get more of them than grunts on the 10hrs.

[Flatsrunner]

Maybe since the snappers have spawned and moved out? Do the double eagle offer any other baits for sale at the docks?

[carlf]

The bait shop at the dock has live shrimp and pinfish. But if you get there early you can catch all the pins you want.

Boat supplies cut sardines and threadfins and squid. No live well onboard for most trips.

I bring a 5 gallon pail with two bubblers and have no trouble keeping shrimp alive all day.