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Hunting & Fishing Florida fish'n

Jered Joplin

Jered Joplin

Gunny Sergeant
Commercial Supporter
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 17, 2004
1,164
2
Jefferson GA
www.americanprecisionarms.com
#1
We just had a chance to zip down to FL for the weekend and put the smack on a few critters.

The Snook were off the chart! We had 12 or so over 30" and broke off some sure enough monsters. In all no less than 48 in two trips.
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Not too many Reds on this trip but we didn't target them at all.
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We didn't really try for trout much but when we did it worked out fast.
This was the end result of 30 minutes.
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Tiny little Jewfish. Doesn't look like much but on a trout rod it got interesting fast.
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#2
Re: Florida fish'n


This Pompano is by far the largest I've caught and the largest they had ever seen caught in that area. While they do get larger you won't really find them like that in the Sarasota bay area.
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I think this is called a Robin fish. What ever it was it was ugly and had an appitite to match. For some reason I got the impression that it was going to taste like it looked so catch and release it was.
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Last but not least BAIT that we never got a chance to use. Jacks are a ton of fun on light tackle and the fact that sharks like the way they taste makes me like them even more.
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If any of you are looking for someone to put you on some serious fish Billy can do it. He is 18 years old and competes and beats a lot of Pro's in local tournaments. He will be getting his guides license any day. PM me if you want his contact info.

 
#5
Re: Florida fish'n

Toadfish my friend we have a tournament for them here, nasty sum beeches for sure.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&am...=1&ct=title

I have dents in my stainless baker hookouts delivered via the bad boys. The tail is quite tasty believe it or not. Awesome pics and trip. That feller knows how to put you on em for sure. Buddies loaded a 65 flathead in the boat amongst some large 30lb blues as well, if you and your pops run this way soon they are on.
 
#9
Re: Florida fish'n

Jared,

Nicely done. Did you guy's stay in shore or did you go out into the gulf as well?

We went out north of Clearwater on Saturday, some good hits, a couple trout, grouper, whiting. No Snook or Reds though. Sharks were hitting the green backs we cast for. Trout hit the shrimp.

The mighty gulf was pretty choppy and got me pretty green
sick.gif
.
 
#12
Re: Florida fish'n

I was there at the same time Jered was and actually fished between Longboat and Lido Key yesterday. The numbers of Tarpon down there are unbelieveable this year. BTW off Siesta Key beach every morining I was catching a couple of Snook. Average size was 28" however I saw a guy catch a 36" down the beach a bit. The residents of Sarasota County are very lucky for living in such a beautiful part of the country. BTW I ate at a place called the "Waterfront" off Tamami trail and had the best NY Strip ever. Theres good eating places down there.

Jered, call me next time! Well go 50 miles offshore and catch some 40lb Amerjacks
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Punishment
 
#13
Re: Florida fish'n

Was it some kind of secret custom rifle maker convention down there in Sarasota?

You fellas make it over to the Manatee range while you were here? 1000 yards and a lot of crap to shoot at there!

BTW, what are you using to avoid sea nausea?
 
#14
Re: Florida fish'n

I don't really get sea sick. I was damn near born on the water on the west coast. Plus we were inshore it's not an issue. What I have found that works the best for my friends is the patch that you put behind your ear. It's prescription Dramamine and seems to work well for them.

Mark,
I swear if Shimano comes out with a better real I won't even touch it because I know I'll have to have some. Do you need them.......no......but when you get a smoker on a real that way to small for what you are doing a good drag is going to pay for itself quick. I get them for around $500. I would find paying $700 for them a little more difficult but would still buy them because I don't have it in me to do less.
I'm going to call you next time before I go. I will be back down at least once more before the end of Aug. and possible twice. We'll I'll put it like this. If I have the time I'm gone. The next few week ends I have some range work to do and finish fixing my boat but come July it's open season.
 
#15
Re: Florida fish'n

Ive got the Diawa Certate 2500 reel and a Shimano Sustain 3000 that I use down there. The Certate ive got is a awesome reel but I think it goes for 400.00. Ive never had a problem with Diawa's high end stuff and the drag system on a Diawa is downright insane on how strong it is. The Stella was just a little to much for me even with a discount and I couldnt justify the extra cash. The largest Snook I caught down there was a 37" 3-4 years ago. Were talking about going down there again in Feburary which is awesome time for Redfish and we always every year go down in the first week of June to run down the Tarpon. Our offshore trip was cancelled due to the front that moved in on Friday and the change of wind from the West that was moving 20mph. I think offshore is my favorite of all. Around 50miles out theres a natural spring that comes up from the bottom of the ocean that the Amberjack patrol it pretty well. Last year we motored up on it and the AJ's come flocking to the boat. I dropped down a Bluerunner and WAMMMM. They call them reef donkies for a reason! We were catching them in the 30-40lb range and kept 4 of them. Then we moved out and caught or limit of Red Snapper and Grouper and was done by 10:30am. So ill have to wait another year for that but it will give me something to look foward to. There was also talk about going to the phosphate pits in Boca Grande and hooking up on a Jewfish. However my buddy couldnt find a rod or reel big enough to catch one on so I told him I might invest in a accurate or avet reel and a big rod just to tackle one of those monster next year.
 
#18
Re: Florida fish'n

Look at all the tastey little critters. Kinda makes me hungry!

Mark,
Just let me know next time you are coming in advance. I'll try to hook up with you. I felt like the winter was a little slow for me so I don't know if I'll make that trip any time soon again. The fish are good but slower. Let me know.

Trigger,
that Pompano may not be much to some people but I've never seen one that big. while I know they get larger I probably just ate the area record.
 
#21
Re: Florida fish'n

No, fishing is kinda like poison ivy and I've been trying not to scratch it with everything else going on. My bud Geo shot a 40lb amberjack weekend before last and he may be going down to Hatteras next weekend to do some more. You just can't put lines in the water with free divers and I can't hold my breath that long......

I've got to see if he has an extra berth (or 2
wink.gif
)for that yellow fin trip he is planning in August.

Did that fella who had his tube contoured find that extra 1/2 MOA when he went home?

Cheers,

Doc
 
#25
Re: Florida fish'n

K7714,

The Tarpon in Boca was insane. We werent fishing the pass but we were fishing in the Bay. Of course it looked like a 3 ring circus in the pass and man there were some big Tarpon there. The definatly were biting on threadfin, and I had 1 on a bobber come out of the water and nailed a pinfish.

We could see the pass and of course when the tide went out the fish shut down on us. Roy had a hammerhead a couple days before we got there pin a tarpon that was just released against the boat and took a bite out of it. The shark was so close to the boat his fin was hitting the side of the boat. It was my first time at Boca and it didnt let me down.
 
#29
Re: Florida fish'n

We don't have that big of fish up where I am from but here are a couple of pics of what we catch in the north. From what I see it's a little colder up here than down south.
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The older guy is my dad and apparently I am the younger one.
 
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