Fishing Charlotte Harbor Area (Key West, Hampton: firm, dinner, stainless steel)

[Big House]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Good news/Bad news: I caught over a dozen grouper today and all were bigger than any I've ever caught before. Unfortunately not one of them was a legal keeper. The biggest one was a Gag that measured 20.5" but they have to be 22". Missed it by that much!

We had a great time on the Anglers Dream and the crew was a great bunch. There were close to 40 anglers aboard. Only 3 keeper groupers were landed, along with a couple of keeper sharpnose sharks, lots of Key West Grunts and only one snapper. Quite a few blue runners were filleted and released. We fished in depths ranging from 50 to 62 feet between Boca Grande and Gasparilla Pass.

It was a great day with great weather and fair seas. My keeper grouper continues to elude me.

Do you remember where you went, and how far off shore you were out? Sounds like you did well and were on them!

Last night did you go to the roof top bar on the Wyvern? I was there getting drinks at sunset with some of our guests and a guy was at the bar that looked like your picture. Normally, I would embarrass others around me (my guest and wife) by saying 'Hi' but I wasn't sure - so I didn't, but I did other fun stuff instead.

[Messing About]

Originally Posted by Big House

Do you remember where you went, and how far off shore you were out? Sounds like you did well and were on them!

Last night did you go to the roof top bar on the Wyvern? I was there getting drinks at sunset with some of our guests and a guy was at the bar that looked like your picture. Normally, I would embarrass others around me (my guest and wife) by saying 'Hi' but I wasn't sure - so I didn't, but I did other fun stuff instead.

Nope. It wasn't me at the Wyvern. I haven't been there yet. We went to Gatorz for wings and I was in bed before 10.

@ fox - I personally caught well over a dozen. We fished the stern and saw all the keepers go in the box. Boat had about 3 to 4 dozen keepers of various species.

@ BH:

Yes, I know where we went.
At the furthest we were about 10 miles off. It would have to be really nice conditions (like yesterday) for me to bring my bay boat that far off shore. As I recall, you have a little higher gunwales? If you want to go out there together, I'm confident we can score keepers. The thing yesterday was the charter didn't stay on one spot longer than 45 minutes or so, even though we were hooking up consistently. Saturdays are good for me if you want to go out.

What was cool though, was how many Gags and Reds we'd catch that already had mouths FULL of whole shrimp but they would still bite our pin fish. Our bait would stay alive through multiple releases and catch more grouper with the same bait!

[ladyflyfsh]

Now that grouper season is back on, I'm going to go out on a charter from up here in SRQ. I've been wanting to go out for a while but was waiting for grouper! I'm going to go on a Wednesday so maybe it won't be quite as busy.

[Foxrivman1]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Nope. It wasn't me at the Wyvern. I haven't been there yet. We went to Gatorz for wings and I was in bed before 10.

@ fox - I personally caught well over a dozen. We fished the stern and saw all the keepers go in the box. Boat had about 3 to 4 dozen keepers of various species.

@ BH:

Yes, I know where we went.
At the furthest we were about 10 miles off. It would have to be really nice conditions (like yesterday) for me to bring my bay boat that far off shore. As I recall, you have a little higher gunwales? If you want to go out there together, I'm confident we can score keepers. The thing yesterday was the charter didn't stay on one spot longer than 45 minutes or so, even though we were hooking up consistently. Saturdays are good for me if you want to go out.

What was cool though, was how many Gags and Reds we'd catch that already had mouths FULL of whole shrimp but they would still bite our pin fish. Our bait would stay alive through multiple releases and catch more grouper with the same bait!

Outstanding, what fun that is when they are on! Good report!

[Big House]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Nope. It wasn't me at the Wyvern. I haven't been there yet. We went to Gatorz for wings and I was in bed before 10.

@ fox - I personally caught well over a dozen. We fished the stern and saw all the keepers go in the box. Boat had about 3 to 4 dozen keepers of various species.

@ BH:

Yes, I know where we went.
At the furthest we were about 10 miles off. It would have to be really nice conditions (like yesterday) for me to bring my bay boat that far off shore. As I recall, you have a little higher gunwales? If you want to go out there together, I'm confident we can score keepers. The thing yesterday was the charter didn't stay on one spot longer than 45 minutes or so, even though we were hooking up consistently. Saturdays are good for me if you want to go out.

What was cool though, was how many Gags and Reds we'd catch that already had mouths FULL of whole shrimp but they would still bite our pin fish. Our bait would stay alive through multiple releases and catch more grouper with the same bait!

I will be looking to go out sometime this week. Are you going to be around? I've had non-stop company every weekend for a month, and haven't had the chance to fish much since my daughter and her boy friend came down.

[Big House]

Originally Posted by ladyflyfsh

Now that grouper season is back on, I'm going to go out on a charter from up here in SRQ. I've been wanting to go out for a while but was waiting for grouper! I'm going to go on a Wednesday so maybe it won't be quite as busy.

Lady,
I'm glad to hear you had good success yesterday catching redfish. We went down to Burnt Store for lunch and saw some anglers flyfishing down there near the incoming inlet. I thought it might be you, but I couldn't swing over close enough (water was too shallow for me) to see if I might recognize you.

I'm hoping to go out sometime this week. My wife is pushing for me to go out on Wednesday. So Maybe if your out down near Turtle Bay /Bull Bay again, we can say hi.

[Messing About]

Originally Posted by Big House

I will be looking to go out sometime this week. Are you going to be around?

No, I'm travelling Mon-Fri for the rest of April and the first 3 weeks of May. But Saturdays are MINE! Sundays are hers.

(and for any would be burglars, I have a killer alarm system and a well armed killer wife, so choose a house you won't depart from in a bag)

[Foxrivman1]

BH, now that all the guests are gone, when are you going out this week to fish?

[Big House]

Originally Posted by Foxrivman1

BH, now that all the guests are gone, when are you going out this week to fish?

Yes!!
Today a big line of thunderstorms are coming through (as I type). Tomorrow, my brother an I are going out fairly early, and probably stay out fairly late and fish down by Boca Grande / Cayo Costa.

So, on Thursday, I will give you a report. From what I've heard the red fish are biting around Turtle Bay / Bull Bay area. We may fish over there some - I want some table fare. We will also fish for some tarpon, grouper, and shark. I will fish the drop off area in front of the pass (harbor side not gulf side) for grouper. They like to hang there, and they like to eat crabs. So I'm going to bring shrimp, crabs, lady fish, squid, and whatever live bait fish we can catch.

This weekend sometime, Harbor Hopper and I are going to go out again. Maybe Messing About can find us. Again, if we hit some fish on tomorrow, and have some luck. I can entice him.

[Messing About]

BH - Let's go Saturday and hit some of those spots I have for Groupah.

Here's the early forecast -
SATURDAY
EAST WINDS AROUND 10 KNOTS BECOMING SOUTHWEST IN THE LATE
MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN BECOMING WEST LATE IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 FEET. BAY AND INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.