Florida 8th report - winter blues

[JohnMckroidJr]

Hey Ben, Looks like it was a beautiful day and some fun action. Two doubleheaders on the same lure are awesome! As calm as it looks my buddy also flipped during an early morning Saturday launch out of Boca Raton. I think the short period between the waves and an unforeseen sand bar caught him by surprise. Of the 3 kayakers that went out, they were unable to make bait and had a horrible slow fishing day. I was going to go with them but abstained due to lingering COVID symptoms. Those Bluefish are good sized compared to the ones we typically catch farther Sth. Winter often drives them to Florida and we sometimes have runs off the piers and ICW. It looks like your well stocked up with bait for Shark fishing -- Nice.

[BenCantrell]

Thanks John. Getting flipped and tossed back on the beach is certainly a check on one's ego. Hope your covid symptoms clear up soon!

[Oolie]

If you're catching spanish mackerel are you eating them? I'm eager to see a cooking/tasting report. The ones in Baja (sierra) were splendid eating, even in the off season, so I'm eager for a tasting report of the Eastern ones. Weakies too.

[MITCHELL]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[BenCantrell]

Originally Posted by Oolie

If you're catching spanish mackerel are you eating them? I'm eager to see a cooking/tasting report. The ones in Baja (sierra) were splendid eating, even in the off season, so I'm eager for a tasting report of the Eastern ones. Weakies too.

She let both of the ones from this session go. They might have been keepers (12 inch fork length), but they were small. We've kept them before; they're tasty but not as good as snapper & grouper.

[JohnMckroidJr]

Originally Posted by BenCantrell

She let both of the ones from this session go. They might have been keepers (12 inch fork length), but they were small. We've kept them before; they're tasty but not as good as snapper & grouper.

Agree. They can be fun to catch on light tackle, and there is a winter-wide open run of them off Stuart every year.

[daperrin]

Thanks for the great pics. Love to see the beautiful FL coast. Miss fishing down at Pensacola for the big Reds.

[JohnMckroidJr]

Originally Posted by daperrin

Thanks for the great pics. Love to see the beautiful FL coast. Miss fishing down at Pensacola for the big Reds.

I drove up to Pensacola for the offshore King of the Island tournament in 2019. The big Reds in the bay were still there thick. Many of us who had never taken a big Redfish got our first. That is a fun fishery.

[JohnMckroidJr]

Originally Posted by BenCantrell

Thanks John. Getting flipped and tossed back on the beach is certainly a check on one's ego. Hope your covid symptoms clear up soon!

Finally feeling better, Going to hit it somewhere tomorrow.