# Grouper and snapper and ajs... oh my!



## bnz (Jul 1, 2018)

Had the chance to haul my boat down to Key West and fish with cudaman (Herbert) and mjs799 (Mario).  After loading the boat full with all our tackle, 14 different rods and about 7 different coolers (food, drinks, bait, chum, ice) we went west to 1' seas out past the Marquesas.  Around 40 miles out we see a big school of something porpoising through the water.  As I got closer to it with the boat, thinking it was a pod of dolphin, realize it was too small to be dolphin.  Got even closer and this is what we see...








It was a large school of tarpon with their minds set on getting somewhere.  No interest at all in what we through at them.  Still very cool nonetheless!


We get to our first mark at some hard bottom and it really did not look to promising on the fishfinder.  We decide to drop and for most of the day it was grouper, snapper, and porgies drift after drift.

Herbert with a nice black:





Me with a porgy:





Mutton:





Porgy:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/26WfEPx]
	


Mario and I doubling up on muttons:






We were consistently catching fish on both jigs and bait when Mario hooks into something big a couple of times but ends up getting cut off each time.  Thinking he had gotten sharked we stuck with it.  

I end up with this scamp:





And then Herbert hooks into a really nice fish.  This one definitely took a while to get up. When we do get color all three of us are blown away!  No idea goliath were even out this far!





Later in the afternoon we decide to hit a couple of different spots.  We pull up to the first and this is what my screen looks like:





Pure jigging paradise!  it turned out to be a huge school of amberjack in the 40-60 lb range.


[url=https://flic.kr/p/LaYyLw]
	

[url=https://flic.kr/p/28eygQN]
	





If we weren't already tired from reeling up fish and the extreme heat (if you've ever fished the Keys you know what we were up against) we could have stayed at this spot and caugth aj on every drop the rest of the day.  

Moving on we continued to pick off fish.

Mario with the sole red snapper of the trip:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/28eygU5]
	


Another nice mutton:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/LaYyHf]
	


At night we found some rock piles and decided to anchor up.  I put out some special chum that I had made and it ended up drawing in flying fish like I have never seen before.  We had this huge school around the boat all night. Probably had two dozen fly into the boat!  Instant bait.  I know Herbert and Mario were both hit in the head at least once and I had one hit me in the groin!

Continued to catch some muttons and the red grouper bite even turned on for us.






It was a great trip, as usual, and one I will definitely do again. I know I ended up with a full limit of grouper, and just one shy of a full limit of snapper (even notice the large mangrove in the pic).


[url=https://flic.kr/p/26Y1nbH]
	

[url=https://flic.kr/p/LcJHfw]
	
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## mizzippi jb (Jul 1, 2018)

Very nice!


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## swamp hunter (Jul 1, 2018)

Lot's of good eats right there. I put a couple nice Red Grouper in the boat yesterday.
Water temps are running near 90 so our ( Marco ) Grouper are at 50 miles out or so.


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## walkinboss01 (Jul 1, 2018)

Looks like an awesome trip. Congrats


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## Cmp1 (Jul 1, 2018)

Nice catches, and congrats,,,,, good eating right there especially the black,,,,,


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## Cmp1 (Jul 1, 2018)

Did you get the Goliath in the boat,,,, that thing is huge,,,,


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## georgia_home (Jul 1, 2018)

Wow! Just looks awesome!


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## oops1 (Jul 1, 2018)

You had a day that everybody dreams about.. Holler at me when y'all need another deckhand.


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## bnz (Jul 2, 2018)

Cmp1 said:


> Did you get the Goliath in the boat,,,, that thing is huge,,,,



It is illegal to take one out of the water.  Hook was removed with it in the water and released to swim away.


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## blood on the ground (Jul 2, 2018)

What a day on the sea!!!! That scamp ... Well all I can say is Mmmmm!!!!


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## Cmp1 (Jul 2, 2018)

bnz said:


> It is illegal to take one out of the water.  Hook was removed with it in the water and released to swim away.



Are they endangered?


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## swamp hunter (Jul 2, 2018)

YUP , And when you take a fish that size out of the water their internal organs collapse and they sometimes die


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## Rabun (Jul 2, 2018)

What a great trip!  Those donkey's will wear you out.  Y'all put some fine fish in the box!  Congratulations!


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## Cmp1 (Jul 2, 2018)

swamp hunter said:


> YUP , And when you take a fish that size out of the water their internal organs collapse and they sometimes die



Pressure change,,,, I didn't realize they were endangered,,,, thanks,,,,


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## BWebb88 (Jul 2, 2018)

i need a friend like you. hahaha.

thats a good day...


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## notnksnemor (Jul 2, 2018)

What church do you go to to get 1' seas?
I want to join!


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## trubluau (Jul 6, 2018)

That was an awesome trip. I've been wanting to haul my boat down there and fish west towards the Tortugas. We have had a great year this year with grouper and snapper out of Keaton but the Keys can give you so much more variety on any given trip. Congrats on an awesome day.


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## trubluau (Jul 23, 2018)

Also I see the Tax man in that first AJ picture. I hope they didn't mess with you the whole time.


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## mike1225 (Jul 23, 2018)

Awesome Trip!


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