# Goals for the New Year



## trippcasey (Jan 3, 2017)

Last year I set 2 goals. Get good at sheepshead, and land big trout. I feel like I did both fairly well. I barely caught any reds last year, and have never in my life landed a true bull red. So this year I have 2 goals.

#1 is land some big bull reads. 

#2 is triple tail. I want to learn to catch them. 

I fear I dont have the proper equipment for either goal. My boat is not a good "other side of the jetties" boat, and most of my gear is too light for bulls. I have one 5000 series Fierce combo, and an old Tiger Stick that is looking for a new reel. That wont be a problem. The triple tail thing might be. I know nothing about them except what I have watched on Youtube. Any advise on either is appreciated.


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## Ratrzcer1991 (Jan 3, 2017)

I know a good TripleTail guy.


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## Huntsman.45 (Jan 3, 2017)

Tripp, when you say bull red, what size are you shooting for?     

I think the 5000 fierce combo would handle a fairly large bull red. I caught a manta ray that was probably 4 feet across on a Penn Pursuit 4000. It would pull my 1720 KW around,  but I had to play it for a while before getting it close to the boat. And man were my arms were tired!!

I want to catch a triple tail. I have only seen one in the sound. It caught me by surprise and didn't have anything to throw to it.


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## Rob G (Jan 3, 2017)

Good goals - these are the fish that I would like to catch this upcoming year from my boat in Georgia waters: tarpon (previously caught on florida pier), spanish mackerel (caught in Tybee surf), cobia (never caught), triple tail (never caught). By the way, I think you have enough reel and pole to catch a bull red. Good Luck!


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## Riplukelee (Jan 3, 2017)

I'm not sure what classifies as a bull red. Always on board for catching big fish. Ive seen a big triple tail up close. We were sitting out over SAV reef early April of 2015 and my buddy had a chum bag tied to the back of the boat. We were not really catching anything so we were sitting down and when I stood up this 17-18" triple tail was lazing right in the shadow of the transom. I spooked him and he zipped down and away.


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## Jimmy Lee Armel (Jan 4, 2017)

We have inadvertently caught true bull reds on 2500 spinning gear. If you want suggestions on what we use daily on the boat pm me. We take people out almost daily that never fish and assure they are successful.


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## sea trout (Jan 4, 2017)

Those are great goals and will be AWESOME FUN when you achieve them this year!!!!

I've never caught a triple tail.

Bull reds are a blast!!! Help them recover in the water when you turn em loose. They really do give it everything they got on the fight to the boat!!


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## trippcasey (Jan 4, 2017)

Some of the bull reds I have seen on here look massive. To be honest I don't know what classifies as a true bull, but I would think it would be much bigger than the upper slot limit. The biggest I've caught is a 30"-32". My ruler stopped at 28". I snagged it on a 3000 Symetre with a 7.5' med/light rod...in a kayak. I'd like to land one well over 36" or more. I don't even know how big they get. I've never targeted them because I cant keep them. What do ya'll consider a bull red? 36" and over?


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## sea trout (Jan 4, 2017)

I don't know the factual answer to that. If there is one it's be cool to know!
My idea kinda, would be somthin like....if we were inshore fishin for trout with shrimp or plastics and we hooked a red that appears to be 8 to 10 maybe even 15ish pounds we would yell excitedly.."bull red!!!"
Then if we we're fishin the channel at dusk or night with mullet or ladyfish and hooked a 20+ pound red we would franticaly yell "BULL RED!!! IT'S A BULL RED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

That's just a little humor on what our uneducated opinion is of a bull red, but I really don't know.
I don't measure them when they're that big so I don't know inches on them.
I used to weigh a few but then I heard a lot of discussion on how its unhealthy for them to be vertical dead weight so I don't weigh them anymore, just in case it does hurt em. 
I just guess a weight now judging by trying to remember the ones I've weighed in the past.

Like you I've seen some pics on here of some MASSIVE reds!!!!
Captain Scott and Captain Richie used to be on this forum often and they've caught some serious massive reds!!!!!!! I've never caught one like them. JimmyLee put up a post I saw with a pretty serious red picture in it just lately.

I hope you post a pic of the ones you catch this year! Man I love all the pictures!!


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## Jimmy Lee Armel (Jan 4, 2017)

My boss and I consider a true bull to be over 36 inches. What the old timers refer to as a stag bass


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## Huntsman.45 (Jan 4, 2017)

Here is what I call a bull red.

Notice the man in the red pants!


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## trippcasey (Jan 5, 2017)

Huntsman.45 said:


> Here is what I call a bull red.
> 
> Notice the man in the red pants!



That's what I'm talking about!! 

One thing I forgot to add is to work on my artificial game. That is a weak spot in my fishing.


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## ssramage (Jan 5, 2017)

My goals for the year:

-Continue to work on making myself a consistent fisherman. I'm hot or miss right now. Some days I catch 40+ and some days I catch none.

-Get my 3 year old son on more fish from the boat. He's caught bass, catfish, and rainbow trout so far but nothing from the boat.

-Catch a bull red from my boat. 

-Catch a tarpon, probably going with a guide to do this.


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## Huntsman.45 (Jan 5, 2017)

trippcasey said:


> That's what I'm talking about!!
> 
> One thing I forgot to add is to work on my artificial game. That is a weak spot in my fishing.



Tripp, my arms were tired after the one.


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## Dexterfish (Jan 9, 2017)

*This one's almost there.*


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## mdgreco191 (Jan 12, 2017)

Great goals to work towards!  Good luck!

My 2017 goals are:

1. *Improve my overall inshore kayak fishing skills *(Hired a guide for this and scheduled vacations near the water).

2. *Catch a Grouper *(I am gonna try and get some party boat trips in the Gulf, hopefully I get lucky).

3. *Compete in a few GKF tournaments *(Planning on joining in 2017)


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