NDR: Offshore Fishin trip

[Carl]

Grabbed my old offshore rods, a bucket of shrimp and went on an 8 hour party boat trip on Friday. Landed about 20 grunts and caught my first hogfish.
Saw a number of short red and gag grouper caught and released. 2-3 coulda been keeper gags too but the season on gag grouper is closed.
About 20 people on the boat. Everyone caught fish. About 5 keeper hogfish total. A few porgies and sand perch. Guys next to me fished yesterday too and said the boat caught a pile of Black Sea bass, more hogs and even more grunts.
Good trip, good crew. Nice to get offshore for the first time in 15+ years.

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Carl,
Cool, I too love the tug and fight of saltwater fish.

 

[Rod VanZile]

Carl,

Did you go somewhere out of Tampa? I will be down there at the end of the month to visit my daughter. I have only pier fished with no luck.

RVZ

 

[Carl]

Ron,
Went out of Clearwater, short drive from Tampa. Double Eagle is the boat I went on. 8 hour trip is $95 including rod rental and bait. Queen Fleet and Hubbards are also good. Grunts, porgies, black sea bass and lane snapper are the norm. But maybe grouper and mangrove snapper by then

 

[Charles H.]

Hog fish are good eating for sure!!! I've fished the Queen Fleet out of Clearwater, and Hubbards and had good days on both. It's been a while since I made it to Florida to fish, I need to get back there.

Up here Fluke(Summer Flounder) and Stripped Bass are the top targets near shore. Black Sea Bass are a favorite of mine, they're tasty and just about a sure thing in the spring and fall for a cooler filling trip. We've been seeing more and more Grey Trigger fish mixed in with our porgy fishing in the summers.