Tailgate Shot. Sorta....

Carl

Carl

Well-known member
Staff member
Finally, about 3 weeks late, the inshore fishing turned on the last few days.
Limited out on speckled trout, got 1 keeper redfish, 2 freshwater drum and a few channel cats.
I did some looking for ducks too, saw a few, very few. Opening day iss not looking very promising down here.

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Carl, with the ducks not being around, I think you had Plan B all ready to go. That is a nice mess of fish.
Al
 
Looks like some good eat.
How are the freshwater drum compared to some of their saltwater cousins?

Tim
 
Whiter meat vs. redfish. Also, the bigger freshwater drum tend to be really wormy, but this one was not.
We don't catch many this far south, they are much more common up in the rivers the farther north you go.
 
Al, I'm still gonna give the ducks a shot opening day (day after Thanksgiving) but I'm not optimistic unless this front brings in the birds in.
 
Yep!
Is duck season already open in FL? Y'all have many birds yet?
 
Opened today actually.

I've heard reports of people doing really well at Merritt Island NWR down in Titusville. I've seen a good number of redheads on the gulf in some places. I really don't know how to answer are there a lot of birds here yet....what I've seen (other than on the gulf) I've not been all that excited over, but that said I haven't had a chance to get out and look at a lot of places yet either. Talking to some friends here, they're not pleased with what they've seen.......
 
Some great eating Carl. First time I had sea trout I couldn't believe how good they were. Do you put reds on the grill - half shell style?
 
That's some catch you have there. Something while in Florida I tried to catch but never hooked up. Gotta to be tasty!
 
Nice haul!

I try to go inshore fishing nearly every weekend outside of duck season. I had real steady luck all fall until my outboard had some issues a couple weeks ago. I have a hard time catching reds in the winter, but I don't try very often and I know guys that know what they're doing hammer them.

I think seatrout are okay if you eat them right away, but it seems like a lot of native Floridians think they're great (I've heard comparisons to grouper... different strokes for different folks I guess), I think redfish eat better. Snook are about the best but it's like hitting the lottery to catch one of the correct length in season.
 
I cook small reds just like any other fish, fry, broil, poach, etc..
Bigger ones (bull reds over the 26" slot, we can keep 1 per day out of 3 fish limit) I usually poach them in a sake-soy-ginger-dashi mixture.
 
I found the key to keeping most fish is vacuum packing. Most people say specs, Spanish macs, & white seatrout don't freeze well. But I find that if I fillet and vacuum pack right away, they are fine for 6-8 months in the freezer.
Vacuum packers are by far one of the best hunting & fishing culinary tools ever invented!
 
Yep, they are tasty!
If you ever get to this part of the Gulf Coast, I can try to hook you up!
 
Carl,


Vickie and I were in Florida in October looking around for a retirement property. What we found is the economy has rebounded down there since we left. We have been thinking of other locations and Mobile Bay has been one of the locations in the conversations. You never know, we may just be headed your way for some trips. I'll take you up on the fishing offer.
 
That sounds great. I have been so hungry for fish in recent weeks and don't have any in the freezer at the moment - that's going to change.
 
Mobile and Baldwin Counties are very affordable for retirement. I would encourage you to look in this area.
I've got a 2x3 with garage rental property in a nice location 30 minutes north the beach in Baldwin County, if you need temp house for a year when you first make a move, I can help you out with that!
 
Where I'm at 5-6 weeks I imagine but by that time I will be camping in Arizona. In any event, I pretty much gave up ice fishing a number of years ago. I can still be tempted if the fish are biting and there are a bunch of friends on the lake and there is enough ice to drive out to the spot. I know, pretty wimpy and I don't apologize for it.
 
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