Florida & Georgia - Red Grouper!

Hey guys,

Gonna be heading out Saturday late night for a red grouper trip! Coming back Sunday morning. As we all know they come in at Midnight. I am thinking about heading towards 60+ feet of water, I have never done an overnight trip for Red Grouper. Do they still feed pretty well at night? Wind is looking like its gonna be out of the south with a 2 foot or less wave height... Anyone else running out late on Saturday night? Are my thoughts correct about Nice Keepers being in about 60 foot of water or will I have to go past that? Trying to load up on Grunts early in the evening for table food as well as good Grouper Bait... between 3 guys we should be able to put alot of grunts on board... Anyone have any ideas for me? Let me know, #'s appreciated too :) lol Just kidding. I am guessing a 30 mile run is what is in store... Setting the Anchor somewhere that looks good and waiting it out til they come in on April 1st, then setting up some overnight drifts.... Let me know if anyone else is running out Saturday night.

Tight lines, good luck to all that are heading out this opening Sunday

Heading out Saturday to do some scouting around, then out Sunday to catch dinner. I would agree, I'm heading for 55ft to 60ft, weather permitting obviously. Not sure about the night feeding, have not tried that either.

Good luck.

Don't know where you are 89, but I've got a boatfull ready to go on Sat. out of Suw., but the weather is looking bad for storms - 30-40% all day Sat. We may wait till Sun. Should be gone by Sat. night though.
2 weeks ago we were out 25 or so mi. looking around and landed but 1 red, grunts were BIIIIG though. Catching them on light tackle, my 8 yr old had a ball.

I'm heading out around 5am Sunday morning. Catching bait in the pass the shooting for 55 to 60'. Weather is supposed to be perfect!!! looking at a 25 to 30 mile run. hoping its worth it.
Good thing it's going to be nice though my mother and wife want to go with me.

Im heading out tomorrow for some spearifshing on a local reef and looking at some numbers in 60'. Sunday heading out far offshore 55-60 miles for some monster red groupers spots i have. Make sure you get some nice healthy baits and get a variety of dead baits with you, squid, sardines etc.. I'll see sunday if I'm going to dive out there in 100' and get some video but Have fun!

Tight Lines! --Chris

89, I would recommend to run out to 80'-100' for Reds this time of year. In past years the keeper fish did not move in on closer marks untill June/July. But...this year the water is a good 5-8* above normal.
With regards to night fishing, it looks like 1/4 moon with moon set at about 3AM on Sunday morning. IMHO this is far to good for the night bite.
Last weekend I found plenty of bait in 30-35', pins, squirlfish and blue runner. On the way out try hard bottom in 50-70', there shoud be plenty of Grunts and Porgy to keep you busy.
I'm not doing an over night but will be on the water by 5AM Sunday.

Best of luck to you!

Nate, when you talked about the Moon Phase, you said far too good for the night bite? Meaning that there should be a good night bite or the moon light will be too good to have a good bite? lol don't know which way you meant for that to come across.

I think he meant to say "fair to good"

well mother nature screwed the pooch on this one... Not gonna be able to head out tonight due to winds/waves and storms.... Have to work tomorrow.... To all that are going out sunday Good luck!

I'm heading out around 5am Sunday morning. Catching bait in the pass the shooting for 55 to 60'. Weather is supposed to be perfect!!! looking at a 25 to 30 mile run. hoping its worth it.
Good thing it's going to be nice though my mother and wife want to go with me.

so you are heading to 55-60 ft at 25-30 mile run? you must be going north or right up the beach. If you head out 25 miles you are going to be in 80-90ft +- we are doubled up Sunday and monday. 12 hours worth sunday and 12 hours worth monday.. too bad they are not 12 hour trips :grin: I got a 4 hr backed up by an 8 hour so we will be heading out late sunday afternoon for our first shot at the grouper. Monday we have 2 (6) hour trips so I am kinda think I gotta use my mojo and find them inside 6 hr grounds. I can do it but I must use the force.

Lucky you guys. We don't open up till May 1st!

Any good catch???
Was not able to make it out today, hopefully will do on Good Friday...

All reports that I have heard had a pretty blown out day for today, Sunday....

we tore them up...

We did well in 125 ft. Got beat up on the way out but it paid off and had a smooth ride in.

Saturday's 10-15knts was more like 25! Got out of the channel and turned S and a nice quartering wave drenches me and my bud behind me. We turned tail and headed home.

Two man limit out of Homosassa. 42 ft out 25 miles off of #4:

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/troutman57/DSC_0132-1.jpg

We had to move off the first spot because of all the pesky gags:

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/troutman57/DSC_0110-3.jpg

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/troutman57/DSC_0112.jpg

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/troutman57/DSC_0118-1.jpg

We had to wade through a lot of short reds to get the 8 keepers. There are more big ones in 70-80 ft, but that's too long of a run in our area. Especially in that slop yesterday AM.

We went out on sunday and just slaughtered them... And this wasn't one of our honey hole numbers for grouper.. We kept 19 RG and caught some mangos and two shovel nose lobster.