Slimed up and broken in....

[chumhead]

Every October one of my friends I met on another forum comes to Panama City for vacation, and we've been fishing every October for the last 8 or 9 years. This year my boat got replaced just in time for his annual visit, as well as our second Red Snapper season the NMFS granted us due to the oil spill and not reaching the quota.

We headed out on Friday joined by one of my pharmacists from work who has discovered he likes to fish. As we were heading out the pass one of the US Navy dive boats was out in front of us and I commented "They are probably going to go dive one of the best wrecks now that Red Snapper are in season"....I was right, he went directly to the spot I was headed for and they laid down a 1/4 mile exclusion perimeter.....which took out 2 good spots. We headed a bit further offshore and for the first time I found a local favorite with no dive boats on it. This is the first time I have ever fished this spot due to dive activity, but we figured we'd give it a shot. Ended up with a 3 person limit of Red Snapper, despite later being visited by a local dive boat and having bubbles on all 4 sides of the boat....
Total for the day: 6 Red Snapper, 1 Black snapper and 2 Vermillion Snapper.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/chumhead/PICT0187.jpg

CharlieT and my sister headed down from Alabama Friday afternoon with their Boston Whaler in tow, and we made plans for another trip today (Saturday). This time it was my friend Walter, Trim-Tab and myself on my boat, and CharlieT and my sister on theirs. We hit my favorite little spot the Navy had hogged up on Friday and got another limit of Red Snapper on the new skiff....6 reds and 1 1/2 nice Black Snapper (lost a couple of nice red snapper and half of one black snapper due to darned toothy Cuda's).
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/chumhead/PICT0194.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/chumhead/PICT0195-1.jpg

CharlieT and my sister hooked up and landed Red Snapper and several Vermillion Snapper as well while tied up to the stern of the CS.....
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/chumhead/PICT0190.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/chumhead/PICT0191-1.jpg

After two long days of fishing, there is only one thing left to do tomorrow...... *rod* fish some more! Gotta get a few Red Snapper to send back to Alabama, and try for some flounder as well. Hopefully will have some more good stuff to report tomorrow!

As you can tell by the pics, the new boat has gotten off to a much faster start than the old boat did as far as getting all slimed up. She's officially "broken in".

fishingsmilie*
chumhead

[gut wrench]

they sure look good*003*

too bad we are not allowed to keep any red snapper right now..*004**004**004*

[Dave]

Pretty fish Chum! I've been waiting for a "first" report from you since taking delivery of your new skiff... yes sir, you definitely broke 'er in right *Cheers*

[Gunnar]

fishingsmilie* I love it, way to go chum

Gregg

[Grouper Genius]

Sweet fishing Chumhead. I went out with a buddy to the Middle grounds here Saturday to get some Red Snapper. Total shutout. Bad day when you go out 89 miles. Stopped at a couple spots on the way in and got 3 keeper gags though.

How far do ya'll have to go out up there to get to good snapper grounds?

[wylie]

Looks like a great outing,just curious how far out do you go to catch snappers?

[Beckcl]

Great report.....looks like fun and nice sea conditions.

And for those who asked, you can be on some good snapper spots 5 miles off the beach! ;D

[gut wrench]

Great report.....looks like fun and nice sea conditions.

And for those who asked, you can be on some good snapper spots 5 miles off the beach! ;D


really?


its time for a road trip...

[Beckcl]

really?


its time for a road trip...

Really! Look in the background of the photo at the horizon.....what do you see?

9839

When I was down there a couple weeks ago, I talked to one Fish & Wildlife officer that told me some guys had been leaving the beach in sea kayaks heading out a mile and catching some nice 24" red snapper.

[chumhead]

Here is the result of day 3....
It was a little more difficult finding a spot that was not all covered up with divers or other fishermen, but found a little corner of my favorite wreck and gave it a shot. Winds and current were a little more difficult to deal with on Sunday, despite the good weather forcasts. Trim-Tab wasn't able to make it this day so it was just Walter and myself, and CharlieT and my sister in their boat. We ended up one short of a limit on my boat, landing 3 red snapper and a nice black. My sister was wanting to take home some flounder so we headed inshore and tried a few spots that had been good to us before and landed 4 that we could keep as well as another 4 or so that came up a half inch short.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/chumhead/PICT0198.jpg

Beckcl is correct, on friday we were about 6 miles from the pass, saturday and Sunday we were at my favorite spot that is just a little over 5 miles from the pass. Also, the local kayak club drives a few miles down to the west and launch off the beach were there is natural live bottom within about a mile of shore and catch them there, but its about a 10+ mile run down the beach once you clear the pass if you're in a boat. Have also seen nice grouper and a female kayak guide that helped form the club has photos of several sailfish caught from her kayak this year.....may have to try to find that spot!

If you think 5 miles is good, check out the background in this shot......
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/chumhead/PICT0238.jpg
Granted we have never caught a legal one there, but catching Red Snapper 20 feet from shore on trout tackle is sure fun! We even get a few legal grouper there as well....here is Walter with one....
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/chumhead/100_5613.jpg

chumhead

[Grouper Genius]

I got to make the trip up there once I get my boat fixed.*rod*

[Willie]

Looks like your back and atem big time..*rod*...way to go...Trim Tab...now thats a name I have not heard of in a while..Ahoy*.Hey Tim Tab, how the heck are ya ????

[wylie]

Years ago I went on a cruise with wife, one stop was st .thomas and st john the other.The locals deep fried red snapper the whole fish, with jamaican seasonings,it was the best fish ive ever eaten.Had to get seconds it was that good.They sure know how to prepare fish.