interested in a Florida Gulf coast two day trip?

[floating doc]

I'm not sure that this is the best place on the forum to post this, but it does get the most posts. I guess it qualifies as a "general question."

Who would like to join other forum members for a two day long-range bottom fishing trip next year? The two day trips out of St. Petersburg and Tarpon Springs are a good way to get on some pretty big bottom fish.

I've been on a few of these, starting during the late 80's. My last trip was in about 1992, so I'm well overdue. The boat that I'm interested in trying is the Gulfstar out of Tarpon Springs. This boat is part of the Viking Fleet. Those of you that fish the Northeast should be familiar with the Viking Fleet boats like the Viking Starship. I expect a first-rate operation.

The two day middle grounds trips are priced at $605. They offer discounts for large groups, so that might work for us. If we get enough member interest, maybe we could get our own charter.

I'm shooting for the opening of Red Snapper season, but I haven't yet been successful in finding the 2014 date.

[Dr. Jekyll - AKA MeL B]

save your money for the Ohana trip. 

[floating doc]

Good advice but not possible.  I have a hard time just coming up with the 605 for this trip. I would have to also pay for a flight from Orlando to go on the other trip. It's not that I wouldn't want to; I've been dreaming of a west coast long range trip for decades.

[broschro]

I am down for sure we won't know any of the opening on red snapper until 2014 usually around a month or so before the open it

[floating doc]

I called the Gulfstar.  I asked about the snapper season.  She said that it usually is in June. 

I asked about a 2014 tuna trip. They will be running another one next year.  The price and date are not set. This year was $2200 for 8 days. They caught a LOT of fish. The videos are on their website.  I'll post a link later, I'm on my phone right now.

A large group charter would be 19-20 for two days on a weekday trip, $8500. Prices include tips for the mate ( although I'm sure it would be okay to give more).  Weekend charters vary in price. If a group of 15 wanted a charter, they will fill the spots with some open bookings if we wanted to help keep the cost down.

[xaf]

If your last trip was in 1992 its a lot different now.  Not as many fish, not nearly as big and size limits/closed seasons to contend with.  Still a lot of fun though. 

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

Aren't these the trips were you go out on a lobster boat?

[floating doc]

Yeah, I'm sure it's a lot different. I have to go for what's available and what I can afford.

One difference I'm expecting/hoping: I used to be a racehorse groom and trainer. The backstretch of a racetrack is a pretty rough environment, but when I was on those trips I felt like it would feel to be broken down in the middle of nowhere and having to go into a biker bar to use the phone.  

On one of my trips, one of the passengers was so drunk that he fell from the upper deck/wheelhouse to the foredeck and struck his head. We were four hours out. This resulted in us being back at the dock after eight hours under way. We lost eight hours of fishing time, and to make it up we came in two hours later.

Another incident was reported in the news; thankfully I wasn't on that trip. Two of the passengers had an argument early one evening. The next morning, one of them was missing. No one saw or heard anything; they just lost a passenger.

This makes me very eager to try this other boat. One of the points that was made during my phone conversation was about how hard the crew works and how there is a "family-like" atmosphere on the boat. Anyone can say that, but I had a good impression from my conversation and previous experience with the Viking Fleet.

[broschro]

anyone else? this will be for the 2014 season we would like to go When the snapper are open, lots of big grouper, snapper and other fish for the cooler. sounds like a good time and for 605 a person not too bad.

[BMITCH]

I can only talk to the Viking fleet outta Montauk. Did my first ocean boat trip out there. It was on an overnight tuna trip back on 1981. I've since been on all of their boats from stripers to cod to tuna/tiles. First rate outfit. They will work VERY hard to put you on fish. Can't say enough positives on how they run things.
Bob

[floating doc]

I can only talk to the Viking fleet outta Montauk. Did my first ocean boat trip out there. It was on an overnight tuna trip back on 1981. I've since been on all of their boats from stripers to cod to tuna/tiles. First rate outfit. They will work VERY hard to put you on fish. Can't say enough positives on how they run things.
Bob

That's what I needed to hear. I fished on the Viking Starship out of Montauk in somewhere about 78 or so. We fished the race for bluefish; I got a hookup every drop for a couple of hours. The fish weren't as big as this year's monster run, but they averaged 14-18 pounds.

Here's the Gulfstar's youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/gulfstarfishin

[otownjoe]

I'm in if you can get a trip together.  I'm already on 2 San Diego trips next year so the trip Mel's putting together isn't a possibility for me.I've fished the gulf many times on these middle grounds trips but never on the viking gulfstar.  I think trying to time the red snapper season is a crap shoot at best.  You would be better off scheduling the AJ and grouper season.  Amberjack are your best bet at a big fish . Mangrove snapper are the best bet on any  of the 2 day trips and you can keep 20 of them year round.  I've fished on the Hubbard's marina boat in the past but will be trying the viking fleet in the coming year.  The problems you described about your past trips were on the Hubbard's boat. I've fished that boat 20 plus times and never had on any of the problems you described. While i've heard that the Viking is a better trip it is also more expensive.Hubbard's cost about 400 with every thing. The good thing about either of these boats is you can get a trip together without a minimum number of of people.  If you don't get enough interested. In a private charter everone can just go on the same trip. I hope we can make this happen.  Joe

[floating doc]

Great! Thanks for the response. I don't know if we can get enough people for a charter. That wasn't really my intention. There's some forum members in my area and we've been discussing a trip so I thought I would open it up for others to consider. If we get enough members for a charter it would be good.

I'll be working on the details. I agree that grouper and AJ would be a good choice.

There's definitely a big difference between prices on the Hubbard's boats and the Viking fleet boat, and maybe the Hubbards have cleaned things up in the intervening years, but I want to go on the Gulfstar.

If I was closer, I would go on a daytrip to check it out. It's about three hours, each way, which is a long trip for a single day. Might consider that anyhow.

[broschro]

I like the sound of 400 but what ever boat puts me on some fish.we can only keep five mangos per person per day on the east coast

[otownjoe]

You can keep 2 days worth of federal limits on the overnight trips.  For example federal limits o f mangrove snapper is 10 per person per day , x2=20.this applys to all species except warsaw grouper..