Weather and schedules finally lined up, we got our act together for a Sunday Gulf Steam trip. I headed 70 miles north Friday afternoon to the cabin to pick up the Thorhammer for drop off at my mechanic, Scott at Shoreline Marine in Wilmington, NC, for baseline service on all filters, fluids, idling, fuel water separators, washdown pump. Scott was a dockmate when I had my old Wellcraft at Masonboro Marina, and a great friend and great mechanic should you need one down there. Note: he told me my engines are used by SeaTow down there, and have gotten 9200 hours with proper maintenance....I wont do that in that this lifetime....Left Sat for 180 mile drive to Wilmy. Dropped off my boat, and met up with Barnes to install new antenna and put the outriggers on the 287 Pursuit. Dinner at Sandbar in Carolina Beach, cold beer, scallops and an Angel's Envy over ice for a sundowner. I'm not a rye drinker, but that stuff is as smooth as it gets.
Headed out 50 NM out of CB Inlet Sunday am to the Nipple, loaded with trolling and bottom gear. Targeting wahoo but also carrying squid, sardines and three dozen live pinfish as we usually hit the bottom spots on the way in. Seas flat and full moon....may have affected the trolling bite , but we did manage one mahi on squid chain (there's only two colors for mahi, pink and pinker) and a large bonito on the planer with a purple and black Islander jr. Then the rain came....and I mean, I was about to jump in, where it would have been drier...
It let up after about 45 minutes, but we had pulled in the spread in case we needed to run away from a t-storm or water spout. Marked some good stuff on the bottom just inshore of the 100 fathom line, so we dropped the squid and pinfish. Barnes uses a 7500SS on a Shimano on a Teramar rod, I was using a 9500SS with 80lb braid and 130lb fluoro leader on a Shimano jigging rod...the only place I will mix the two, only because I got a deal on three of the Trevala's. Immediately hooked up and had steady action on 30lb class AJ's (beasts), large knobbed porgy, many strawberry grouper, two keeper gags, a speckled hind which I'd never caught before, a few grunts, and best of all, no dogfish, which have plaqued us this summer.
Gag was planked and grilled skin down with a seasoning last night, with grilled squash and salad.
more ...can anyone ID the little guy in the last photo? I though it was a juvey tripletail at first, but it's smooth skinned, very slimy, no teeth, continuous dorsal and eyes are super-positioned on the head...almost like a saltwater archer fish or a round flounder...I'm guessing it's in the wrasse family. Released it.
Nice John!
That looks like a blast!
Can't Help with the ID, but good to see you out in the new yacht. ;)
Looks like a fun time-the fish looks, and sounds from the description, like a soapfish.
-Jason
Good lead....mottled soapfish, apparently a large one, without a doubt.
Looking good John. Dominick
nice fishing John,
those Gag groupers are identical to our gulf groupers, they are a delicatessen plate for dinner
Alex, I think the Speckled hind looks a lot your cabrilla, but are no harvest.
One of those pictures looks like a scamp grouper, is that the one you were calling a speckled hind? Scamp are very tasty grouper.
Bravo! Looks like a blast! 8)
Wow John! You did good.
Thanks,
steve
Looks like a good trip. It's Nice to see you out there John.
Sal
Oh man! That's looks like a great time with a free shower thrown in!
Quote from: rippin_lips on August 28, 2018, 07:56:17 PM
One of those pictures looks like a scamp grouper, is that the one you were calling a speckled hind? Scamp are very tasty grouper.
Nope, that one is a gag, what got what we call a grease release....
Quote from: thorhammer on August 28, 2018, 11:41:15 PM
Quote from: rippin_lips on August 28, 2018, 07:56:17 PM
One of those pictures looks like a scamp grouper, is that the one you were calling a speckled hind? Scamp are very tasty grouper.
Nope, that one is a gag, what got what we call a grease release....
Not to be argumentative, but that is not a gag in that picture. I have seen a lot of gag groupers, gag don't have that pattern with the small spots. Gag grouper don't have those tips on the fins with the white edges like that. That looks a lot like a scamp, did the tail have extra frills? If you don't trust me, do a quick google search.
You are correct!!!! we don't usually bottom bounce that far out and we mainly get gags and reds on the nearshore spots. great eye!!!
Quote from: thorhammer on August 29, 2018, 03:21:06 PM
You are correct!!!! we don't usually bottom bounce that far out and we mainly get gags and reds on the nearshore spots. great eye!!!
I grew up fishing and spearfishing on the central east coast of Florida we have lots of grouper. Like I said I have seen a lot of grouper, in and out of the water, and a scamp always catches my eye they are tasty prime eating.
My thoughts too. A Scamp and a Soapfish.
Scamps and Snowies are the best eating of all the Groupers IMO.
Nice report.
Quote from: thorhammer on August 28, 2018, 07:34:48 PM
Alex, I think the Speckled hind looks a lot your cabrilla, but are no harvest.
yep, they look pretty similar, they belong to the same family Serranidae, could be the reason ;)
Quote from: steelfish on August 29, 2018, 11:58:53 PM
Quote from: thorhammer on August 28, 2018, 07:34:48 PM
Alex, I think the Speckled hind looks a lot your cabrilla, but are no harvest.
yep, they look pretty similar, they belong to the same family Serranidae, could be the reason ;)
They may look alike but the Soapfish is extremely slimy and the flesh is not very good like other members of the Grouper family. Best to release and I eat almost anything.
Soapfish went on back. Scamp got planked, grilled skin on, ribs in, with a seafood rub. Cook till meat starts to flake, then a quick flip to sear the topside for a couple of mins. I've been doing this for a while vs. just fileting off the skin and bones. It gives a better yield, is juicier, and any meat is better cooked bone-in, IMO.
Did you cut the checks out?
Nope. crap. forgot.
Quote from: thorhammer on September 04, 2018, 12:04:51 PM
Nope. crap. forgot.
I cut out the cheeks of the last grouper I caught, then the wife baked them with the rest of the fish, instead of me pan searing them... oh well it was still good
I don't cut the cheeks out as we make soup out of the whole head (split down the middle with a hatchet and hammer) and the throats. Nothing goes to waste with a Grouper. We even use the backbones on larger fish as they have a lot of meat in between the bones.