Booking another overnight on Jan 10th Jan 17th out of Hubbard's marina. Last one was a big success. It would be cool if more forum folks join us so this is an open invitation.
Joe is already booked. I'll book as soon as my wife gets around to sending the gift cert email.
Anyone do any reef fishing in the Gulf in January? What should I expect?
I've gone out on charters in late December and early January. Lots of grunts and some big mangrove snappers.
Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on December 30, 2024, 05:09:41 PMAnyone do any reef fishing in the Gulf in January? What should I expect?
I answer your question after I try my luck in the Gulf near South Padre the same weekend in Jan. We can compare notes.
I'm booked if it turns super cold like roughly half the reports are showing I'm sure they'll cancel. I can deal with fishing in the 40s the catch stays fresher
Good luck Jason! - john
Jason, hope the weather cooperates. I've had some really good fishing trips in the GOM in Jan and Feb, but daytime only. I don't know how deep Hubbard's goes on their overnighters, but I believe you'll see lots of gray snapper, porgies, and lane snapper, and possibly African pompano, yellowtail snapper, and red grouper. When we get into the snapper bite, it's usually fast and furious so high speed is better. I also like the double snell hook set up as snappers get their name for a reason. Not sure how the grays school up, but I've found the bigger red snapper are often a little higher up than the smaller ones. Good luck!
I'm getting myself packed, but I'm also scared it's maybe gonna be 20mph winds and there might not be enough folks booked for the trip to go.
Yeah I'm getting excited.
I'm a bit south of you Jason, and was planning to go out Saturday for red grouper. NOAA now calling for 3-5' with occasional 6'. Forecast looked ok a day or so ago. Sometimes the forecast changes for the better about 36 hours out. Hope your forecast gets better. We're staying home.
Go get em!
The Man
Thank you thank you. It's 1 am here and I just finished packing. Why'd I stay up tonight doing it? So I can actually rest tomorrow night for once. I usually go on these things with like 2 hours sleep. Trying to do better this time.
What are you taking from the arsenal? Don't catchem' all now :fish
Quote from: jgp12000 on January 09, 2025, 02:15:47 PMWhat are you taking from the arsenal? Don't catchem' all now :fish
Newell 220 (40# braid 80# leader) on purpose-built rod with 3 double snell 2/0 hooks on dropper loops (so 6 hooks total)
Accurate 270 magnum on the Newell Rod's prettier cousin with 2 sets of double snell 4/0 hooks (same braid and leader)
Penn Baja special on a 60-100# rod with 1 set double snell 8/0 hooks (65# braid 80# leader)
Gonna get some big fat shrimp, and will likely primarily use the supplied cut squid and threadfins.
Gonna start with the shrimp on the Newell and probably end up cutting the 2nd hooks off to switch to squid cubes.
Will switch to the accurate with threadfins as soon as I see bigger stuff start coming over the rail.
If I get a small grunt on any of the above I'll probably send him back out on the Baja to try for grouper.
Probably not gonna bother trolling on the way out. we were going way too fast last time, and frankly on the way back in I was glad nothing hit because I woulda been too tired to fight a big mahi or wahoo anyway.
Your set up for grouper is the same as mine, although my rod is a little lighter. Recently, I've been using lighter leader, 40lb, for snapper with good success. I've heard they have keen eyesight, however I've never fished for them at night. Will be watching this thread for some good results.
Good luck tomorrow, Jason, post lots of pictures.
Cancelled due to weather. Coast guard rules apparently.
I was so ready. I lost so much sleep for nothing.
You'll get them next time Jason. 5 - 6 foot seas are not fun to fish in.
That's a bummer, at least you got some notice before hand. Paying some dues for the next one
I feel your pain Jason
A few years back I had reserved 3 albacore charter trips(6 months in advance), each about 2 weeks apart, and all 3 were cancelled due to bad ocean conditions
I'm looking at next week. Gotta ask the boss but she's already asleep.
Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on January 09, 2025, 11:51:14 PMCancelled due to weather. . I lost so much sleep for nothing.
You can always sleep 2x to recoger but a Windy ocean is not something to ignore.
Quote from: Maxed Out on January 10, 2025, 03:18:29 AMI feel your pain Jason
A few years back I had reserved 3 albacore charter trips(6 months in advance), each about 2 weeks apart, and all 3 were cancelled due to bad ocean conditions
Holy Crap Ted, the last trip was scetch even by our PNW standards!
Rebooked for next Friday. Come join the fun!
:) I will rebook in the morning !
All set for friday
There's only 8 people booked that I see. Come on Florida folks! 227 before tip! Come get some fish.
:0(
:D I walked in and asked "Who wants to go fishing "
These stick screamed the loudest !! Just got to tie a few hook and leaders ..
Alright, "Quick-Man Joe".
How does it get handled when the charter gets canceled? Refunds; full? Partial?. Rescheduling; whenever you can? When they decide?
Quote from: Gfish on January 15, 2025, 07:20:30 PMAlright, "Quick-Man Joe".
How does it get handled when the charter gets canceled? Refunds; full? Partial?. Rescheduling; whenever you can? When they decide?
When it got cancelled last week they asked if I wanted to reschedule on the phone right then, get a full refund, or get the balance on a gift cert to schedule later. I went with option 3 (so the wife can't suggest maybe it's a sign that we actually need that money for something else)
Sounds right to me.
It's funny, to me at least, how many East Coast guys fish with spinners off a boat.
Good luck tomorrow Jason & Joe!
Pictures or it didn't happen!
8)
Funny I'm thinking about bringing one. Just in case my right arm starts hurting I can still fish.
Pics will come. I should be sleeping.
The countdown has begun.
7.5 hours. Trying to concentrate at work is nearly impossible.
What am I forgetting? I think I got everything.
Trip was great. Really really great. Had a few dead periods but had a few really hot bites too. Didn't take many pics.
If I seem grumpy holding the red snapper it's because I had to throw them back. Had to throw the grouper back too but that was a really fun fight on the baja.
Joe caught way more fish than I did. Including a big bonito that I never got a pic of.
No sign of barotrauma on the fish you had to release, how deep were you fishing?
Quote from: Keta on January 18, 2025, 03:52:07 PMNo sign of barotrauma on the fish you had to release, how deep were you fishing?
About 100' most the time. About 30 miles out
Glad y'all caught some,my coworker used to take his boat Maybe 50 miles out oil rig fishing in the gulf & always slayed em' have you guys ever tried that? I guess with most captains fuel & time would be too costly when they know all the good spots closer in.
Quote from: JasonGotaProblem on January 18, 2025, 03:56:41 PMQuote from: Keta on January 18, 2025, 03:52:07 PMNo sign of barotrauma on the fish you had to release, how deep were you fishing?
About 100' most the time. About 30 miles out
These fish are tougher than ours, baratroma happens on fish brought up from 100' in the Pacific.
Had some fun, caught some fish, weather looked good. A successful outing. Thanks for the report
Good trip, and Turtle Soup!
My Florida friends complain about the Red Snapper regs too.
Glad you caught fish. Looks like a nice gag and red snapper that you can catch again later. How was the gray snapper bite?
seems like a good trip compa Jason, I see water, fish, fishing rods, its all good
While fighting the bonito , I had a death grip on the reel so much so that I took some skin off the reel . But that brick Mason was use to scrapping some skin . I am going to clean the reel and shoot some clear over it , to preserve the memory .
Good trip throwed a lot of fish back thou . I didn`t take any pictures ,battery dumped on my phone .
Am I crazy for thinking that happened from the reel stem flexing under load? One heck of a fish to land on a reel that size.
The only flexing I felt was the blank hitting in the middle of the reel seat , but it is still a stock rod ...
I was thinking the same thing, Jason.