2009 GROUPER GRAND FINALE.....

[Capt_John]

Joe and I were supposed to go hit the gags commercially one last time before the groupper closure, but the winds made us change our minds. Instead we went with Greg and Jeb on their 31' Cape Horn. We knew we could make it on this boat and at least we could end the season with a rec. limit with friends. My neighbor Phil joined us and we left about 7:30 this morning. It was COOOOLD!!, but fishing was to warm us up soon.
The seas were a bit bumpy, but that beast of a Cape Horn did a great job cutting through the chop and swells. The fish were on the ledges stacked like cordwood, but they weren't in the chewing mood. We picked at them here and there, but the tag team duo of Jeb and Joe made us look like amateurs. I swear Jeb is gonna be a fishing and hunting machine when he gets older. Hell, he is now as it is. Anyways, we picked at our 5 fish limit with a few that got released to rest up for 4 months. We also ended up with a nice mess of sea bass as well. We were sitting at Riverview Cafe with the whole crew for lunch by noon and that was the icing on the cake.
All in all, it was a great day fishing with old and new friends alike, but those groupers are so thick it's not funny. It's a shame it has to end for a few months like this, but we're gonna sea bass and snapper fish until the groupers open back up in April. I'm ready to go back as soon as the weather lets up. Probably gonna chase a tuna or two in the meantime as well.

[gottaflylee]

Very cool John, it's all about the kids. Sorry that you and Joe did not get to burn their azz but you did get to get some. Duck hunt got caned for tomorrow so if it is not pouring in the morning, I'm gonna toss some new MirrOlures...

[Jesse Lockowitz]

nice fish. i was out on the ocean deck for a few minutes before work this morning and it was nippy out for sure :-)



Jesse

[Robja]

Nice report John. I did not see your picture holding a fish though.

[Capt_John]

I was bait boy and taking pics. I couldn't catch my butt with both hands for a while there. I finally caught a few after we already had our limit and were throwing them back.

[Greg Manning]

Somebody had to take pics right John? It was a subtle bite...plenty down there though.....took us all a little while to adjust to it. Except Joe of course and he was keeping count as usual!

[Surfacegrinder]

Way to go Capt John. Nice to see somebody made it out and got some fish. Nice to see the kid having a good time. Love to watch them light up when they catch a nice fish.

[ice cream man]

Greg ...... Great report - with Joe, John & Phil on board I bet the trash talking reach new heights....... ICM

[WAHOONBOX]

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING BAITBOY BRO.....NOT ONE THING


GLAD YOU FOUND SOME....

BTW....THE FED-COMMERICAL BOYS GOT SOME RELIEF WITH SNAPPER NOW REMAINING OPEN TIL JUNE....JUST ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY

[swell rider]

The new Vermillion Snapper quota goes into effect Jan 1 but with the quota cut in half they'll be real lucky if it stays open till June espeacially if they get any good weather..June is when the seacond half of the season opens but what caused the early closure this season was the quota was caught..Not alot to go around when the whole South Atlantic Region fishes on the same quota plus they over shot the quota during both halfs of the season and believe me they're not going to let that happen two yrs in a row. As soon as it hit 70% they'll shut it down.



*Amendment 16 to the Snapper Grouper FMP divided the quota for vermilion snapper into two 6-month quotas: 315,523 pounds gutted weight (January-June) and 302,523 pounds gutted weight (July-December). If any quota remains in June, the remainder will carry over to the next 6 months and will be added to the 302,523 pounds for July-December. However, if quota remains in December, the remainder will not carry over into the next fishing year.