A "no gag grouper died" fishing report.

[Jared D]

I recently purchased a new accurate Boss, so I decided nothing better to break it in than some pullage. I ran out with a buddy with hopes of yanking on some critters. The trip was fast in the 33 foot contender, and at day break, we were in 109 feet of water 45 miles offshore with a well full of frisky minnows.
I was told to expect some bruiser gags, so I put the accurate aside at first and took my 80# grouper rod, baited up and fired down a live bait. Well after a few minutes, a gag absolutely crushed the bait. I put the steel to him only to be absolutely unable to turn him at all... after about 9 seconds of him just busting it for the bottom, the beast managed to cut me off.
I re-rigged and fired back down. Next bite, I managed to get some cranks on. As the fish came up, it began to do the typical bucking that signifies a snapper. We box it and rebait.

We reset the drift and over the next hour I got absolutely owned by gags. There aren't the typical 15-25 variety... these were just beasts. I got busted off on two more and pulled the hook on the last one (This one I actually managed to get up off the bottom). One of the other guys got worked over by two big greys. Needless to say, they won those battles.

My buddy tried out the Boss, and managed to nail a nice snap, we then moved to a new spot. Here we found some jacks... I took one of my home made jigs, and put it to work. I caught two on the accurate, and then put that aside. We then ran back to the original bottom, and hit some other spots. First drop down, I managed to trade a small b-liner for a keeper scamp. A few drifts and quite a few sharks later, I managed to get another nice bite. This one wound up being a nice snap. Never could get another grouper.
Great trip, and a lot of fun.

[clt_capt]

Wow - look at all of those "endangered" snappers...

Sounds like a fun day.

[Foul Hook'd]

Good report!

Foul Hook'd

[gottaflylee]

Sweet Jared, nice going on the ARs, great class of fish. Keep it up...

[weekender]

good tugs and nice pics, thanks

[HOLWACHAGOT]

Those Snapper make porky pig look lean! I swear they should have little curly tails on them.
As for the Gags owning you...could you hear me laughing from VA? I actually got nervous for a second...your story reminded me of fishing with SeaBiscuit. I can hear him now..."do NOT get rocked!" That's usually about the time Norfolk Southern comes down the track and shows me the caboose!
Great pics and report. Get those Gags next time and bring us the story. Thanks.
Holwachagot

[SeaBiscuit]

Beautiful snappers Jared and a solid scamp to boot! I don't know what's got into the gags lately but they sure have been mean! If you up the tackle they don't bite so much, but the minute you give them 100 lb leaders they make you regret it. Fall will be revenge time!
SeaBiscuit

[Jared D]

I hear ya guys. Biscuit, I have had my share of "lessons" of the "black belly" kind, but fellas, these animals were something from another rock pile. I swear, I would stick the hook in em, and the would just punish me. On the forth one, I was pulling so hard (to no avail) that I pulled a muscle in my back and made my calf cramp.

Funny thing about this spot is, the bottom doesnt mark up at all. They said its just holes, and the grouper just sit there with their heads sticking up. Its going to take a winch to get them out, therefore I have decided its time to take out my 50W on a bent butt.... send down a big slab of amberjack (by the way, that is probably my new favorite cut bait) on a 130 pound leader. Keep that sucker in low gear, and be ready to turn and burn once that rod loads up.

[sportfishingusa]

i am no bottom fishing officianato like the rest of these guys when it comes to groupers and such..

but when i go sailfishing i florida with a great capt and crew we breake out the 80s and 50s for reefs and send down the live baits to the bottom..

when that baby start bobbing we reel and they run the boat hard to pull them off the reef!!

dont know if this would help you guys or not but figured i would throw it out there.

[Jared D]

I imagine thats the easiest way to get them up, sportfishingusa, and I may have to resort to that. Right now, I am really wanting to catch one by out pulling it. I have the 50W that may go along just to give me an option if I get owned again, but to me, I would feel like it was less of a catch if I actually did catch it out of the rod holder. My buddys fish out of rod holders, and I just cant bring myself to do that (99% of the time).

I now have a lifes mission to catch one of those beasts. They must pay for taking my hooks and beating me senseless.