SW FL-Bonita Beach: Finally a keeper gag grouper! Goliaths, snapper too

[fishbuster]

Friday, 8/31, I fished an outgoing tide in Estero Bay around Wiggins Pass with Tom and Marsha Lynch. We caught a few keeper mangrove snapper to 12 inches and released a 19 inch snook, cravalle jacks and ladyfish.

Saturday, 9/1, I fished with a husband-and-wife team who were actually both named Terry--Terry & Terry Lunsford and their friends Mel and Linda Vaughn. We headed out to about 32 feet out of New Pass, where we did pretty well with live shrimp. We caught a 23 inch keeper gag grouper, the first one of those in a good while this close in. We also caught 14 keeper mangrove snapper to 13 inches and some porgies. We released a small hogfish and a 14 inch mutton snapper. Then, for some sport and excitement, we targeted goliath grouper with blue runners and cravalle jacks as bait. We released three goliaths, one that appeared to be over 15o pounds, one about 70 pounds and one about 50 pounds. All in all it was a hot, but good morning of fishing for fun and food.

The photo shown is of angler Stacy Madson with a trio of hogfish, caught on shrimp on a recent offshore trip.

[FLKingFisher]

I have not fished offshore with shrimp in years down here, when I used to I caught trigger, lots of grunt, the occasional sheepshead or porgy, but I have never seen a hogfish. Have they always been around here? I need to bring some shrimp out with me next time.