[dropcap]N[/dropcap]ow that spring is over, the cycle of grouper fishing starts over, leading up to the fall and winter bite. The reds and scamps are there year ‘round, but the gags will be staging in the deeper water…and there will be some BIG ones. Now is a great time to get to the deeper water for the ultimate mixed bag of bottom fish, and some hot light line action. Gags will certainly be in all the usual haunts inside of 25 miles, but gags, reds and scamps will all be in the 115 to 150 foot water and chewing. The beauty of getting to the deeper water is not only the quantity of bottom fish, but the quality… and the ability to retain three (mixed bag) grouper.
You may only keep one gag in the mixed bag, but may keep three scamps or three reds. Without a doubt, Of the scamp and red grouper bite can be red hot, and when you sit on them and get ’em going, it can quickly turn into one of those trips you remember for the rest of your life. Once you have the bite going, it’s important to make every bite count…and do not break one off. This is especially true of gags. Sometimes you can get away with it and have additional bites, but lots of times, if you break off a gag, the bite is over. Red grouper are not that savvy…. they will continue to chew.
The (blackfin) tuna dolphin and wahoo will be inside the break following the huge schools of cigs and sardines, so the light line this time of year can be really interesting. It’s important to have your anchor rope on a bouy and easily accessible. You never know when you may have to throw the bouy and chase down that wahoo when your reel is quickly getting low on line. Make sure you have at least one wahoo bait out if you are in 125+ feet of water. A frozen Boston mackerel suspended under a sliding float set 35 to 50 feet deep is just what they are looking for.
As always, find the bait, find the fish. If you find a stack of bait on good structure, more than likely, you will find what you are looking for both on the bottom and on the light line. If you really want to do it right, break out the chum bag and the kite for the live baits and light line frozen baits with no weight and some under the sliding float. This can often be a nuisance if you are bottom fishing and the bite is good, but I can think of worse problems to have other than the light line going off constantly.
I know I harp on this, but take your kids… this can be the most action-packed fishing of all. You can quickly turn them into “fishaholics” like we are… but then again, I can think of worse problems!