by Capt. Tom Bailas
The big amberjacks are on my target list for December. It is very common to catch amberjack in the mid 80-100 lb. class this time of year. It is important to have top of the line tackle in order to successfully land one of these beasts!! This month is a catch and release time of season for these fish, but if you are up for the battle, this will surely test your will power and skill. One of the best part of catching AJ’s in December is that you don’t have to go too far to find them. We catch the majority of them in less than 50 ft of water. When the water temperature drops, the amberjack come into the shallower waters and hang out around the structures and wrecks. The common method I use to catch them is finding some medium-sized blue runners and slow troll them on and around the structures. I would advise using a wire rig with a stinger hook. This will also allow you to catch other large fish, such as kingfish and sharks, with this method. The reason I like to troll for large amberjacks is because I can pull away from the structure after they bite to try and eliminate the fish from breaking off in the bottom. We fish 20 lb. tackle and sometimes the battle can last for an hour or more. Make sure when you release a tired fish that you take the time to revive it, as it wears out. Put the fish back in the water and slowly put the boat in gear to allow water to flow through its gills until it its ready to swim away.
This time of year is also a great month to target gag grouper, as they are also more in shallower waters. It is not uncommon to catch a 20 lb. plus gag in less than 50 ft of water. The trick is to find a good ledge using live bait and you will find the grouper. The live bait that works the best and I use mostly are cigar minnows and pin fish.
