HORSESHOE BEACH July Fishing Report
Captains Tackle box
We are well in to snapper season, and scallop season just kicked off at the time of this article. Our Captains and fishing charters have been limiting out daily on red snapper, and as well as catching some really nice gag grouper this past month, and June and will carry over into July as well.
Picture this scenario; it is 6:30 AM and off in the southwest sky is a big dark cloud, as well as some thunder, lighting and distant rumbling in the background. As the crew pulls up to the dock, we are discussing our options and looking at the radar trying to make a best guess as to what the storm is wanting to do, grow-up or die-out? After watching movement and waiting another 30 minuets, it appears to be braking and with not further delay, all aboard as we push off to add the next page into the Up the Limit Fishing Adventures Book. As we pass #2 channel marker, there is a little chop on the water, and a lot of rain still in the distance, so we head a little more to the northwest in hopes to skirt around the dark cloud the was making its way east toward Suwannee river. After a 4 to 5-mile detour around the thunder storm, we were back on track to the snapper grounds. Due to the extra chop (4-foot sea) we arrive about 9:00 am. We are at out first mark in 65 feet, and as we swing over the ledge, the bottom machine lights up with life on the bottom marker buoy over the side. We set up for anchoring and as the anchor line comes tight, the bottom lights up again as the snapper rise up to greet us, not knowing what we have in store for them. Live pin fish are the first baits over the side and some cut thread fin to get the bite started, and it is fish-on! On just about every rod, at least if it was in the water with bait, it had a fish on. As the excitement played on, adding big red snapper, ranging from 8 to 13 pounds, as well as a few big gags, we had our fish box just about full with big snapper and keeper-grouper. As we pulled anchor, one of the crew hollers, “Cobia”, and sure enough, we pitched a flat-line pin fish to it, and BAM, we add a bonus 30-pound cobia to the catch. Four and a half hours later, this was a one-stop-and-done trip. As we point the gulf hunter, a 29-foot C hawk home, the crew and I notice the dark cloud is building again in the afternoon heat, and is now a little more intimidating, standing between us and home, appearing to stretch horizon to horizon, north and south. About 25 miles in, to our return, as say, 20 miles off shore, we made for the lightest part of the clouds, and rain and wind is what we found as well as 6 foot-plus seas. Man, sure was proud to have that cab over us a couple hours later (6:45), we pull up to the dock and we were a happy crew to be home with a great catch. In our safety tackle box is a 406 float free epirb and ditch bag with hand held VHF radio and other emergency items. If you plan to venture off shore, you should have one too. to keep and eye on the weather and play it safe. Some days just don’t work out!
We have a few weekdays left open in the 2018 snapper season, and fewer weekend days, so if you would like to get in on the fun, don’t wait too longs to call us. The blanks are filling up fast.