The magical Florida Middle Grounds is truly a place like no other in our state. It is located between 80 and 100 miles NW of Clearwater/St Petersburg and 90 to 110 miles south of the Panhandle, “The Grounds” draw sporting enthusiasts from all over. The Middle Grounds are a reef system built up by centuries of calcified sand, limestone and fossilized worm snails that attract a multitude of fish and other marine life. The area resembles parallel mountain ranges separated by about five miles of desert. Wild pinnacle formations rising 20 to 40 feet from the sea floor dot this desert like little oases. The structure is unmatched at a depth that’s easy to fish, as well as, scuba or free dive.
“The Grounds” have become very accessible for not only commercial and charter, but recreational boaters as well. The lure of giant grouper, snapper and pretty much every other reef fish we target out here make it well worth the price of fuel. Another attraction to fishing there is the ability to have a very productive day leaving the dock without many or even any waypoints. Once you get in the area, just zig zag around staring at your bottom machine and anchor up wherever you see a nice show. You can also “cheat” and purchase the CMOR chip for your MFD. The amazing detail their chip provides shows every break, peak and outcropping, and will allow any boater to run and find outstanding spots to fish.
Spear fishermen are drawn here with the hopes of that elusive 20+ pound giant hogfish. Hook and liners make the run for the diversity of second-to-none bottom fishing with a consistent shot at blue water fish. You’ll see wahoo, mahi, plenty of tuna and sails. Heck, even a few stories of marlin aren’t far-fetched. Recreational divers will find, in my opinion, the most amazing diving anywhere in the state. There is more untouched terrain than the Keys, and underwater formations that make the Tortuga’s jealous. The bottom is loaded with a variety of stony corals, gorgonians and huge sea fans. Loads of tropical fish have been brought up from the Caribbean by the Loop current joining species that live all the way to the Carolinas. You have as diverse a destination as you could have ever imagined.
Trips out to this playground should not be taken lightly. You’re, on average, over 80 miles from shore and even the slightest issue always seems to compound when you’re that far. We double and triple up on safety gear and communication devices such as EPIRBS and satellite phones. Running with other boats is always smart, especially for smaller or single engine boats. O2 bottles, 8 or10-foot SMB’s and binoculars are a must on the diving side. The majority of sites we hit are cliffs with vertical drops of up to 40 feet. You may spear a fish at 100 feet and then have to drop to 140 to land him. Adrenalin and the possibility of landing that trophy fish take over and what was your safe dive plan now has you floating aimlessly like a piece of sargassum weed for 30 minutes. If your topside crew is not paying good attention, you could come up a long way from your boat, very possibly out of site. With some extra planning and the weather on your side, the effort will most certainly be worth it to experience my favorite coordinates in the Gulf of Mexico.