Calm seas make for big catches
It’s been smooth sailing on the big pond this week with anglers bringing in some big catches.
“It’s been gorgeous,” said Capt. Mike Graef of the Huntress Wednesday afternoon. “There was not a ripple anywhere.”
And with the calm waters came some big catches.
For a look at Wednesday's catches, CLICK HERE.
For Thursday's catches, CLICK HERE.
His Georgia anglers reeled in some 20-plus pound red snapper, king mackerel, barracuda and amberine.
Capt. Mike Dates and his group from North Carolina came in with a cobia and six red snapper on the First Shot.
Texas anglers on the Dawn Patrol Too with Capt. John Tenore came in with red snapper, banded rudderfish and scamp.
Capt. Chris Kirby and his group from Texas came in on the Backlash with red snapper, lane snapper, mingo, white snapper and scamp.
“It was flat calm,” Kirby said. “The fish didn’t want to bite at first, but we’ve got dinner covered.”
Capt. Alex Hare on the Silver King and his group from Atlanta came back with red snapper. However, they did catch and release about a 6-foot 180-pound bull shark.
“Who needs the Discovery Channel when we’ve got shark week right here,” one of the anglers said.
Kentucky, Ohio and Florida anglers on the Destination with Capt. Stan Phillips came in with king mackerel, red snapper, mingo and white snapper.
Capt. Bill Watson and his Kentucky group on the Sweet William III filled the nails with king mackerel, red snapper, black snapper, mingo and white snapper on Wednesday.
Louisiana anglers on the Only Way with Capt. Curt Gwin hauled in red grouper, black snapper, red snapper and white snapper.
Texas anglers on the High Cotton with Capt. T.J. George reeled in black snapper, red snapper, mingo, white snapper and a mahi mahi.
Capt. Don Dineen and crew came in with a limit of red snapper on the Sure Lure with a king mackerel in the mix.
Local anglers on the Shamrock II with Capt. Eddie Dykes came in with some big red snapper, scamp, mingo, white snapper and king mackerel. One of the snapper had a few teeth marks on it, from where they had to pull it away from a shark.
Denver and St. Louis anglers on the SS Enterprise with Capt. Kirk Reynolds filled the boards with red snapper, black snapper and some big king mackerel.
The Sure Thing backed in with king mackerel, red snapper and black snapper, while the Miss Aegina had king mackerel, mingo and red snapper.
Arkansas anglers on the Just B Cause with Capt. Ken Bolden came in with a pair of red grouper to go with their black snapper, red snapper, mingo and white snapper.
Capt. Mark Tilden on the party boat Swoop came in after lunch Wednesday with several stringers filled with mingo, white snapper and red snapper. They also snagged a pair of cobia on the trip.
Fishing on Thursday was just as good.
Oklahoma anglers on the Seahorse with Capt. Dean Cox filled the racks with red snapper and king mackerel.
Texas anglers on the Un Reel with Capt. Paul Dale Wagner came in with five king mackerel, red snapper, black snapper and a mahi mahi.
Capt. Justin Destin of the Full Draw had a full board on Thursday.
“Two eyes and a tail, equal a nail,” as Capt. Destin likes to say.
And every nail was full with king mackerel, red snapper, mingo and white snapper.
Birmingham anglers on the Fish N Fool with Capt. Casey Weldon came in with three king mackerel, red snapper, mingo and white snapper.
Arizona, Georgia and Mississippi anglers on the Outta Line with Capt. Trey Windes had some big red snapper on the racks along with several amberine.
Anglers from Gadsden, Ala. on the Silver Hook with Capt. Tyler Brennan came in with five black snapper, red snapper, king mackerel, mingo, white snapper and a strawberry grouper.
Texas anglers on the Sure Thing came in with four king mackerel, red snapper, mingo and a couple of scamp.
Capt. Bernie LeFebvre and his group from Arkansas on the Windwalker II came in Thursday with red snapper, gag grouper, and black snapper.
The seas have been calm and the fishing has been good. Come on down and try your luck on the “lake of Mexico.”
See you at the docks.