Busy couple of days on the waterfront

It’s been a busy week on the Gulf of Mexico with folks getting in those last fishing trips before summer vacations end and it’s back to school or work.

As a matter of fact everybody was busy on the Sweet William III with Capt. Bill Watson on Wednesday pulling in mingo. The folks from South Carolina loaded the racks with plenty of the little red fish and had a good time doing it they said.

Captain agreed.

“Everybody fished, everybody caught fish and nobody got sick,” Capt. Watson said.

Texas anglers on the Sure Lure with Capt. Don Dineen pulled in several mingo, a couple of king mackerel and a few bonito.

Idaho and Texas anglers on the Sea Winder with Capt. Chris Couvillion pulled in a big king mackerel, mingo, white snapper, a few Spanish mackerel and bonito on a six-hour trip Wednesday.

Tennessee anglers on the Destination with Capt. Stan Phillips stayed busy Wednesday morning. They pulled in three cobia and lost another to a bull shark. Plus they reeled in a pair of king mackerel and some big mingo. The Tennessee guys said they also hooked up with a six-foot shark and did battle for about 20 or 30 minutes before it broke off.

“It was pretty fishy out today,” said Justin Taylor, first mate aboard the Destination.

Anglers on the Finest Kind with Capt. Jason Mikel filled the racks with king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, mingo and white snapper.

Texas anglers on the 100 Proof with Capt. Allen Staples had a big time on the water Wednesday.

“Those youngsters were wearing them out,” Capt. Staples said.

The group pulled in king mackerel, several mingo and white snapper and one wahoo.

“That one had a smile on his face when he started reeling in those little redfish,” said one of the guys about one of the kids.

Texas anglers on the Just-B-Cause with Capt. Ken Bolden filled the racks with mingo.

Chicago and Texas anglers on the Wahoo with Capt. Jason Steele were busy pulling in a variety of fish. They had mingo, lane snapper, white snapper, king mackerel and bonito.

North Carolina and Texas anglers on the Rookie with Capt. Chip Godwin brought in a big catch on Wednesday. They had some big bull mingo, a few black snapper and white snapper.

“We had a bunch of triggerfish and red snapper too,” one of the anglers said.

Triggerfish is closed through the end of the year and red snapper just closed about a week ago in federal waters. Recreational boats that do not carry a federal permit are still able to keep red snapper on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 4 but can only fish in state waters (shore to nine nautical miles out).

Texas anglers on the Al-Le with Capt. Paul Cox pulled in scamp, lane snapper, mingo and white snapper on Wednesday from a six-hour trip.

Later in the day, Capt. Phillip Blackburn and his group from Texas on the Sea Fix backed in from a 10-hour trip and loaded up the boards with cobia, four scamp, mingo and big white snapper.

Anglers on the Un Reel with Capt. Justin Destin came in from a 10 hour as well with some huge mingo, snowy grouper and white snapper.

Thursday was just as busy on the waterfront.

Capt. John Gibson took about 26 folks out on the Gulf Breeze and they loaded up on the mingo. Captain said they were nine short of the limit on mingo. The limit is 10 mingo per person.

The Mary Lou with Capt. Rusty Gilbert at the helm came in with four cobia, mingo, and mackerel.

The party boat New Florida Girl’s American Spirit with Capt. Jim Green even got in on the cobia action. Plus they had plenty of stringers full of mingo and white snapper.

Arkansas anglers on the Fish N Fool with Capt. Casey Weldon pulled in three king mackerel, a grouper, some big mingo and white snapper.

“It was a workout, but we had a lot of fun,” one of the anglers said.

Capt. Tony Davis on the Anastasia came in with a rack full of mingo and king mackerel.

Texas anglers on the Only Way with Capt. Curt Gwin loaded up the nails with king mackerel.

Anglers from Franklin, Tennessee, pulled in their share of king mackerel while fishing with Capt. Gary Jarvis on the Backdown 2.

It’s been a busy couple of days on the docks with plenty of fish to show for their efforts.

See you at the docks.