OT: Deep Sea Fishing

Central_Bama_Egger

Who wants to go to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach and get a boat???

It's been 2 years since I've been. Ready to go back.

Dyal_SC

I do, I do!

shtgunal3

I think you read my mind. I would go every day if I could. I am hoping to go on a sheepshead trip in March or April. If you haven't seen or heard of sheepshead, google or YouTube it. Pay attention to their teeth. Look like human teeth.

Central_Bama_Egger

What????

I'm cruising in march with the fam. So I can't. But April seems wide a$$ open. I plan on making a trip down that way.

Just pulled a pic up, wow. That's a bit crazy!!

Can they be eaten?

Lit

Used to catch sheephead off our dock on the east coast of FL but they were small and we never ate them. Are they good to eat? They were bony like jack if I remember correctly.

travisstrick

They are not good to eat. Fun to catch but taste like poo.

I used to catch them all the time. Spear them, catch them, net them, use them for crab bait.

Central_Bama_Egger

Fun to catch is half the fun. Haha

I'm all about it. Either way.

shtgunal3

I've never caught them but everybody tells me they are better than snapper.

Central_Bama_Egger

I only live 3.5 hours from there. So this $175 per person for a 6 hr trip type thing is awesome IMO. Can be done in 1 day in my case. My boss has a 54' bertrum, it's very cool but I hate to wear out my welcome. Just soon pay own way. Know what I mean?

bccomstock

I'm ready for my next offshore trip.. Once you've been, you can't wait to go again.. Last time I went was about a year and a half ago, so it's time.. A group of us killed some groupers, triggerfish, and white and vermillion snappers.. It wasn't red snapper season.  This was out of Destin.

Also did a "party" boat from Destin last May.. Basically about 50 - 60 people on a single boat bottom fishing.. Much cheaper than a private charter.. We racked up on the same types of fish since it wasn't red snapper season yet either.  The captain did hook into a nice size shark that fought quite a bit.. He actually had it hooked in the gills.  It ended up breaking the line.

I'd really like to do a tuna trip sometime..

Central_Bama_Egger

bccomstock said:

I'm ready for my next offshore trip.. Once you've been, you can't wait to go again.. Last time I went was about a year and a half ago, so it's time.. A group of us killed some groupers, triggerfish, and white and vermillion snappers.. It wasn't red snapper season.  This was out of Destin.

Also did a "party" boat from Destin last May.. Basically about 50 - 60 people on a single boat bottom fishing.. Much cheaper than a private charter.. We racked up on the same types of fish since it wasn't red snapper season yet either.  The captain did hook into a nice size shark that fought quite a bit.. He actually had it hooked in the gills.  It ended up breaking the line.

I'd really like to do a tuna trip sometime..

Sounds fun as crap. Can you bring beverages on a party boat?

bccomstock

Central_Bama_Egger said:

I'm ready for my next offshore trip.. Once you've been, you can't wait to go again.. Last time I went was about a year and a half ago, so it's time.. A group of us killed some groupers, triggerfish, and white and vermillion snappers.. It wasn't red snapper season.  This was out of Destin.

Also did a "party" boat from Destin last May.. Basically about 50 - 60 people on a single boat bottom fishing.. Much cheaper than a private charter.. We racked up on the same types of fish since it wasn't red snapper season yet either.  The captain did hook into a nice size shark that fought quite a bit.. He actually had it hooked in the gills.  It ended up breaking the line.

I'd really like to do a tuna trip sometime..

Sounds fun as crap. Can you bring beverages on a party boat?

Yep.. There's not alot of space obviously, but a smallish cooler would work.  No glass I believe.  They also sell food and beverages on it.

Also, the deck hands will give you help getting the fish off the hook.. Just place them in a bucket while you're on a spot and then take them to the back of the boat for the deck hands to put them in the cooler with a tag on it when moving to the next spot.

Here's the boat we went on (The American Spirit):

http://www.newfloridagirl.com/home1.html#American

Central_Bama_Egger

bccomstock said:

Central_Bama_Egger said:

bccomstock said:

I'm ready for my next offshore trip.. Once you've been, you can't wait to go again.. Last time I went was about a year and a half ago, so it's time.. A group of us killed some groupers, triggerfish, and white and vermillion snappers.. It wasn't red snapper season.  This was out of Destin.

Also did a "party" boat from Destin last May.. Basically about 50 - 60 people on a single boat bottom fishing.. Much cheaper than a private charter.. We racked up on the same types of fish since it wasn't red snapper season yet either.  The captain did hook into a nice size shark that fought quite a bit.. He actually had it hooked in the gills.  It ended up breaking the line.

I'd really like to do a tuna trip sometime..

Sounds fun as crap. Can you bring beverages on a party boat?

Yep.. There's not alot of space obviously, but a smallish cooler would work.  No glass I believe.  They also sell food and beverages on it.

Also, the deck hands will give you help getting the fish off the hook.. Just place them in a bucket while you're on a spot and then put them in the cooler with a tag on it when moving to the next spot.

Here's the boat we went on (The American Spirit):

http://www.newfloridagirl.com/home1.html#American

Thanks!! If y'all ever get the hanckerin and can't find an extra to share in expenses with!! You know who to call, and I don't mean the ghostbusters.

bccomstock

Will do!

By the way, the party boat price ranges from around $55 to $80 per person I think.. Just depends on the length of the trip they're doing.

Lit

We used to go on a party boat called the safari 1 out of Stuart Florida. Think it was like $50 a person including everything but that was like mid 90's.

shtgunal3

My son and I went on a trip out of Daytona one time and I hung into about a 550-600lb shark. It eventually broke the line and believe it or not I was sooo happy when it did. We caught a lot of good fish and good memories that day.

Central_Bama_Egger

Man that sounds fun.

rustypotts

Sheepshead is actually an excellent eating fish although it is somewhat difficult to clean.  It can be boild in crab boil and used like crab meat.  I'm suprised that some of our coon ass brethren have not chimed in!

sola

rustypotts said:

I'm suprised that some of our coon ass brethren have not chimed in!

Man, throw that crap back. Too many great eating fish out there. I need a good weekend at the camp right about now. Also, wahoo are thick off the coast as we speak. Can't wait for the water to warm up.

Central_Bama_Egger

"Camp"???

Cochon_Couyon

They're a blast to catch and excellent table fare. I fished a sheepshead kayak tournament last Sunday on Pontchartrain...caught no sheepies tho. Last summer I came home with a doormat flounder, a sheepie and two puppy drum.

I wrapped the sheepshead filets in cheesecloth and boiled it in crab boil...hard to tell it from real crab lump...and stuffed it in the flounder. 

I took the two drum and made a courtbillion...we was speaking french by the time we got done with dat! Sheepies fry up real nice too, and you can usually fill the ice chest once you find them...I love em'  ">

Central_Bama_Egger

Wow. Great post!! All of that is very cool

Cochon_Couyon

Oh, and I'm afraid most of the Flori/Bama guides are all fishing in Venice Louisiana this time of year...it's where yall's pro's wish to fish  )

Central_Bama_Egger

Yeah my boss had planned on taking his boat over there. But plans changed. I watched a fishing show from there the other day. Looked very nice

Cochon_Couyon

Central_Bama_Egger said:

Yeah my boss had planned on taking his boat over there. But plans changed. I watched a fishing show from there the other day. Looked very nice

Great fishing. I plan on taking a mothership charter this summer out to the lump. They load your kayaks on the boat, haul you out there, chunk you over the side and chase you down when you hook up...I do plan to brush up on my spanish before the trip tho, just in case 

Bham_egger

I go fishing in Orange Beach several times a year. I am extremely lucky in that my in-laws have a condo and a 19' center console! IMHO, sheepshead are excellent eating if you want to take the time to get though the tough scales and gill plate. An electric filet knife is almost a must. They are excellent fried, and when nothing else is hitting in the dead of winter, they are a great treat. By far, my favorite inshore fish to catch and eat is redfish (blackened). But they can be more difficult to find in the slot size this time of year.

If I were to make a suggestion, I would avoid the party boats and opt for an inshore charter. Since the snapper are so regulated, all the party boats target now are Vermillion Snapper which are tasty, but rarely get bigger than 2-3 lbs. In April and May inshore, you can target Redfish, Speckled Trout, Sheepies, and Flounder, and possibly Spanish Mackerel. I would go during those months or even into June for the best chance at those species. Fall is by far the best for Redfish. You have a much better chance of bringing home a good bag of fish on an inshore trip and you can customize it based on what you want to target.

I have also been on several overnight offshore Tuna trips to the oil rigs. That is a whole different ball game! There is nothing like seeing a school of 100 lb Tuna skying around a deep water oil rig! On those trips we have caught up to 180 lb Yellowfin Tuna, baskets full of Blackfin Tuna, Amberjack upwards of 70 lbs, as well as various bottom fish. As well as a chance at Blue and White Marlin. The boat we charter is roughly $6000 for a 36 hour trip, leaving on Friday night and returning Sunday afternoon. That cost for us is split 10 ways. I have been 5 years in a row, but am taking this year off and using the funds to build a covered home for my egg.

Anyway, sorry for being so long winded, but I LOVE saltwater fishing!

nolaegghead

3 of us caught 80 sheepshead in Lake Pontchartrain at the trestles.  Excellent eating. Only like a 20-25% yield when cutting fillets.  

robnybbq

I would love to come down south form some offshore action.  Up here in the North East its too cold now.  We do some small offshore fishing a few times over the summer and usually one big off shore Canyon (100+ miles offshore) for Tuna in the early fall.  Been to Palm beach Fl a few times fishing over the winter but nothing caught. 

Never fished the Gulf.  Its on my list along with Costa Rica.

double

Cant wait for August will be bobbing around in the Puget Sound pulling in Humpies/Pink Salmon huge amount of fun and it will be my first year taking the little guy out on the boat, cant wait to see the look on his face when he hooks into his first fish!

nashbama

We go to Gulf Shores every year with my wife's family right after Christmas. Practically have the beach to our selves, one of my favorite places on Earth.

We took a deep sea fishing trip one year. I had a blast, cousin and I both caught a red fish. Grilled the filets over charcoal right on the beach when we got back. I was pretty proud.

Everyone else got sea sick, so now I can't convince them to try it again.

Chubbs

Bham_egger said:

I go fishing in Orange Beach several times a year. I am extremely lucky in that my in-laws have a condo and a 19' center console! IMHO, sheepshead are excellent eating if you want to take the time to get though the tough scales and gill plate. An electric filet knife is almost a must. They are excellent fried, and when nothing else is hitting in the dead of winter, they are a great treat. By far, my favorite inshore fish to catch and eat is redfish (blackened). But they can be more difficult to find in the slot size this time of year.

If I were to make a suggestion, I would avoid the party boats and opt for an inshore charter. Since the snapper are so regulated, all the party boats target now are Vermillion Snapper which are tasty, but rarely get bigger than 2-3 lbs. In April and May inshore, you can target Redfish, Speckled Trout, Sheepies, and Flounder, and possibly Spanish Mackerel. I would go during those months or even into June for the best chance at those species. Fall is by far the best for Redfish. You have a much better chance of bringing home a good bag of fish on an inshore trip and you can customize it based on what you want to target.

I have also been on several overnight offshore Tuna trips to the oil rigs. That is a whole different ball game! There is nothing like seeing a school of 100 lb Tuna skying around a deep water oil rig! On those trips we have caught up to 180 lb Yellowfin Tuna, baskets full of Blackfin Tuna, Amberjack upwards of 70 lbs, as well as various bottom fish. As well as a chance at Blue and White Marlin. The boat we charter is roughly $6000 for a 36 hour trip, leaving on Friday night and returning Sunday afternoon. That cost for us is split 10 ways. I have been 5 years in a row, but am taking this year off and using the funds to build a covered home for my egg.

Anyway, sorry for being so long winded, but I LOVE saltwater fishing!

In the Lowcountry of SC where I am from (Beaufort) we call redfish spottail bass. I can put you on a spot where you will catch as many as you want. ">