Mild weather has been allowed many anglers to get out on the water. Calm seas have made all options easier for an offshore adventure. We fished within 20 miles and was rewarded with gag groupers, snappers, grunts and porgies. The gag grouper season is closed for recreational anglers until June, but still provide some great catch and release action. A quick picture before releasing them back to the wild, can still serve up some impressive bragging rights.

Commercial gag grouper season remains open. This confuses many clients, since they see the fresh grouper on the menu, but have to release a big gag grouper. It’s the way our fish regulations are set up. Commercial and recreational fishing are two different identities with different quotas.

A few keeper sized red grouper are being landed inthe shallower depths inside 20 miles, but no real numbers at this time. A ten-mile run further out has been holding better numbers of larger fish.

Colder weather is coming in our near future. With the cold air will be strong winds and rough seas. Savoring the great spell of warm weather we experience in between the cold fronts is the key to success.

Capt. Dave Mistretta
Jawstoo Pro Team (727)439-2628
JAWTOO.COM