Offshore Guys - Coach Me Up

[Helluva_Engineer]

This morning I made my first attempt at going offshore without a guide of some form. Of course the transducer for the depthfinder on the boat I was renting wasn't working so I had to go by the contour lines on the GPS.

In around 70 ft right off SLI, we run across a 10-12 ft bamboo tree. Put out the baits and troll by it, but no takers. Pull up alongside and see some bait, but no fish. Probably just picked clean, but was this worth sticking around chumming?

Moved on and ran across some scattered weeds trolling east in 100-150 range. Pick up a small dolphin, but shake her off trying to swing her in the boat. I'll include the pictures so if y'all have any advice please coach me. It was definitely keeper sized, but less than 30... Should I not have tried swinging this fish in? I didn't feel like a gaff was necessary, but is it better to air on the side of caution? Everything happened pretty quickly and didn't see any fish following this one in and by the time this fish is done, the 20 closest boats to me have decided to pull as closely as possible to me. Spent the next hour trying to find a line to troll, but couldn't find a clear area with all the other boats. Didn't see any of them hook up, so guess I did alright. A quick two hours and we headed back in to the beach.

[Bassn Blvd]

Use your rod to flip the fish into the boat and not your hand, unless you're using heavy leader AND GLOVES. IMO, if the fish is big enough to keep then gaff it. Learn to gaff in the head so you don't ruin the meat with a big hole in smaller fish.

Floating debrit is often key to finding dolphin. I think you were wasting your time for dolphin in 70 foot of water though.

Look for color change in the water and troll along the change next time if your finder is broken.

[00 mod]

Like Bassn said, If your gonna keep it, gaff it. Weed lines, any floating debris of any size and color change from dingy to blue water are all good spots. Also remember to look for the birds. Birds tell you where bait fish are and that is where the target species are as well. If you caught something and everyone else came running, that means they were struggling and you did good.

Also make sure to circle more than once by the debris you find. Sometimes its not the first pass, but 2nd or third or more that gets them fired up!

Jeff

[SirSnookalot]

I was offshore myself Saturday morning and it was another terrible day. Not often do dolphin come into water less than 200', but they do on occasion. Whatever depth you are fishing, debris and weedlines hold bait that draw fish in. Depth basically is used as a measurement of distance from the the shore, fish can be anywhere in the water column, you maybe fishing in 500' of water but catching dolphin right at the surface. Fish can come up from depths very quick, sails swim 70 mph and wahoos 50, kings are fast too.

I fish using no less than a 40# leader (real leader, not cut from mono), a 20# fish can easily be lifted by the leader, a net is even a better idea for a fish that is going to be released. Last year we had limited on Cobia, had one on the line that may have been 35-40#, we attempted to net it. Being a rainy day our hands were wet and the fish was so strong pulled the net out of my hands and that fish is probably cruising the Bahamas now, hopefully it threw the net, lol. Unhooking fish while they are still in the water is job for a professional, if you can't land it cut the leader and let it swim off. Gaffing is preferred but you still need to be careful with some species, Cobia have boney ridges on their backs that can cut like a razor blade, and a kingfish or barracuda will go after you're leg.

The jargon here is a bit different, a green fish is not a LMB, but a fish that is still "ripe" and not ready to be landed. A brownfish is not a Smallmouth but a fish that's ready to be landed, many turn a brownish color.

[Helluva_Engineer]

Good tips, guys.Thanks! I'll bring a net next time for the inbetweeners. This fish was definitely too green to try to bring it into the boat. I should've left it in the water and chunked to see if there were any followers. Oh well, live and learn. I would've probably pushed out further than 200' if I'd had more time, but the boat I rented was just too slow (150 hp on a 22' CC with 5 people) and our main goal was the beach instead of fishing.

[SirSnookalot]

When I was a member of a boat club we used a 28' Sailfish or Robolo, twin engines with 3 people, wasn't too crowded. I go out every Saturday, sometimes during the week, with a friend that has a 21'Polar with a single 150 hp, we seldom go out further than 200'. A center console is a good fishing boat but has a lack of storage space, 3 or 4 rods each and my 1 tackle bag (he keeps his tackle on board) even with only 2 people make it crowded, I don't complain it his boat...lol. One thing I really don't like is the bimini top, good sun and rain relief, but casting is difficult so we don't do much inshore tarpon or snook fishing from it.

Handling some of the larger fish on a boat that small you have to be careful, if you can't gaff them, net or pull them in with the leader, cut the line. Some of these fish are going to bleed on you, all of sudden you can have 6 bull sharks circling the boat, it's scary don't take any chances. We pay strict attention to the rules of the road, but the intent is not catch and release but to keep legal fish.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

One thing I didn't see mentioned about Dolphin...and I know some of the other locals down here should know this...

When you bring one to the boat, ALWAYS leave it in the water for a bit until you've either hooked another, or waited what you think is long enough to hook up again. The odds of you finding a small solitary dolphin are slim. Leaving the hooked fish swimming around next to the boat will often draw in the rest of the school. About the only times I've ever caught a solitary fish or a pair are when they are large bulls or cows. Those smaller fish ain't called schoolies just for giggles.

Boat flip the smaller ones, gaff or net the larger ones. You were in pretty shallow to find Dolphin, though stranger things have happened. I've caught them in shallower water on the oddball occasion. Weed lines, floating debris of any kind all deserve a look. Hell, anything floating is worth taking a look at. Even a Solo cup can hold fish. The smallest objects will create a nice big shadow underwater depending on the angle of the sun. Don't rule out fishing near large turtles either. One of my most memorable trips was finding a loggerhead out in the middle of nowhere that was the size of a car hood. Loaded the boat with 10 - 20 pound fish and went home. If you see something, cast to it or troll past it a couple of times. It doesn't take long and can completely change a day. One of the overlooked areas are when you find slick spots in the water. Might not look like much from the surface, but once you get underwater it will look totally different. Odd spots like that can and do hold bait/gamefish.

Going offshore can be VERY boring at times. Expect to have days where you don't do anything but burn a lot of gas with nothing to show for it. The fish are there, sometimes you just have to spend hours and hours finding them. Then you'll have the days where it takes minutes to find the fish.

The boat you were on is just fine to head out into blue water. Personally, I don't even worry about my electronics when I go out far enough. I'm not dropping baits to the bottom at those depths unless I'm looking for swordfish. Most of the time I turn off the graph and just start looking for birds, weed lines, or debris.

I'm heading out tomorrow just to see what's happening in the Gulf Stream. It's only 7 miles off of Fowey rocks right now. Short trip. If that ain't happening I'm planning on chumming over some reefs in 40 - 70 FOW to let the kids have some fun with snapper and hopefully a grouper or two. I've heard some good reports about kingfish lately. I'm really wanting a couple of those to show up in the chumslick.

[Bassn Blvd]

One thing I didn't see mentioned about Dolphin...and I know some of the other locals down here should know this...

When you bring one to the boat, ALWAYS leave it in the water for a bit until you've either hooked another, or waited what you think is long enough to hook up again. The odds of you finding a small solitary dolphin are slim. Leaving the hooked fish swimming around next to the boat will often draw in the rest of the school. About the only times I've ever caught a solitary fish or a pair are when they are large bulls or cows. Those smaller fish ain't called schoolies just for giggles.

.

Absolutely correct. You should always have a rod and a chunk of bait within arms reach. Pre-cut your bait for chum. Keep your schoolie in the water and throw a few pieces of chunk bait in the water. Not a lot, just a few pieces.

[SirSnookalot]

Earlier in the week dolphin have been caught in 200' at the blue water color change off Boynton. Fairly stiff NE breeze and 3-5 waves, today is a NW 7-12 and 2-3 waves, I'm not real confident on dolphin close in given the forecast, but I'll have a spinning rod ready with a feather just in case. FYI dolphin have blue lips and we call the small ones peanuts.

As far as electronics, we pretty use the depth finder to know our depth, marking fish sometimes means nothing. 200 fow does not mean you are fishing at the bottom (not that you can't), but it's more of a measure of distance from the shore. Not that catching a 20 or 30# king isn't fun, but if I had my choice (it's his boat) I'd be fishing in 20' looking for mullet pods for tarpon and bluefish, it's that time of year.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Didn't hear about anybody doing well offshore today. The bite on the reefs was phenomenal though. I've got a nice haul of flag size yellowtail fillets sitting here at the house now. Had one awesome chumslick going. Every baitfish imaginable was cruising around the transom. Lost three monster fish to break offs. Definitely we're either kings or cudas. I've got what was a new butterfly jig that is just riddled with teeth marks now. Good fun day. Glad the weather cooperated.

Was a blast catching smaller snapper and blue runners on my light bass tackle. That old dropshot rod I have is just one awesome little rod to use on the reefs for some fun.

[SirSnookalot]

We had 4 kings and 1 dolphin, several cut offs, 125' seemed to have the most activity. We came in early at 10:30.