Captain's Report - July/August, 2006

by Capt. Dave Mistretta

There's no shortage of goliath grouper and they can be found on every wreck in our gulf. Many years ago over-fishing for these giants, formerly known as "jewfish", forced the state to enforce a ban on their harvest. Now the goliath has become a nuisance when fishing near structures. Amberjack, grouper, snapper, kingfish, bonito and anything else that wiggles gets devoured by their never ending appetites. This week my clients witnessed at least fifteen of these monsters inhale every fish we hooked. An estimated three hundred pounds of reef fish were stolen off our lines. After hours of helplessly watching precious grouper and snapper get ripped from our grasp, there was only one thing to do. Catch the mighty sea monsters that owned the wreck.

A 9/0 reel spooled with one hundred fifty pound line combine with a rod comparable to a broomstick was no match for the goliath. Free-lining a bonito under the boat took all of about ten seconds to get their interest. Already this week, twelve goliath grouper have been yanked up, some reaching seven feet in length and over five hundred pounds. This is a great opportunity for clients to have bragging rights with photographs in hand of "the big one that didn't get away".

Since the goliath is still protected by the state, use some care once boat-side. All photos should be taken with the fish remaining in the water. Sometimes a bit of reviving is needed to ensure a safe return to the deep, but overall the mighty grouper is pretty hearty. In fact, they're so hearty that we've caught the same fish twice this week.

Captain's Report - July/August, 2006

by Capt. Dave Mistretta

Past Captain's Reports