Category Archives: New fishing report

Fishing Reports

7.9.21 OFFSHORE

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Name of Captain; Joe Stand
Where were you fishing? OFFSHORE
Is this a tournament entry Fishing Report; NO
The date you went fishing; 07-09-2021
Your Name; Bob  Sauban
Your Fishing Report: If this is a tournament report do not state the fish’s length in this box. State the length and species in the box below Went out with Joe, Rick, Jean & Bonnie and limited out in red grouper. The bite was consistent and weather was perfect. We hit lane snapper and Bonnie ended the day with a beautiful nurse shark Joe was able to cut him loose easily. Joe made a special rig for me shown in the picture with two grouper and a lane snapper and that was the first drop! His knowledge is amazing and I learn from him almost daily. Cannot thank him enough for another great day on the water!
If this report includes a tournament entry please state the species and length of the fish caught in this box. Red grouper 30-1/2”

7.10.21 OFFSHORE

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Name of Captain; Capt Freedie
Where were you fishing? OFFSHORE
Is this a tournament entry Fishing Report; Yes
The date you went fishing; 07-10-2021
Your Name; Todd Minear
Your Fishing Report: If this is a tournament report do not state the fish’s length in this box. State the length and species in the box below Went with Bonnie and Freddie offshore to 120 feet of water.  Absolute gorgeous day with barely any waves.  GPS Coordinates as follows…
55.7558° N, 37.6173° E.  Good luck.  Make sure you fuel up before you leave the dock.
If this report includes a tournament entry please state the species and length of the fish caught in this box. 25.5 Red Snapper

7.11.21 OFFSHORE

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Name of Captain; Rick Thompson
Where were you fishing? OFFSHORE
Is this a tournament entry Fishing Report; Yes
The date you went fishing; 07-11-2021
Your Name; Jack Hexter
Your Fishing Report: If this is a tournament report do not state the fish’s length in this box. State the length and species in the box below Rick Thompson and his wife Barbara invited me to go look for ARS..  We left Skeleton Key Marina at 6:30 and pulled up on on the flat next to Hudson channel.  Chummed bait for 15 minutes, threw the net a couple of times and we were off on a 60 mile trek to 118′
First spot we were not marking a lot so we looked around, found a good show and Rick deployed the Rhodan.  Whiie he was doing this, I dropped a slow pitch jig and caught an almaco jack.  Good Start.  We used a variety of baits, Threadfins, Squid, Frozen shrimp, plus the whitebait and pins that I netted and we caught a plethora of fish.   Besides the almaco, we had vermilion snapper, lane snapper, mangroves snapper, I even caught a scamp grouper (surprise) and a second surprise, we had a couple of dolphin swimming around the boat and rick caught both of them.  We also caught the elusive ARS.
We motored to a spot about 10 miles inshore where we tried for red grouper (Rick had caught them here a couple weeks ago), but no one was home so we pulled the plug at 1:30 for the 2 hour run back to the marina  with a lot of fish to clean.
If this report includes a tournament entry please state the species and length of the fish caught in this box. 20″ ARS

7.10.21 OFFSHORE

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Name of Captain; Capt. Mike Spanhel
Where were you fishing? OFFSHORE
Is this a tournament entry Fishing Report; No
The date you went fishing; 07-10-2021
Your Name; Terry Reelitz
Your Fishing Report: If this is a tournament report do not state the fish’s length in this box. State the length and species in the box below Capt. Mike Spanhel invited Stu Johnson, David Diehl, and yours truly for a day in the Gulf chasin’ grouper, snapper, hogfish , and whatever other tasty critters would oblige.

We headed out about 8:30 am with a game plan of starting out about 20 miles west of Gulf Harbor.

Water at first drop was a little dirty with a lazy current.

Caught plenty of above average grunts and numerous groupers – unfortunately all just a little short.

Started to hopscotch out to +60’, water clarity improved, but current was still sluggish.

Continued hookin’ up with 2 taco sized grunts and plenty of gags and red grouper – regrettably, they continued to be a couple inches short of being table fair.
The seas were calm and a most enjoyable day on the water.

The fishing stories took on a hilarious twist and most of us ended up tied up in knots laughin’.
By midafternoon, we had hooked up about 30-35 gags and red grouper that got to live another day because they were just an inch or so short….

Several were lost that will live in infamy, of course – estimating that those were all keepers that just got lucky that day.

A couple highlights for the day…

Capt. Mike Spanhel continues his legacy of being the ‘Hogfish Whisperer’ hooking up 1 legal hogfish and another that was just short (seemed to be the theme of the day!).

David Diehl caught a +17” mongo mangrove snapper – it was a fatty!

Water went slack early afternoon, and it was hot with minimal wind – the crew was all  good with heading in after an enjoyable day…

“A good time was had by all”,  except maybe the one hogfish that became a 2-taco participant at dinner Saturday night with Mary and Terry.

Thanks Capt. Mike

7.10.21 INSHORE

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Name of Captain; Bob Sauban
Where were you fishing? INSHORE
Is this a tournament entry Fishing Report; Yes
The date you went fishing; 07-10-2021
Your Name; Bob Sauban
Your Fishing Report: If this is a tournament report do not state the fish’s length in this box. State the length and species in the box below Got a late start 12:30 pm at end of high tide turning low at 1:00 pm. Used live shrimp and popping corks. Fished the flats and the bite was slow at first and picked up a little after the tide changed. Some small trout and could have had several keepers. Went to island and no bite at all. Headed back to the flats and ended the day with several beautiful trout including this beauty!
If this report includes a tournament entry please state the species and length of the fish caught in this box. Trout 22-3/4”

7.2.21 OFFSHORE

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Name of Captain; Bob Sherley
Where were you fishing? OFFSHORE
Is this a tournament entry Fishing Report; Yes
The date you went fishing; 07-02-2021
Your Name; Tom Saska
Your Fishing Report: If this is a tournament report do not state the fish’s length in this box. State the length and species in the box below Capt Bob headed northwest at 6am with a steady wind and threats of numerous offshore showers.  We did not see any other brave souls in our path during the ride out.  Seas were rolling 2-3’s but increased as we approached the 65 foot depths.  Tried several times to anchor over one of Capt Bob’s hot spots but that proved more difficult that normal as the waves rocked and rolled us around.  In short order the bite was on.  Several short grouper (Gag and Red) were boated and released and then the cooler started filling up with keepers.  Once the feeding ended, we relocated a short distance away however we had to buckle down as a storm was quickly approaching.  The squall was a good 30 knots which pulled the boat anchor a good distance.  In no time, the skies cleared and the boat was back on the spot with tight lines all over the boat.  Lori fondly named many large fish as they broke her line half way to the boat (names I cannot repeat here).  Overall, we kept 12 grouper (8 gag & 4 red), 1 mangrove snapper and a few grunts.  The only bait used were threadfins.  One of the best days in a long-time catching lots of grouper.

Crew:  Bob Sherley, Lori Sherley, Brian Sherley & Tom Saska
If this report includes a tournament entry please state the species and length of the fish caught in this box. Bob Sherley Gag 27-3/4″
Tom Saska Gag 27″

7.2.21 INSHORE

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Name of Captain; Bob Sauban
Where were you fishing? INSHORE
Is this a tournament entry Fishing Report; Yes
The date you went fishing; 07-02-2021
Your Name; Shelli  Sauban
Your Fishing Report: If this is a tournament report do not state the fish’s length in this box. State the length and species in the box below Due to rain only able to do some canal fishing. Using live shrimp free lining.
If this report includes a tournament entry please state the species and length of the fish caught in this box. Redfish 26-1/2”

7.1.21 INSHORE

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Name of Captain; Bob Sauban
Where were you fishing? INSHORE
Is this a tournament entry Fishing Report; Yes
The date you went fishing; 07-01-2021
Your Name; Bob Sauban
Your Fishing Report: If this is a tournament report do not state the fish’s length in this box. State the length and species in the box below We took our neighbor and his daughter out on incoming tide. We caught 37 trout and a few others including ladyfish. We saw some good size nurse and bonnet head sharks. Water was clear. We used live shrimp
And popping corks.
If this report includes a tournament entry please state the species and length of the fish caught in this box. 26” red fish- Bob Sauban
21” trout – Bob Sauban

6.30.21 INSHORE

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Name of Captain; Bob Sauban
Where were you fishing? INSHORE
Is this a tournament entry Fishing Report; Yes
The date you went fishing; 06-30-2021
Your Name; Bob and Shelli Sauban
Your Fishing Report: If this is a tournament report do not state the fish’s length in this box. State the length and species in the box below Yesterday we used live shrimp on an outgoing tide and caught 15 trout before the conditions went south. We put all back and hoping they will continue to stay healthy. We are on staycation this week. Last night used the pin fish trap and good thing we did since there were no shrimp to be found! We used pin fish on incoming tide and caught 10 trout before the storms surrounded us! Always a good day in the water.
If this report includes a tournament entry please state the species and length of the fish caught in this box. 15-1/2 inch ladyfish – Bob Sauban
19-1/2 inch trout – Shelli Sauban