Started to run into what looked like some old water bottles someone threw in the water, then realized they were Man-O-Wars, pretty thick from about 8 miles to 15 miles.

Had planned on going out 25 miles or so, but realized I didnt have as much gas as I had thought, so stayed within 15 miles. Ended up in what I believe they call the 18s, about 12-15 miles SSE of the pass iin 110'of water. Used a 2 hook rig with squid and put a live pin fish down on a bottom rig. Nothing ever took any of the pin fish, caught everything on the squied. Productive day, these jacks were everywhere, got tired of catching them. Really not sure what they are, didn't quite look like an Almaco to me, Banded Rudderfish? Would appreciate some help here.

All were about 12-15" long. Noticed the school would follow the ones I caught almost to the top.

Also caught a lot of these guys,  is this a snapper?

Ended catching some Mingos, Red Snapper, and small Trigger fish.

On the last spot, flipper showed up. I would hook a good fish on the bottom and before I reeled in 10 feet he would grab it and then I would have to fight him. Had just put some new braid on so wanted to get as much line as I could back before I cut it but after about 5 minuted, guess he managed to get the fish off as the line would go limp and I ended up getting the whole rig back, minus any fish. This happened 3 times and that was that. Never had one grab the fish so deep, guess this was his hole.

Headed back in, waters still calm, beautiful sunset again

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Jon

"History can't be undone, But it can be erased"

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Jon

First pic is a juvy greater amberjack.  The other we call either a pogy, white snapper and some call it a pink snapper.  Meat is a little mushy, but if the oil is hot enough, you can get it crispy!  Also an excelent live bait for jacks, grouper and big snapper.

Us rednecks call em white snapper, silver snapper or bait.

AKA "Jiggin Junkie"

http://www.al.rodngun.com/gulffish/gulffish.asp?cmd=view&FishID=1

(Admin, please let me know if linking to someone else's site is not OK and I won't do it again, I'm a newbie here - BTW, kudos, the participation on this site is the best there is for our part of the GoM)

Junvenile jacks of different species will school together.  The one in your hand looks like a greater AJ based on the dorsal, not sure about the one on the board, but doesn't look like the other.

Snip:  "They may be distinguished from each other by the number of gill rakers, the length of the anal fin base, and the numbers of spines and rays in the dorsal fin. Gill rakers are the finger-like extensions projecting forward from the front gill arch. Greater amberjacks have 11-19 gill rakers, a long anal fin base, 7 dorsal fin spines, and 30-34 dorsal fin rays. Lesser amberjacks have 21-24 gill rakers, a long anal fin base, 8 dorsal fin spines, and 29-32 dorsal fin rays. Almaco jacks have 21-26 gill rakers, a long anal fin base, 7 dorsal fin spines, and 28-31 dorsal fin rays. Banded rudderfish have a short anal fin base, 12-16 gill rakers, 8 dorsal fin spines, and 34-39 dorsal fin rays."

The fish ID there is handy.


WARNING!  This post is by an old fart with a dingy old boat who dreams about fishing more than he fishes.  I gladly share what I know (or think I know) and gladly read what others have to share especially if it is different from what I say.

Florida-Offshore.com is the Home of Florida's ONLY Bluewater Supermap, SeaView Fishing Satellite Service, & our very own Reefcast Forecast!

That is a Key West Porgy.  The pic in original post is a Red Porgy(White Snapper) very good eats if they are big enough.

_________________________________________________________

Capt. Brandon Edgar
info@ExtremeOffshoreCharters.com
www.ExtremeOffshoreCharters.com
(850)529-8425
2007 31 CAPE HORN
250 EVINRUDE E-TECS
FURUNO 1824 C-NT NAVNET Vx2

Next time try clicking the reel into free spool the second you think flipper has it. Not really sure why, but flipper will usually spit it out.

Yeah that's one common name alright. 

I can't count the number of times i've been fishing in the gulf when somebody pulls up a pogy and says to everybody on the boat, "hey guys, I just caught a porgy!!" LOL!