Fishing Charlotte Harbor Area (famous, weight loss, fitness)

[MikMal]

Since buying here last summer, the only fishing I've done is off of my seawall (no practical boat yet, but that'll change). Yesterday, my neighbor caught a nice keeper redfish and gave it to me to try (haven't had redfish yet). While cleaning it today, I found three artificial lures in it's stomach; two plastic shrimp and one plastic minnow along with a real crab. Talk about bad luck; poor guy probably had a heck of a belly ache and then gets caught at that!

[HarborRat]

Originally Posted by MikMal

Since buying here last summer, the only fishing I've done is off of my seawall (no practical boat yet, but that'll change). Yesterday, my neighbor caught a nice keeper redfish and gave it to me to try (haven't had redfish yet). While cleaning it today, I found three artificial lures in it's stomach; two plastic shrimp and one plastic minnow along with a real crab. Talk about bad luck; poor guy probably had a heck of a belly ache and then gets caught at that!

Dude was hungry! Looks like some DOA's, gulp and maybe a part of a finn-s?

[Messing About]

Fished the Atlantic, out of Boynton Beach inlet on Thursday...one small dolphin, one small snook. Fished the Gulf today, out of Gasparilla Pass. We caught lots of red grouper, 4 keepers on our boat (20-27") and 6 on a second boat in our group. We got them in 70-80' of water on cut bait. Current was really swift. Took 6 ounce sinkers to hit bottom while drifting. Was able to use 2 oz while anchored. Morning seas were 1', afternoon 3' with white caps.

[MikeM8560]

This afternOon shile wiring guages for my new motor sitting on the lift i heard a comosion in the water. Looked like a school of macks. CHasing bait splashing along as the went up the canal Are macks in the harbor?

[wpc691]

Celebrated catching my first shark in the morning by catching my second in the afternoon. 30" bonnethead at marker 2 on a piece of shrimp, 4 ft lemon drifting the middle hole on a pinfish on the bottom. Not a very impressive fight, but very strong, and the toughest fish I've ever caught - literally charged the boat and tried to bite it.

[Messing About]

Good job, WPC. Bonnet heads are very good tasting meat, among the best of the sharks. A really big one is only 40". If harvesting, either gut them or bleed them out within 30 minutes of death and keep on ice until ready to prepare. Very easy prep, too. Cut off head, tail and fins; then cut into small steaks and grill with simple spices for 5 minutes per side at 350-400. After grilling, the skin comes right off. Excellent white meat.

Tip: don't hold them by the tail only, cuz they can still bite you there. Control them by firmly gripping behind their head with one hand and on the tail with your other. I usually just leave the hook and cut my leader, dropping them in a fish hold until they die.

Did you get out to deep water yet?

[pcozad1]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Good job, WPC. Bonnet heads are very good tasting meat, among the best of the sharks. A really big one is only 40". If harvesting, either gut them or bleed them out within 30 minutes of death and keep on ice until ready to prepare. Very easy prep, too. Cut off head, tail and fins; then cut into small steaks and grill with simple spices for 5 minutes per side at 350-400. After grilling, the skin comes right off. Excellent white meat.

Tip: don't hold them by the tail only, cuz they can still bite you there. Control them by firmly gripping behind their head with one hand and on the tail with your other. I usually just leave the hook and cut my leader, dropping them in a fish hold until they die.

Did you get out to deep water yet?

If you crimp the barbs down on the hook they come right out and you won't lose sharks they will stay hooked.

[pcozad1]

Originally Posted by MikeM8560

This afternOon shile wiring guages for my new motor sitting on the lift i heard a comosion in the water. Looked like a school of macks. CHasing bait splashing along as the went up the canal Are macks in the harbor?

We caught mackerel the other day all over the harbor. Are you sure they werent jack cravel? When you see that have a rod ready to throw. when they are active like that they will hit anything.

[wpc691]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Good job, WPC. Bonnet heads are very good tasting meat, among the best of the sharks. A really big one is only 40". If harvesting, either gut them or bleed them out within 30 minutes of death and keep on ice until ready to prepare. Very easy prep, too. Cut off head, tail and fins; then cut into small steaks and grill with simple spices for 5 minutes per side at 350-400. After grilling, the skin comes right off. Excellent white meat.

Tip: don't hold them by the tail only, cuz they can still bite you there. Control them by firmly gripping behind their head with one hand and on the tail with your other. I usually just leave the hook and cut my leader, dropping them in a fish hold until they die.

Did you get out to deep water yet?

Thanks, MA. I started crimping all my barbs down right after I got here and started using circle hooks - they're a pain to get out otherwise, and I have yet to have a fish spit the hook. First thing I do now when I get a new box of hooks is crimp the barbs; don't forget sabiki rigs - threadfins die easy enough as it is, struggling to get them off the hook just stresses them more.

I thought about keeping the bonnethead, but the neighbors and I just ate cobia for a week - I'm on a red meat diet for now. He was easy enough to handle by the back of the head, but I didn't even consider bringing the lemon in the boat - he was looking to bite something, and it wasn't going to be me. Haven't been out to deep water yet.

[MikeM8560]

Originally Posted by pcozad1

We caught mackerel the other day all over the harbor. Are you sure they werent jack cravel? When you see that have a rod ready to throw. when they are active like that they will hit anything.

I didn't see what they were just saw the baitfish