Dry Tortugas
- Leadslinger
- Old Salt
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Re: Dry Tortugas
She's a beaut bro!! Get it dialed in I'll keep scoping the place out.
- Leadslinger
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Went and caught some of these after work yesterday
And these
Ended up with this
Freelined cut pilchard and ballyhoo on a 2/0 Demon Wire in shallow water at first then it got busy with the homemade chum bringing them in hungry...couldn't even sit the rod down til it was going off again. Lot of the tails we caught last night flew in the face of current logic of leader shy etc etc. Wire, heavy mono, 7/0, hell I reckon if you could get a log chain back there they'd eat it too.
And these
Ended up with this
Freelined cut pilchard and ballyhoo on a 2/0 Demon Wire in shallow water at first then it got busy with the homemade chum bringing them in hungry...couldn't even sit the rod down til it was going off again. Lot of the tails we caught last night flew in the face of current logic of leader shy etc etc. Wire, heavy mono, 7/0, hell I reckon if you could get a log chain back there they'd eat it too.
- swordfish
- SHARKER
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Only in the Tugas son.... Hellacious night! This is a good measure of the fish starting to eat by the way... I may head out tonite for a couple hours!
-swordfish
-swordfish
- Leadslinger
- Old Salt
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Re: Dry Tortugas
We're heading over to a very promising looking area off the beaten path tonight, should be a grouper bonanza if we're lucky.
- gruntking
- LUMBER-JACK
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Re: Dry Tortugas
i'll see you in a couple of weeks
is the bird island closed ?
is the bird island closed ?
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- Rare
- SHARKER
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Yes its closed...isn't always?. 2 weeks ago 4 to 5 Cubanos made it there and started a fire...lol
- Rare
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Fort Jefferson 5/24/14
- fishnfool73
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Re: Dry Tortugas
How far away do you have to be to fish from a boat ? I was under the impression that thhe surronding area was all marine sanctuary.
Dreaming the dream that one day I can be as good as some of the boatless pros and catch some 12 inch mangrove snapper.
- Rare
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Chris, we were setting up the grill before sundown and we slept on the boat till morning. All the boat you see there are just folks sleeping in or eating.
- Rare
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Re: Dry Tortugas
When anchor there I saw what looked to be a caterpillar/slug in the water swimming on top. (should have taken pics) A few muttons we caught after that morning were spitting them out.... It looked to be like good bait. Also found big eels and plenty of crabs in red grouper & muttons.
- fishnfool73
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Sorry RARE was asking LEADSLINGER how far he is going away .
Dreaming the dream that one day I can be as good as some of the boatless pros and catch some 12 inch mangrove snapper.
- Leadslinger
- Old Salt
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Bring a pizza! It's still closed, bunch of turtle nest over there now. You couldn't pay me to go over there. Cackling birds...I can hear them in my apartment at night.gruntking wrote:i'll see you in a couple of weeks
is the bird island closed ?
Rare, you should have come and said hi. It was 31 cubans...31!
Fishn, there's a one mile historical use area around Garden Key, otherwise you have to head outside the park on this side, which isn't a far run but we don't go that far due to time and fuel. Later in the summer we will slip out a little farther when it's flat calm.
- Rare
- SHARKER
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Re: Dry Tortugas
31! Were they the same one who made the Bonfire?I saw the rock pile rocks the made to sit down on when we were catching bait.
Them birds are something else.....I thought when night fell that they will stop but all night they were chirping, gurgling croak & high pitch all night till the morning & still going. It was white noise to me so i fall asleep fast. lol
Them birds are something else.....I thought when night fell that they will stop but all night they were chirping, gurgling croak & high pitch all night till the morning & still going. It was white noise to me so i fall asleep fast. lol
- Leadslinger
- Old Salt
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Been a little slack on posting here lately, so here's a catch up post.
The mutton bite around the fort has been slow, but out away, especially around Pulaski it's been killer. Had some guys out recently that killed them. Topping out at 18-19lbs...that ain't mutton to complain about. The grouper bite has been decent, except for the last time out. Got a 26 inch red on the first drop and then nothing. Fished in about 35' of water using cut ballyhoo. Saturday evening we went out and with 3 on board we limited out in short order, 21-25" reds and multiple strawberry. Sharks have really moved in lately which is a bit of a pain. The porgie bite has also picked up, if you like porgie then the time is now. Yellowtailing has been good, flat lining or dropping, doesn't matter. Several days ago you couldn't get a bait to the bottom without picking off a tail. A pretty good thing to complain about, but I don't care for tails too much unless I'm on light tackle. Haven't been out in two/three days with some weather and guest that don't do well on small boats in a chop
Grovers and Jacks are hot around the dock, pitch a few small pieces out, or some silversides, then drop in behind it and catch all you want. Size has been a little short, 12-14" being the most common.
The mutton bite around the fort has been slow, but out away, especially around Pulaski it's been killer. Had some guys out recently that killed them. Topping out at 18-19lbs...that ain't mutton to complain about. The grouper bite has been decent, except for the last time out. Got a 26 inch red on the first drop and then nothing. Fished in about 35' of water using cut ballyhoo. Saturday evening we went out and with 3 on board we limited out in short order, 21-25" reds and multiple strawberry. Sharks have really moved in lately which is a bit of a pain. The porgie bite has also picked up, if you like porgie then the time is now. Yellowtailing has been good, flat lining or dropping, doesn't matter. Several days ago you couldn't get a bait to the bottom without picking off a tail. A pretty good thing to complain about, but I don't care for tails too much unless I'm on light tackle. Haven't been out in two/three days with some weather and guest that don't do well on small boats in a chop
Grovers and Jacks are hot around the dock, pitch a few small pieces out, or some silversides, then drop in behind it and catch all you want. Size has been a little short, 12-14" being the most common.
- Leadslinger
- Old Salt
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Took advantage of the flat calm conditions yesterday and ran a little south of the park for some scouting. Ran a string of numbers going east west looking for muttons and grouper. Found em! Using whole dead dines, the grouper below was a bit annoying as he broke us off twice, and judging from the plethora of tackle in his mouth we weren't the first victims. Reds, few blacks that were a little undersized and some muttons, not a bad haul, 3 grouper and a mutton to introduce to some hot oil
- Kingofthesea
- GOLIATH GROUPER
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Re: Dry Tortugas
"Plethora of tackle"!!!!!!!! Wow. Definitely a welcome and grammatical upgrade for our simple forum. Great fish bud. Keep the reports coming 'slinger' I'm living vicariously through you.
Those old queen slave owners that wrote our Constitution 200 years ago were brilliant.
"Every four years Americans get the President they deserve".
"Every four years Americans get the President they deserve".
- Leadslinger
- Old Salt
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Went out last night to a spot in about 90' that holds some AJ's to do a little vertical jigging, mother nature had other plans as the current was screaming. On to plan B. Tied on some lead about the size of a Buick, and dropped down for some bottom fishing. Even with 7-9 oz it was strung out behind the boat like a flatline...next stop Cuba lol.
Brought in a few short gags and blacks, and a few keeper red grouper, but I've got 3 bags of red grouper in the freezer at home so those went back to grow some more. Switched over and did some tailing, in quick order I had a limit of 16-20" tails. Water has been flat calm lately, the mangrove bite around the dock has been insane since the moon got almost full, some bigger fellas have moved in. Caught a mess of them three nights ago on 1/8th oz jigs tipped with FishBites shrimp. Snook and Tarpon are thick around there as well, live bait being about the only thing they're interested in. They put on quite a show around the docks when they go to busting bait. Had some good size threadfin herring around the dock recently, netted up a big bag of those.
Brought in a few short gags and blacks, and a few keeper red grouper, but I've got 3 bags of red grouper in the freezer at home so those went back to grow some more. Switched over and did some tailing, in quick order I had a limit of 16-20" tails. Water has been flat calm lately, the mangrove bite around the dock has been insane since the moon got almost full, some bigger fellas have moved in. Caught a mess of them three nights ago on 1/8th oz jigs tipped with FishBites shrimp. Snook and Tarpon are thick around there as well, live bait being about the only thing they're interested in. They put on quite a show around the docks when they go to busting bait. Had some good size threadfin herring around the dock recently, netted up a big bag of those.
- swordfish
- SHARKER
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Awesome! There are still some people who believe you cannot catch snook out there. Catch a little grunt, pitch it in there and send us a pic of a snookum! I should have given you a hawk! I BETCHA they will work over there at night! Remind me next time! I would LOVE to see the hawk catch fish out there!
-Swordfish
-Swordfish
- cudaman
- BLACK FIN TUNA
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Staying there you will not run out of fish in the freezer. Nice catching man
- Leadslinger
- Old Salt
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Lol I've got a Hawk, just hesitant to throw it. Snook are under the dock and I know as soon as I drag past a piling it'll get nailed and taken to watery grave. Of course I do have a fleet of kayaks to paddle out and change my angle...hmm You still wanna head over to Everglades in a few days?
Cuda it's not a bad spot to keep the supply stocked. Debating a Yuri trip with a coworker, but our days off island are limited.
Cuda it's not a bad spot to keep the supply stocked. Debating a Yuri trip with a coworker, but our days off island are limited.
- swordfish
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Yeah bud. I am thinking like an evening of bug bites and FISH! Hopefully right after a nasty storm! Ill head over straight from work. I hear they are on the chew BIG time! Well talk as we get closer. Up your tackle... I fish hawks on 65 lb power pro JUST cuz of that, I fish VERY close to the bridge and have to rip the fish out or get rocked. I have had to "walk" a few round a pylon or two.
-Swordfish
-Swordfish
- cudaman
- BLACK FIN TUNA
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Well, if you get a chance go with Yuri. At times you'll find he is not that far from where you are. I wonder if you could see their lights and the Yankee Capts lights from the Fort at night.
- gruntking
- LUMBER-JACK
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Re: Dry Tortugas
i canceled my last trip last minute but i have another trip to the island in oct cant wait bro
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- cudaman
- BLACK FIN TUNA
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Joe, are you going on the Ferry? Do you know if they let you transport a kayak on it?
- Leadslinger
- Old Salt
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Re: Dry Tortugas
They do and yes, think it's 20-40 for a yak.cudaman wrote:Joe, are you going on the Ferry? Do you know if they let you transport a kayak on it?
Every now and then you can see some very bright lights off in the distance, mainly to the South and Southeast. I'll be sending you a message once we decide on when we want to go on the Capts.
- cudaman
- BLACK FIN TUNA
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Sounds good man and thanks for the info
- BEOWULF
- KING MACKEREL
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Hey Leadslinger, what kind of job do you have, that you get to be stationed in the Dry Tortugas? Sounds like an awesome gig! Btw, thanks for referring to it properly as "Dry Tortugas" instead of "tugas".
- BEOWULF
- KING MACKEREL
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Re: Dry Tortugas
Wow, the Google Maps crew has really done a great job of photographing Dry Tortugas National Park. I was able to "virtually" walk around the entire perimeter of the fort. Looks like the fishing there, even from shore, must be awesome, (although no doubt prohibited). I feel like one day, when I finally get to go there, I'll totally know the place already!
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- KING MACKEREL
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Re: Dry Tortugas
They re used to be some cool underwater streaming webcams from there i dont know if they are still running or not. So many fish right there....