Variety is the Spice of Angling

Whooo, we got squalled out today and I took two naps totaling four hours of well-needed "catch up" sleep this morning. I was still on the beach at 4:45 with the boat but was back home by 6 a.m. I just ran a quick count and I have run 32 days in a row totaling 54 different trips in that time. A new all time record for this old (tired) fishhead.

Yesterday was the last day of the 2014 Red Snapper season in Florida state waters and I am happy to report we limited out on every trip, even the short two-hour ones. While I hate to see Snapper season end I am ready to start targeting other critters, variety is the spice of angling! There are so many different species to chase this time of year it does seem a shame to base all my trips around one critter.

Here are some pics from the past week or so to prove just how good the bite has been and to give some folks braggin' rights.

The last Red Snapper for 2014. These folks had NEVER been fishing before and got this great board on an afternoon three-hour trip. I don't think they were aware of what they had with those 2 fine Grouper.
 

These 4 guys are "inshore" anglers. They got a great catch off the beach on a four-hour "offshore" trip.
 

These guys have fished with me for years and the kids have grown up so I can't take everybody on the same trip. The dad's and some kids on the morning 4 hr set the bar pretty high with this board.
 

A couple of the same families' kids with their gals on the afternoon three-hour came back pretty strong with this board.... two FINE Gag Groupers!
 

This Dad has fished with me for years and brought his family over to experience the fishing here at Grayton this summer. They had a blast on this afternoon three hour. Dad had to fish hard to keep up with the family though.... it was a grouper "war".
 

These three guys not only got a fine Snapper limit but those are some BIG Vermillions and that King isn't too shabby either...and Mahi too.
 

This group usually has an ace fishergal to help fill the board. They proved they can do it even if she isn't there to help.
 

Kings, snappers, jacks... When they got on the boat Grandad told me he didn't care if they caught a bunch as long as the kids had fun.... They had a blast catching a whole bunch!
 

I think that young man is prouder of that shark than the rest of a great catch!
 

These two fished with me a couple days this week... this trip had the "smaller" snappers....but it's a better pic!

I'll be fishin' out of Grayton for another two weeks before heading over to Indian Pass for most of August (TARPONS!). I am sure we will be hitting the Kings hard and chasing a bunch of the other species we have been neglecting over the past 6 weeks.