Jason, Dave, and Chris were back for another go and this time were hoping for big amberjacks and red snapper.  The Gulf greeted us with flat seas and no wind so we headed 60 miles to our 1st spot. The bottom machine lit up like it was Christmas.  After a few drifts and some lost baits we anchored up.  The red snapper cooperated as we were catching them one after another.  Unfortunately the jacks that usually are here were nowhere to be found.  The only explanation was a new resident had moved in…gag grouper.  Our baits barely made it to the bottom before 20+ pound gag grouper inhaled them.  We got to a point where we were just tired of catching them.  National Marine Fisheries is going to have a hard time explaining to this group that gags are over fished and in danger.

We then tried our luck on a spring known for monster jacks.  Again the machine was pure red with fish all throughout the water column…the jacks were there but eight live baits later the jack bite stopped without a single one landed.  A few big fish broke us off, and a few times the hook pulled during the fight.  With a big storm moving in we fired up the engines and started heading in.  After about 45 miles with stopped at 1 more spot know to hold jacks certain times of the year.  Instead of an amberjack, Jason caught the ridiculous gag in this picture as well as a few others.  His entire tail hung over my 40 inch filet table, so he measured approximately 45 inches.  We may not have caught the jacks we were after, but what a trophy consolation prize.