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Extended party-boat trips provide Gulf Coast sinker bouncers with more
possibilities than ever before. Join us for a taste of a typical
two-day offshore adventure, and see for yourself if long-range reef
fishing is for you.
As I finished the plate of breakfast, I
heard someone outside the door cheer, and then I heard the unmistakable
sound of a hefty fish slam the deck. I downed my orange juice, stood
up, and stepped out into the beautiful June morning. Another voice
could be heard muttering, “I’m in! Good fish!” Immediately I pulled my
rod from the rack, ran to the rail, baited up, and dropped a frenzied
pinfish into the deep, clear blue water where it soon disappeared into
the 200 foot depths.
A few moments later, I could feel the first sign of something far below, followed by a strong, solid pull from an unsuspecting fish. My rod arched as I leaned back into the strike. I was hooked up, and this is what I had come for!
I was on the maiden voyage of the Gulf Star out of Tarpon Springs, Florida, kicking off a series of offshore specialty trips. Yes, I know; party-boats, head-boats, drift-boats, whatever you prefer to call them, don’t always have such a good reputation among serious fishermen, but this was a different sort of trip. It wasn’t an afternoon boat ride with impatient children and queasy tourists. Rather, the Gulf Star carries only fifteen passengers and fishes distant waters for extended periods of time. Try 44 hours! With travel time to and from the fishing grounds, that boils down to about 30 hours of fishing. If that’s not enough, longer trips also exist. Just down the coast from Tarpon Springs is Madeira Beach, where the Florida Fisherman II fishes the same haunts on a busy schedule of 48 hour snapper/grouper marathons, along with a newly added 55 hour Pelagic Magic long-range trip.
Lengthy expeditions of this nature give anglers a chance to enjoy almost all of the benefits of an expensive multi-day charter on a private sportfishing yacht, but without the high price tag. Overnighters on head-boats give anglers a chance to listen to and learn from other experienced fishermen who often provide great information. I found my trip on the Gulf Star to be an all around phenomenal learning experience.
We departed the docks at Tarpon Springs on a Friday evening and headed down the Anclote River past Anclote Key where we entered the open Gulf. The sun slowly sank as the captain pushed up the throttles, and the boat surged at running speed toward our destination- the Middle Grounds off Florida’s West Coast. This fabulous deep Gulf fishing area is protected from commercial fishing pressure, and gives anglers who can make the seventy plus mile journey nearly endless possibilities at trophy size reef fish- with several varieties of snapper and grouper, along with the potential bonus of pelagic tuna and big king mackerel.
As night fell, the select group of anglers made their way down below where George Lontakos, a Tarpon Springs native and inshore guide who was helping crew on this first trip, was demonstrating his technique for tying an effective double-hook snapper/grouper rig. I used his suggestion when we reached our first drop, and it worked wonders!
In addition to the lucky fifteen anglers, the boat carried two captains, four deckhands, a young lady who operated the galley, and Captain Rich’s two golden retrievers- Buddy and Spinnerbait. We were in good hands with a fully competent crew, and we were all well served on deck and down below when it came time for meals.
As we steamed offshore, most of the anglers occupied their assigned bunks to catch some shut eye, but I went above to talk to the skippers. Rich Castellano told me that he had been with the Viking Fleet for many years and had worked his way up from deckhand to captain. He has held the position in the wheelhouse for ten years, and is now directing the operation of the Gulf Star. This latest addition to the Viking Fleet is 65 ft. long and is equipped with John Deere diesels for propulsion and electrical generation. I later learned the Gulf Star has an extended range of over 1,000 nautical miles.
When I asked Captain Rich why the Viking Fleet decided to start a series of long-range trips, he said the goal was to provide hardcore anglers a variety of fishing at an affordable rate. “We troll for mackerel, wahoo, and tuna on the way to and from the grounds, and hit the reefs hard when we reach the most productive bottom. With a small group of only 15 anglers, we can provide excellent individual instruction and attention. The guys get the very best of offshore fishing- but at affordable party-boat prices.”
We awoke about three o’clock Saturday morning when the diesels finally slowed, and the boat began to circle a spot that Captain Rich believed appeared promising. After a long ride, it was time to fish. We positioned up current, the deckhands dropped anchor, and we drifted back over the limestone ledges below. Captain Rich, over the boat’s intercom said, “Ok, guys, looks good- Drop ‘em down.”
It only took a few moments from the time our baits hit the bottom to determine that the structure below was full of life. Mangrove snapper began to arrive on deck along with a steady mix of flag yellowtail. A few anglers dropped blue runners back from the stern and were pleased with immediate results from smoker kings. After we had been on the spot for a while, the deck lights began to attract squid which zipped in and out of the light. Fishing the bottom, I got a firm strike, and any dust that had accumulated since my last offshore outing was instantly knocked off. While most of the anglers were pulling in prized snapper and grouper, I dealt with hard fighting bonito. The fish would later be used for cut bait. After a couple of hours, we pulled up and moved on. The knowledgeable crew takes extra precaution to insure no one spot is completely wiped out. When we stopped for our second drop, we watched the sun rise over the eastern horizon. We were 90 miles offshore now, and it promised to be a great day!
Saturday was special. We trolled as we ventured even farther offshore, but unfortunately with little to show for our efforts. At 117 miles in about 260 feet of water, the engines slowed. The anchor dropped, and we eased back over a piece of high profile bottom. The current was strong, and it took a full pound of lead to reach the bottom, but rewards were waiting when the bait got there! Big mangrove snapper, some of the largest I’ve ever seen, were eager to eat. Anglers had to work hard to move these ten to twelve pound bronze beauties through the perfect blue water. Red grouper and American red snapper made an appearance as well, as did a number of scamp. From time to time, an angler would set up on a fish, and his rod would double over in a struggle with something massive below. Mean gag grouper in the 40-pound range punished some lucky anglers and their tackle. Big fish began to pile up on the deck, and the helpful deckhands were kept very busy unhooking fish, tagging fish, and keeping careful track of numbers and species caught. In fact, everyone was having a blast!
I learned that we were positioned over a break in the limestone bottom which featured a sharp ledge dropping from 229 feet to over 260 feet. This great vertical relief, coupled with the good current made a tremendous fishing spot. When the bite at this deep ledge finally slowed, the fish boxes were already teaming with quality fish. Anyone who has ever been on such a trip knows that is an exciting sight! On an extended trip of this nature with so much time at the rail, anglers must catch a few Z’s whenever possible. I crawled into my bunk, rolled over, and zoned off for a while.
Some time later, the boat slowed, circled and the anchor was dropped again. I went on deck, and on signal from Captain Rich, I dropped my bait- a double hooked sardine- into the deep water. When the line came to a halt from reaching the ledge some 250 feet below, I reeled in to firm up my slack and was greeted by something headed the other way. After a solid struggle, a gorgeous ten-pound mangrove snapper could be seen coming up through the clear water, one of many pulled off this particular ledge. In one fluid motion I unhooked the fish, impaled another sardine on the same rig, and proceeded to drop down again. As I took up slack, I quickly felt a gentle tap from below and prepared myself for another battle. A solid thump followed, and I reeled hard. It was at this point in the trip when I learned another valuable lesson in long-range reef fishing. Although it is interesting to connect with a big amberjack at any time, a fresh AJ from 250 feet can be punishing! As the day wore on, a few more wiggles produced consistent action with a mix of red, gag, and scamp grouper, along with an assortment of mangrove, lane, yellowtail and red snapper. Variety is definitely the name of the game here.
On Sunday morning, I didn’t hear the ground tackle go out, and I didn’t hear the motor change tone when we anchored on a ledge at 3:00 AM. I woke up on my own at about 4:00, and the gray snapper bite was on! Most of the anglers were still below sleeping, but the few that were on deck were busy as could be. Again, these were quality size fish reaching and exceeding the double digit mark. The occasional gag grouper and American red joined the fish in the box. I dropped a pinfish into the dark early morning water, and felt the familiar tap, tap, tap of an interested party. I set the hook, and a short time later, another big mangrove was thumping on deck. I re-baited, dropped down, and this time, the strike was immediate- a powerful fish nearly brought me to my knees. I was sure that I had finally hooked the big gag I was after. I could practically taste the grouper sandwiches. As I worked the fish upward, I began to see color in the glass-clear water below me. But it was the wrong color. It was a …shark. Oh well, he pulled hard, even if I couldn’t make a meal of him.
At that moment, the Gulf Star’s intercom crackled. Captain Rich came on, and he said, “Boys, that depression out in the Gulf has officially been upgraded to Tropical Storm Alberto, and it’s headed our way. We need to call it quits and head for home.”
After the storm season of last year, you can bet the crew got the gear stowed, decks cleared, and anchor pulled in a quick and efficient manner. We cut the trip a few hours short, but we still had full fish boxes, and no one seemed to care that we were dodging the bullet. Though we didn’t see much action with tuna, mackerel, wahoo, or other pelagic species during this first of what I am sure will be many successful long-range trips aboard the Gulf Star, there was no shortage of steady action with quality bottom fish to keep everyone happy.
All-in-all it was an awesome adventure. Overnight long-range fishing trips are not for everyone. Spending upwards of two full days out in the Gulf is not a place for newcomers. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll love this type of trip. This is serious, focused fishing, and requires a serious level of dedication from both the crew and anglers. One thing that must be kept in mind is this sort of fishing trip is not a quick sprint; it’s a long distance marathon. Although it is tempting to stay at the rail all day and night, sleep is necessary for most folks to function well. So when the lines come up and the engines start to roar, it’s time to hit the bunk. Rest when possible, and fish hard when the opportunity presents itself. Long-range overnight fishing is tough, but it’s tough in a very good way. When I stepped off the Gulf Star at the dock at Tarpon Springs Sunday morning, I was nearly exhausted, my hands were cut and cramped, my legs and back were sore from leaning back against so many big fish, and I felt absolutely terrific!
Long-Range Connections:
To book an extended Gulf Coast long-range adventure, check out the following fleets. Both visit the world famous Middle Grounds and beyond for snapper, grouper, and various pelagic species including tuna, mackerel, and swordfish. Reservations are a must as trips are limited.
Viking Fleet
Tarpon Spring FL.
44 Hour Specialty Trips aboard the 65 ft. Gulf Star
Strictly limited to15 passengers per trip
888.358.7477
www.VikingFleet.com
Hubbard’s Marina
Madeira Beach FL.
48 & 55 Hour Specialty Trips aboard the 72 ft. Florida Fisherman II
Strictly limited to 26 passengers per trip
727.393.1947
www.HubbardsMarina.com
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Personal Recommendations:
-Adequate apparel w/extra socks, t-shirts, light jacket
-Rain gear w/rubber boots
-Sun protection w/large brim hat, polarized sunglasses, sunscreen
-Camera w/extra film and batteries
-Hygiene accessories including towels, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc
-Writing and reading material w/notebook, pens, magazines
Recommended tackle and terminal gear (basic):
20- to 30 lb. spinning outfit for catching bait, yellowtail, and possibly dolphin
30- to 40 lb. conventional outfit for snapper, grouper, king mackerel, and blackfin tuna
50- to 60 lb. conventional outfit for big amberjack, hefty grouper, and fast wahoo
60- to 80 lb. stand-up outfit for giant grouper, big tuna, swordfish, sharks
-Fresh monofilament- clear or blue.
-Fluorocarbon leader material- 30 lb., 50 lb., 80 lb., 100 lb.
-Wire leader-Various sizes
-Sinkers- 1 oz., 2 oz., 4 oz, 6 oz, 10 oz., 12 oz., 16 oz., 24 oz.
-Live bait hooks- 2/0 thru 10/0
-Heavy-duty barrel swivels
-Metal jigs & Bucktail/curly tail combos- 4 oz., 6 oz., 8 oz., 10 oz.
-Sabiki style bait rigs
-Fighting belt
-Pliers/wire cutters
-Hand held multi-tool
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