Off Shore locations from Ponce inlet FL

[lizardsrule]

Got a call this evening from my fishing buddy. He has a freind that has a 21' Saltwater boat. He has a Garmin GPS, but doesn't know how to use it. They want to go out Sunday, and of course I've been nominated to figure out the GPS. I don't have one, but they have a manual, and I have seen how they look while being used on several fisahing outings from the passenger seat, really not to worried about figuring it out, probably 15 minutes with the manual Anyway, they said they had a map, and coordinates to some wrecks about 6 miles out. I have very little experience Saltwater fishng, except for a few charters I have taken. Is there anyone who knows of any locations around this area? If so I'd appreciate any tips or ideas on the matter. I was figuring maybe CK would at least have a few ideas. I want some dinner So what's biting and where. This is about 10 miles south of Daytona beach. And if anyone knows some tips on the Garmin GPS(buddy didn't know model#) I would appreciate it. I think they are just too lazy to look at the manual myself

Lizards

[Christopherkeene9]

Hey mon! It's been really bad on the bottom which you guys might be doing at 6 miles (really shallow too). You might want to try trolling. But let me ask some questions first. What kind of set-ups will you be using and rigs. And the Garmin's are easy to use let me go get mine and I'll walk ya through it.


Chris

[Christopherkeene9]

Also let me ask another question. Has any of your buddies been through ponce inlet??

Also you might wanna join this site
http://cfecf.proboards40.com/index.cgi

[lizardsrule]

As for them being in Ponce inlet before yes they have, but how much they know of it I can't say. As for setups I have no idea? Buddy said they had about 10 rod/reel combo's. Said my Baitcaster setups would work though. I don't know that either of them really know a lot about this type of fishing. He also mentioned trolling is a option. I'll check out that site. Thanks for the help.

Lizards

[Christopherkeene9]

If trolling were an option I would do that right now. Your bass combos I wouldn't use as most fish will spool that in seconds. I would pull some skirted ballyhoo around these wrecks at about 5.5 kts. Colors I would use are blue and white (always have this one in the spread), dolphin, red & black, and purple and black or pink and blue.

Chris

I still gotta get my GPS out but i will probably be Tom. since im still finishing up HW.

[bassintom]

Just sit right back & you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip
That started from this tropic port aboard this tiny ship.
The mate was a mighty sailing man, The skipper brave & sure.
Five passengers set sail that day for a three hour tour,
A three hour tour
................................sounds like fun buddy..lmao!

[flbassman]

I don't totally agree about the bass combo thing. If you have something with some twenty pound, it'll be good if you get into peanuts... Sorry, I can't help off ponce. If you ever go out of Palm Beach I can get you hooked up.

[Christopherkeene9]

not for kings though which are biting like crazy right now!

[lizardsrule]

Thanks guys,

CK I registered on that site and saw a post from a guy who just went out of Ponce, and caught a 20lb grouper YUM Had that squid it spit up as he was taking that pic. Anyways, any idea on the GPS We'll probably be a bunch of misfits from the sound of it, but hey I want to try for dinner.

Tom,

ROTFLMAO, I'm bringing my cell in a plastic bag, my own life jacket, and my family will know at least where we are close to You know it's Kirk I'm going out with We'll probably look like the three stooges out there

Lizards

[Christopherkeene9]

Man I'm sorry I didn't get this in time. Just got back off the water myself. Yeah that was a sweet 20lb. group can't wait for the winter time for them. Hope you guys caught 'em up!

[lizardsrule]

Well we left the dock at 7am, and I Just got home and out of the shower @ 845pm. It was fun, but we caught nothing but a whole bunch of sharks and a few catfish, with one small whiting I used for bait. They were fun to get in, and of course we went through some tackle. We did not fish the wreck, because they didn't have a map for there. So I loaded a couple of spots in the GPS from another map, and we went there. One was a Oyster bar LOL, and the other was a hump. Kirk had a nice redfish hooked first thing but lost it within 10' of the boat. I had several fish just break me off, as did the other guys. I started using steel leaders and hooked into a fish that bent the hook clip straight, and stole my hook Guess I need bigger equipment Watch out baitmonkey. I did have the same thing happen to me later in the day that I had happen to me in the Tomoka river. We were fishing under a bridge in the inlet late in the afternoon. I through out a chunk of Squid and almost right away got a bite. I set the hook, and then nothing but screeming reels The fish just took off and finally after it took about 100 yards off my line it straightened out another leader. It didn't act like a shark, and again it was suggested it might have been a Tarpon . Anyway it was fun for a minute LOL. The captain, Pat caught a 4 1/2'-5' Hammerhead(well he intentionally broke it off after he had it to the boat). This was within 1/4 mile of the beach where lots of folks were playing in the water . Then I was told(correct this if it's wrong) that Volusia county has the highest shark bite total in the country. I mean I caught probably seven sharks myself, a couple were over 3', with most being 12" or so. I broke off quite a few also. Anyways it was a blast. I will do it again, but would like to get some better places to catch stuff other than sharks, and also some short catfish I really didn't know they had saltwater catfish. I'm thinking I need like 150lb powerpro, and lots of quality steel leaders LOL.

Lizards

[ironman]

I fish at tamoka All the time.

[Vabass22]

Sounds like fun, and hey even if they were sharks, at least you didn't get skunked right? If I were you, I'd be fluke fishing, for some tasty dinner.

[Christopherkeene9]

don't use steel unless you want to catch trash fish. That 100yd. screamer sounds to me like a black drum!! Those guys get big under those bridges ie. 40#. Sounds like a nice day and too bad on the red, those guys are good blackened with some old bay. Yeah volusia has the highest bite rate due to ponce inlet.

Sounds like you guys had a good time overall catching fish!

[Vabass22]

Why shouldn't he get steel leaders, as I thought those were what you were supposed to use? I've always used steel.

[Christopherkeene9]

because you get every trash fish imaginable.

[Vabass22]

Sorry, this will sound real stupid, and it may be unanswerable, but why? And what would you reccomend instead?

[Christopherkeene9]

They can see it and the only fish that don't care are cats etc.

I would recommend using mono unless specifaclly targeting sharks (steel cable) or kings/wahoo (stainless steel wire (real cheap stuff too!!))

[Vabass22]

I use mono leaders some, and now that I think about it, that is what I caught the quality fish on.....
I will target sharks next time I go, and will go with a guide sometime soon, targetting balctips, and mybe some hammerheads, too, as my bro caught a 140lb hammerhead last time he went with them.

[lizardsrule]

Originally Posted by Christopherkeene9

They can see it and the only fish that don't care are cats etc.

I would recommend using mono unless specifaclly targeting sharks (steel cable) or kings/wahoo (stainless steel wire (real cheap stuff too!!))

I put some 30lb mono on, and it litterally shot off the spinning reel spool. I mean just jumped off, was just horrible with memory. What test for leaders(remember I don't want to keep having fish break off). And wouldn't some say 100# or 150# Braid work? A lot less memory, and a lot more I could put on the reel.

Lizards

[flbassman]

Liz, I would suggest getting a Penn 7500 combo. Load it up with 20-30 pound ANDE, use a 50 pound leader, and you're set for most saltwater fish. If you're going down deeper than 150 feet, get a bigger cranking stick, if you're tarpon fishing, use a bigger leader, if you're trolling, use a bigger (30/40#) cranking stick, and if you're fishing inshore, a bass combo should do. Just wait till your monkey finds out you're a saltwater man now too.

[Rodman_Rob]

could have caught a big jew fish under that bridge.

[Christopherkeene9]

I would have to disagree with Fl on using a 7500 on bottom fishing unless your catching sea bass

I would go with the all around bottom work horse the Penn 113h, a standard in any saltwater anglers tackle selection.

[flfireman]

The jewfish are taking over everything down here. They need to put out a special permit stamp for them things. If not allow 1 per day per boat. Liz my buddy here is a big offshore fishin kinda guy. His bro fishes in the FLW Kingfish tourneys. I believe he's sponsored by Folgers coffee. Anyways, I can get a pretty detailed list on rigs, set ups, etc. for you. He usually bags fish everytime he goes out, if not, he dives overboard and spearfishes the things.

[lizardsrule]

Thanks guys for the info. I'm getting ready to order some stuff from BPS(not making the 2 hour drive LOL). Anyways, please give me specific lines/hooks to buy. I want some tuff stuff, I hate losing fish due to lines breaking. Also on this mono stuff, how the heck do you get a "GOOD" knot with this 30#-80# stuff. I had a real tough time just tying the 30lb stuff on. It's just big and I'm guessing there is a better knot to use than a Palomar. I don't plan on going Saltwater a lot, since I don't have the boat or really the equipment for it, but I do want to get a couple of rigs set up to do it, when the opportunity arrises. I will say hooking in to any big fish is FUN, but I'm still a Bassaholic.

Lizards