Amberjack opener
 

After the way this week is going I'm on a roll!

Today was the second half opener of amberjack season. They had not been bothered in 2 months so I felt good about our targeted species. My plan was to find some large hardtails and drop down the heavy equipment to pull the reef donkeys out of the rig. Add (his name) is new to his boat and still getting used to how it handles.

On the way out we run across threadfin. This gives us our live bait. Once there I did not even bother to look at the depth finder to locate them. We dropped down on one corner of the rig with no results. I have Add ease over to the center and I hook up. I have him back out and he starts out very slowly. My drag on the reel is locked down but the fish is pulling drag and heading into the structure. He has to pull out faster. Once he gives it the gas it looks like I am stuck into the rig but I finally get it out enough to turn it over to Add's wife Shelly. She quickly realizes the fish is much more than she wants to battle so she gives it to Add and I take over the boat. This donkey put a hurting on him but I was able to get a hand on it and bring it into the boat. A 60 pounder on the marina scale. Nice way to start the season.

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The humidity was high and there was no breeze at all. We all had a bottle of ice cold water and went back to fishing. We had 2 more to get for our limit. There were hard tail jacks all over the place but we already had threadfin so drop another down. This one gets robbed. I loose a couple more baits before I get a solid one on. This one is also a slob so Add gets on it again. Not quite as big but close.

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Our third one came on our next drop. It was noticeably smaller but still a respectable amberjack.

http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthread...-71222-003.jpg

At this time we have our limit and it is not even 10:30. We headed in looking for some mangroves. We went to the same place we hammered them 2 days ago. The water was a much different color than we had two days ago. We hit 3 different rigs in that area and found nothing but monster hardtails. We eased into state waters and picked up a pair of snapper but Shelly was fished out and still no breeze at all. Time for a fish cleaning party.

http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthread...-71223-005.jpg

With 1 at 60 even, another in the low 50's, and 3 in quick order I am off to --- A good start to the amberjack season.

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Life is Good!
Fishing is not a matter of life or death. It's more important than that.

CAPT HOOP -- OUR FREEDOM

Nice fish!

Nice trip! What is your secret to catching mangrove snapper? We went out of Sabine Pass on Saturday and only managed a couple. WQe fished the up current side of the rig. Broke off on most that we hooked up on. We were fishing 30lb mono with a small khale hook so we could hide it in our cut cigar minnow.

The pole has to be strong and line with no stretch. I use 50 or 60 pound floro leader with 100 pound Jerry Brown line on my offshore spinning setup. Don't give them a chance to cut you off in the rig. I use small, thin wire circle hooks.

Thanks! What for bait??

I have used live croaker, live shrimp and pogie chunks. All will work when fished right.

Thanks Capt. Hope to try again on Sunday.