SUBJECT: # 39346: A couple more hogs, red grouper, snapper: Naples, FL Fishbuster

Submitted by Captain Dave Hanson (68.85.71.42) from FLORIDA on 12/10/04 1:22:00 PM

I fished Tuesday 17 miles off Naples, west of New Pass. We caught a keeper red grouper, keeper mangrove and yellowtail snapper, porkfish, and whitebone porgies, all on live shrimp, and released lots of gag and red grouper shorts in the 19 to 21 inch range. We also released a 50+ pound goliath grouper, which we caught on a blue runner.

I fished Thursday 19 miles west of New Pass. We caught two hogfish, 13 and 16 inches, keeper mangrove snapper, grunts, and porkfish, all on live shrimp. We released gag grouper to 19 inches and red grouper to 16 inches. Seas started to build toward the end of our trip, in advance of the next cold front.

By Friday, seas were building to 4 to 6 feet, with 6-9 feet predicted on Saturday, and small-craft advisories were issued, so I stayed in port.