First saltwater in 4 years

Took a last minute trip to st.Pete Florida for the holidays. Needed to get away and get my mind off the divorce, I also hadn't seen my grandma in several years. Pretty much drank beer and hung out at her dock on a canal. Love this saltwater stuff, caught a ton of different fish and got to feel acouple monsters before they would run under a dock and break me off.

Idk what the sucker looking fish is but it dang near bit my finger off

Loggerhead Mike said:

Idk what the sucker looking fish is but it dang near bit my finger off

Click to expand...

Looks to me like that "sucker-looking" fish is a lost Northern Kingfish.

I'm no saltwater expert, but I see a lady fish, whiting, speckled trout, and red.

Nice mixed bag =D>

Brine said:

I'm no saltwater expert, but I see a lady fish, whiting, speckled trout, and red.

Click to expand...

Different names for the same fish. Up north, we call them (Northern) Kingfish (I didn't know there was a Southern Kingfish). But it seems that they are called Whiting down south.

Here's another thread on another site with the same theme about the same fish...

https://www.stripersonline.com/t/863292/what-kind-of-fish

Do not lip them like a bass..

That is a Whiting, Hey next time your down this way look me up......I will show ya some good spots to fish.

Yep, that's a whiting, also known as a kingfish. Very good eating. :mrgreen:

Spot tail bass and trout are also good eating.

Ladyfish aren't known for being very good, but, they are known for being a tough fighting fish for their size. Due to some of the acrobatic leaps they perform when hooked, they are called a "poor man's tarpon" Fun to catch, but it's definitely a catch-and-release kind of fish.

The ladys we caught were a blast.

Thanks bigwave, Ill def get up with ya when I'm back down in April. A lady at hooters talked me into trying big wave, not a bad beer

I love salt fish but you have to be a rocket scientist to keep up with floridas laws, and its about a 10 hour drive home so we just throw them all back.

Im going to have to find a cast net also. Spent 40 bucks on shrimp for 2 days

Loggerhead Mike said:

The ladys we caught were a blast.

Thanks bigwave, Ill def get up with ya when I'm back down in April. A lady at hooters talked me into trying big wave, not a bad beer

I love salt fish but you have to be a rocket scientist to keep up with floridas laws, and its about a 10 hour drive home so we just throw them all back.

Im going to have to find a cast net also. Spent 40 bucks on shrimp for 2 days

Click to expand...

Dont waste your money......I have one you can borrow and I will even show you where to catch the bait. April should be on fire, and by then the greenbacks will be big enough to use for bait.....everything eats them. The laws are screwed up for the entire gulf of mexico.......thank you big brother.......not. We should be able to get some stone crabs too, if your interested. We will push up our own shrimp and have a good seafood bake.

I always cast net my shrimp when they are available in the creek.

No way in hades I'm gonna pay 9 dollars a dozen to feed pinfish, puffers, toadfish, ribbonfish, lizardfish, and every other POS trash fish that can't resist live shrimp!

Around here, in the winter when shrimp are impossible to catch anywhere but the bait shop, we use DOA shrimp to catch trout, flounder, and spot tail bass.

I modify mine by removing the factory hook and weight, and rigging onto a 1/4 oz pink or orange jig head.

And for cut bait fishing, I like to use fish bites in shrimp flavor.

Just for a little added unfair advantage, a dab of Pro-Cure Shrimp Gel on the bait or lure always helps!

I would take down the photo of the Redfish as it is WAY under size looks the same for the trout. Remember you also MUST have a saltwater fishing licence in Florida and this photo can get you a trip to jail and a fine. Remember the media hype on the woman that posted a picture of her riding a Manatee. She went to JAIL and got several thousand in fines. Just from the photo and comments on here site.
FYI
Capt Rhan


Comments accepted
I live here in Florida

Sure thing but what is illegal about it? I caught them all on circle hooks, took a picture released every fish alive. They wernt out of the water for more than a minute.

I got an out of state liscense. It's actually a bargain, wish hunting liscenses were that cheap

Just out of general curiosity, and I do appreciate ya looking out for me but how do you keep from catching dinks if their illegal

Looks like you had a good time! We call the kingfish "ground mullet" down here. Very good eating. As far as the undersized fish, it's only illegal to KEEP them, as I'm sure you already knew. You can't really help but catch them. Sometimes you just have to weed through a bunch of small ones to catch a few keepers.