Captain’s Corner: Dave Mistretta

The new year brings more restrictions  for certain fish in the Gulf. Gag grouper season has ended. Anglers were able to take advantage of some decent weather this past week hoping to catch a few of these prized fish before the season ends.

January red grouper will be still be available for bottom fisherman desiring grouper fillets.

As time progresses we as fishermen have to savor the art of fishing as a whole.  The days of bringing home a cooler full of filets are becoming few and far between. Many of these closures are put in place to try to save the populations. The numbers of people on the water has grown  in the past 20 years.

  Anglers need to enjoy the day on the water catching fish, knowing that they may not come in with a  boatload of fillets.   Catch-and-release is an option which we’ve been practicing for many years with great success. This is truly what fishing has transformed into. Don’t get me wrong. Bringing home some filets, having them for dinner, is a beautiful thing. We’ve been doing it all our lives, but times are changing.

If bringing home fish is your first priority, we suggest planning your trips, sometimes months in advance  coinciding with the specie of fish you desire to eat.