350 Lb Goliath Grouper Caught on a Handline! (Boca Grande)

250 lb grouper caught at 3:50

350 lb grouper caught at 7:50

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Special thanks to Big Bully Outdoors for taking us out! http://www.bigbullyoutdoors.com/

Check out their channel - https://www.youtube.com/user/bigbullyfishing

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Bait Used: Live Mullet

Rod/Reel/Line used: Some type of super stout rod and crazy heavy reel, plus 600 lb bullbuster monofilament

Handline - thick rope and a big ass mustad circle hook

Location: Port Charlotte, Florida

Date: October 6th, 2015

Primary Pattern: Live lining live mullet off the bottom in ~60 feet or water around pilings

Time Fished: 9 am - 12 pm (all bites came from 11 am - 12 pm once the tide turned)

Air Temp: High of 80 degrees, low of 74 degrees

Water Temp: 85 degrees

Water Clarity: 72 inches

Conditions: Partly cloudy with winds from the NNE up to 2 mph

Hatcam Used: Gopro hero 4 silver (1080p, 60 FPS, medium FOV) - chesty + external audio

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Overview - Had an epic day on the water with big bully outdoors! The day started off slow, with Captain Andrew Herzog arriving about 30 minutes before us to catch some live mullet. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to locate any schools so when Andrew and I hopped onboard our first stop was to catch some bait. It actually worked out well that he didn't find any bait because I was able to witness Captain Herzog's cast-netting skills first hand!

As he perused a shallow flat he saw a flicker of silver and almost instantaneously performed a pirouette-like motion and launched the net in a perfect pancake release. The cast of successful as he pulled up 6 or 7 lively mullet ranging from 12-16 inches.

Ready to go, Captain Herzog pulled up the trolling motor and we made a short 15 minute run to his grouper spot. He warned us that the grouper fishing had been a bit slow this month due to the strange tidal movements but he said we seemed to be good luck as seen with the bait so maybe things would go our way.

I let Andrew go first, since he had caught a small jewfish (150 lbs) with Big Bully Outdoors the previous year. I wanted to observe how one handles a fish that size since I'd never caught a fish that broke the triple digits barrier.

Captain Herzog showed us how he rigged up the bait, and right off the bat Andrew had a few nibbles on the spry mullet as Tom pitched the bait flush against the drums. After that the fishing was slow for the next couple hours, the tide was pretty slack and despite making multiple pitches at different angles to the drums, we couldn't entice any bites.

We then abandoned the drums and fished a broken down dock that was littered with a vast field of pilings. Captain Herzog said that the grouper like to hang out in the middle of the structure but move to the edges with tidal movement to feed.

Tom made a perfect pitch right between a pair of pilings and the bait got sucked towards the middle as the tide finally started moving. Andrew had been holding the heavy rod for 2 hours straight and almost began dozing when his rod twitched. He instantly awakened as his rod began to double over and he braced himself for the impending battle.

The giant fish was deep in the pilings and Captain Herzog has to maneuver the boat to aid in luring the beast into the open water. We succeeded in getting the fish out, the 600 lb line holding strong, and Andrew used all his might to battle the goliath for a couple minutes until the fish finally admitted defeat.

We were very close to the bank so we jumped off the boat and unhooked the fish on the sandy shoreline to make it easier and safer for everyone.

I had never seen a 250 lb fish before, and I was shocked at the sheer size and strength it possessed. Honestly, I'll be the first to admit I'm not that strong of a dude, I don't lift weights and weigh in at a measly 145 pounds.

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