Golden Tilefish anyone?

[JoFishes]

We just finished up a pretty good Tilefish season down here in the southeast region where our current regional quota has been reduced from a million pounds a few years back to a measley 295K/year for everyone, from the Va./NC border all the way to key west, Fl.
I'm not aware of the New England quotas or the Gulf of Mexico quotas except that they are considered separate stocks from ours.
On a good note I have been informed that a new stock assesment has shown positive results from some finally "good" data and catch composition reviews.
Over the last few years we have been catching our 4K trip limit faster than ever before and also catching 85+% large fish (over 8#) as shown by the catch composition reviews.
The result....never seen by me before in any fishery I'm involved in is an increase in the TAC (total annual catch) of almost 200K pounds for our next season, retro to this year which means a second season in July for us this summer.
Unfortunately the 295K quota was filled up by 2/17/12 so we are closed until then. Fortunately,the boat I was on, fishing out of Port Canaveral, Fl., ended up with 36K of the 295K quota in just 6 short weeks. 33k graded large (>8#), 3k graded med.(4-8#) and 0 small(<4#)
Here are a few pics from the season. Enjoy, Jo

 

[Helen L]

nice pics. I always try to get 300lbs on canyon runs up here to cover the fuel, letting tuna be all profit.

 

[Blacktide]

nice pics. I always try to get 300lbs on canyon runs up here to cover the fuel, letting tuna be all profit.

I think they bumped it up to 500# this year. I'm gonna have to get some of those fancy electric reels this year!

 

[JoFishes]

At what depths do you need to fish for goldens up there?
If it's not tooo deep like here, you might be abled to get away with some "manual" "bandits". We use them here as deep as 300' for Grouper with thin, multistrand or singlestrand stainless wire. We use a "stacked" or "streched" multi hook rig of usually 3-5 hooks. FWIW Jo

 

[Helen L]

Jo,

I use hydraulic bandits when fishing tuna at the canyons, so I use them mostly. 400-600 feet is usually where they are burrowed in the bottom. On the flats before the edge.

Blacktide, I did not know that. I'll have to check out 2012 regs.

 

[JoFishes]

Jo,

I use hydraulic bandits when fishing tuna at the canyons, so I use them mostly. 400-600 feet is usually where they are burrowed in the bottom. On the flats before the edge.

Blacktide, I did not know that. I'll have to check out 2012 regs.

My older brother has 2 homes up there on the Vinyard. I've never been there but if I make it up there sometime I'd love to make a trip with ya!

 

[Helen L]

What's his name? You should make that trip up

 

[JoFishes]

If I knew I might be abled to sail on your boat I would be more inclined to try to get up there!
His name is Ed Ludwig and his son Kevin is/was a guide there around the island. His spec is light tackle and flyfishing. I believe he worked at Skip's tackle shop a few summers too.

 

[Blacktide]

Jo,


Blacktide, I did not know that. I'll have to check out 2012 regs.

http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/regs/infodocs/TilefishInfoSheet.pdf

 

[JoFishes]

I'll accept the lack of a response as a " NOT". It's all good.
That's OK, I'll stay down here killin whatever they let me......Jo

 

[JoFishes]

For the fisherman who replied regarding the meet next week in Savannah.
Nothing is yet written in stone and there ae many of us from Fl who will be there to keep the foxes in the henhouse as honest as possible, trust me!!
Together we accounted for over 50% of this years quota so if that counts for anything, we will have our say and hopefully kill the foxes. We will also have our industry advocate and lawyer on hand as well so we will not be unarmed either!! FWIW, we will do what we can.....Jo

 

[Northern bay]

Capt where did you find the manual bandits? Who has a good priced hydro ones too?

 

[JoFishes]

Bottom reels

Waterman Bottom Reels
I got mine here....just click the link. They have man, elec, hydraulic etc.
Been doing business with them for years. Tell Jeff Irvine "Sea Dancer Jo" sent ya....

 

[Frigate]

SNL my favorite toy store in Fla. When I started buying from them, Bert had all your information on a 3 x 5 card in a metal box by the phone.

 

[Northern bay]

SNL is a good spot...Ill be down that way on thursday. Hoping to get on the tile grounds off of St. Lucie.

 

[JoFishes]

SNL is a good spot...Ill be down that way on thursday. Hoping to get on the tile grounds off of St. Lucie.

Commercial limit "CLOSED", till further notice....
Rec. limit- 1 per person, per day FWIW...Jo