As December and the year 2022 come to an end; we can't help but savor the incredible year High Octane Charters has had. The weather this year has provided challenges and opportunities to change up our tactics and find fish in places where they maybe wouldn’t have been in a “normal" season. For those who have been following us on social media, we've been a little lax in posting. That's because we've been busy fishing. Enough about reflecting: let us end this year talking about what we all love, fishing!

Offshore

Our new boat has allowed us to fish hard and in far more comfort than our last vessel. The 31-foot Cape Horn handles wind and waves far better and has gotten us to the fishing grounds on days when we would have normally canceled. Powered by twin Yamaha 300s, we can reach our offshore fishing grounds much faster, cutting down on travel time and increasing fishing time. With 290 gallons of fuel capacity, we can extend our trips to more than 80 miles offshore, reaching the real big fish. One example of what this newfound range and speed means is we will be able to offer red snapper trips starting in June.

December brought our best month of gag grouper fishing yet. Many fish were over 20 lbs with most coming on live pinfish. Even with the recent frigid temperatures, we were still able to catch sluggish grouper on dead bait. With the amount of junk food and leftovers many of us have been eating in the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I think we can understand how the grouper were feeling. Gag grouper was red hot for us, but we will have to switch to catch and release after the 31st until next year's season opens. For those who missed out this year or who got a taste of the action, the 2023 gag season opens on September 1st and runs until November 10th. Make sure to book early, as these spots fill fast.

Our rockpiles in the 20-40 foot range where we target gags have started to produce good numbers of sheepshead too. These tasty toothy fish will continue to be a target species for clients looking to bring home a cooler full of outstanding eating fish. Mangrove snappers are also making a showing and in keeper size too. Mixed bag rockpile trips will continue to increase in catch size and variety as the winter months roll on. Dropping live shrimp and jigs onto shallow water rockpiles is a fantastic way to end up with a cooler full of fish, great for anglers of any age. While they may not look like the average trophy fish, light tackle snapper fishing pits an angler's skill and finesse against an energetic opponent highly motivated to return to the rockpile unhooked. Landing a dinner-sized mangrove snapper on a light tackle setup is an accomplishment that should be celebrated.

Inshore

Our inshore fishing has been on par with November. The Nature Coast's negative winter tide has made for very shallow water in our tributaries at low tide. Exposed rocks and oyster beds create warmer flats that fish, like seatrout and red drum, love to explore when the tides rise again. Seatrout fishing will continue to improve, with keeper-sized fish being the norm. DOA cals bounced off the bottom are always the go-to option, with fresh baits like live shrimp never being refused.

Looking Ahead

January and February will see an increase in fishing activity at the rockpiles in 20 to 40-foot depths. Dropping live shrimp and jigs will produce keeper  sheepshead, mangrove snapper, and even a few hogfish. Hogfish are a challenge to catch, but these funny-looking fish are some of the most sought snappers in the gulf. 

For those looking to keep fishing for and bringing grouper home, the red grouper season opens on January 1st. We will be fishing for these guys in 60+ feet of water or more over Swiss cheese and live bottom. They are fantastic eating and a great fight too. 

With 2022 nearly in our rearview, we thank everyone who made this season incredible. We look forward to seeing new faces and old friends in 2023. Tight lines and happy new year.

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