Deep dropping has been on fire this past week! The crew from Walden Custom Builders put on a clinic. But make no mistake, even though it was a team effort, these are Kyle’s Tiles!

This past week the Ocean Obsession II (OO) had some epic trips targeting the bottom bite out of Port Canaveral. Some of the usual suspects you can count on, including mangrove, lane and red snapper (even though you can’t keep ’em). Grouper, triggerfish, bee-liners, jacks, cobia, kingfish and even dolphin make an appearance from time to time. However, this past week they welcomed mutton snapper and African pompano to the party, as well!

This week has been good offshore overall. The kingfish bite has been nothing short of fantastic on the reefs. In addition, there have been a number of quality bottom fish coming from the same areas. Big triggerfish, vermillion, lane and mangrove snapper, as well as porgies, all have been making for healthy coolers of fish — and great table fare too! The grouper bite was solid this week as well. Big live baits seemed to work best.

Hank Baron and company had an EPIC day offshore capped off with a massive swordfish weighing over 250lbs! Here’s the story in his own words…

As with fishing as in life, some days you’re the bug and some days you’re the windshield. It’s safe to say Josh, Billy and the rest of the crew of the Flippin Tail were the entire windshield, absolutely crushing it deep dropping before our most recent cold front moved in. Billy landed his personal best tilefish at 40lbs! Keep an eye on those weather windows folks — there’s gold in them there waves!

This past week provided some great opportunities to run offshore. And there were multiple anglers that decided to take advantage of these weather windows to GO DEEP! (Sorry, still hung up on the playoff games).

We decided to take a family vacation to Homosassa to do a little scalloping this past week. It was a trip we have done many times. I started going years before in the 80’s when my parents first took my brother and I to Crystal River. It was always a great adventure and quality time with family and friends. Somewhere along the way we started staying in Homosassa, just a little south of Crystal River.

Spring is by far one of my favorite times of the year to fish here in east Central Florida. We are transitioning away from our winter patterns which typically provides us with better weather days to get out on the water. It’s obviously not as hot and calm as the summer months, but there are still plenty of advantageous opportunities to go fishing.

One of the things I enjoy most about fishing is that it brings people together. There is nothing like you and few friends spending a day on the water and coming home victorious with fish in the cooler and stories to tell!

Graham Kimmey getting in on some dolphin!

Three generations of Rowland’s getting it done during Red Snapper season. What a fun day with Uncle Mike!

Steve Goff of Substate Pest Management cleaned up with his friends on a tuna trip!

Billy’s personal best at 91 lbs!

Here is a photo of Brian Walters, son of Kyle “bass master” Walters, with a 40lb. gag grouper!

Ted Kimmey with his son Graham. They landed this tarpon this afternoon.

Laila caught this nice tripletail while out fishing with her dad!

Steve with a big black drum he caught while fishing with FSFA Grand Master, Chris Pashos. He was points fishing and nailed this one and a couple other fish, which promoted him to “Master Angler” status in the Club. This brute was 41.2 lbs and he caught it on 15 lb test.