We spent most of our time at artificial reef M5 catching barracuda and tunny when we could get out this week.

Drifting live thread herring over the top of the reef has produced plenty of action during the morning hours. Occasionally, other species of fish or shark would grab the bait and give you a little surprise.

The bait has been reliable for me about four miles offshore. Bait has not been on top that early in the morning, so you need to use your chart recorder to find them.

Using a size ten Gold-Hook bait rig, you need to work fast. You will not be on the bait long, so just drift or cruise until you see them again.

Some nice grouper have been caught further offshore in about eighty feet of water. This is an area of hard bottom called the Swiss Cheese and is about nineteen to twenty miles offshore from the New Pass Bell. If you run a compass course of 245 from New Pass and look for eighty feet of water, you should be close enough.

This is a place that you drift and mark when you catch a good fish. You will not see much on most recorders. Depending on the wind, I like to use three to six ounces of lead here. Do not forget to bring the marking buoys.

The spring that is forty-one miles offshore from New Pass at a 249 compass course has been holding yellow tail snapper, amberjack and school dolphin.

Bay fishing has been OK for seatrout and some snapper, flounder and mackerel. Occasionally, someone will hook a tarpon and you can still see the tarpon rolling around the bridge fenders.

The live shrimp are getting bigger now and are good bait if you can get the hand picks.

Enjoy and Protect