Choi and I drove down to Sneads Ferry, NC, just south of Morehead City to fish with Capt. Ken Mullen and Capt Joe Hifko for grouper fishing on 04-18. We started to fish in 80 ft about 16 miles off the inlet. I was surprised to see we catch some nice grouper in 10-15 lbs range in such a shalllow spots in winter. Though fishing was pretty decent, Capt Joe didn't like the action and told us to make a 20 mile run for red grouper.
He tried many spots in 110 - 130 ft and finally found right depth. Thought it was Choi's first grouper fishing ever, he was a hot hand. If he had landed all hooked grouper, he could have caught about 25-30 groupers in 15-25 lbs range. I jigged all day, but groupers were not responding to jigs well. I had one scampi, one gag and three red in 10 - 20 lbs range. However, I caught one nice fluke, a cobia, many vermilion snapper, silver porgy, triggerfish, a nice bonito in addition to groupers on a same 8 oz hammered diamond jig. There was no dull moment at all as something bite my jigs all the time.
