Monsta Mangroves

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Fished w/ the Poolman, and Bottomjerk this weekend off Ft. Pierce. On the way out I mentioned that I had yet to see one of the monsta mangroves that this area was famous for. I must have unknowingly thrown down the gauntlet. We started out a little slow pokin around in the green cold water, and finally settled in on an unforgiving, agressive, undercut limestone cap rock.The fish were lethargic, and non commital in the fridgid water. The bites came, but they were 15-20 mins apart( seemed like an eternity while you try to hold a one ounce sinker still on the bottom in 3-4' seas ) Finally I feel the fish take the bait. After a wicked seesaw battle a fat 8.3lb mangrove found himself flat on the deck . They do exist!! After another lengthy underwater chess match, I put another in the boat 5.2lbs . Rich hooked up on an ornery Bull Shark and bout got snatched over the gunnel. Was a hoot watchin Rich tiptoe up the starboard, under the rode, and back down the port side before subduing this pissed off critter. We broke off a few other Benthic Beasties to keep the mysteries alive for the next trip. Fishing w/ these cats was a real pleasure . They know thier chit, and were unflagging in thier efforts to get me on a legendary Ft. Pierce, Monsta Mangrove. Got a couple pics I'll post tommorow ( forgot the camera cord. )[ATTACH]mangosdanglin.jpg[/ATTACH]

DF2---OUT

[poolman]

Like you said Butch, you must have thrown down the challenge. As always, was a blast monster huntin with you, and lookin forward to another trip

[Harry Klauber]

I commercial fished for snapper and grouper out of the Fort Pierce City Marina for 15 years in the late 70's and 80's. I still fish up there regularly and believe me the biggest mangroves you have ever seen DO live there. They are almost impossible to catch when you have green cold water but given the right conditions, and knowing where to go, fish over 10 pounds are very common. In November I had one 17 1/4 pounds that ate a live pigfish on a grouper rig. I had another one that day that was just under 15. That large are quite the exception but fish over 10 as I said are quite common. The biggest fish are usually caught on the steeper ledges east of the Bethel buoy and to the north. On the full moons in July and August, provided the cold water isn't on the bottom, will produce non stop fishing on 5-12 pound fish if you know where to find them. I'd love to hook up with the guys that live there and possibly fish with them. I have over 1000 sets of numbers and if your friends up there know any of the old timers just mention "Sea Fever" from years ago and they will hear that we caught more than our share. It's a long haul for me to trailer all the way from South Miami and the only friend that I have in the area with an offshore boat is who I usually fish with. He has a 31 Contender and we do well although alot of my spots are quite small and I need my old Loran to find them. The GPS program conversions are sometimes dead on and at other times quite a bit off. With just the GPS I am only about 80% efficient but when the area is "right" you can't beat it! This time of the year we used to slay the gags at night on the wrecks to the SE of the inlet but those days are over. If your friends fish there alot I am sure they know Carb's Wreck that Dr. Carbonera sunk but was never able to re-locate as his tow line broke before he could anchor the old steel tug before sinking it. The tug sank and was never found until I stumbled over it while running in from the Peanut on a slick calm day and saw a turtle on the surface in the middle of nowhere. The turtle was almost directly over the wreck. For years I fished it at night in the winter and made a living catching copper bellies as it was a breeding spot for the gags. The copper bellies outnumbered the females by about 5 or 6 to 1 and our catches raised many an eyebrow. For 4 years I had the wreck to myself until a sailfisherman stumbled over it while slow trolling but by then the fishing there was no better than on the wrecks inshore of it.

I don't just tell a good story so maybe we can hook-up one day and fish. Off the forum my e-mail is klafish1@aol.com
I don't post pictures on the forum but would be glad to send you some of the Fort Pierce monstas that you are looking for. Harry

[poolman]

Harry, I would like to officially extend an invite to you. I have a 30 ft cat, which is moored just inside FT Pierce inlet. Always up for fishing, and learning something from a fellow monster hunter

[miamiangler1]

Originally Posted by poolman

Harry, I would like to officially extend an invite to you. I have a 30 ft cat, which is moored just inside FT Pierce inlet. Always up for fishing, and learning something from a fellow monster hunter

Hi Poolman , great to see you posting on the forum ..again . Like to see some of those monster mango`s dont get many down my way ..I see you got a 400lb warsaw my style .. Willi

[Harry Klauber]

Thanks for the invite. I am retired (not that old) and can fish any day of he week. Of course I prefer weekdays as it's less crowded on the water and if I choose to tap some out of the way places I don't have to worry about who is around. Fort Pierce has changed so much since I fished there commercially as in those days there were virtually no recreational bottom fishermen on the water and the commercial fleet were all bug line kingfish boats. Even with all of the boats on the water I still like to feel as if there are a few out of the way spots left that few know about.

At klafish1@aol.com please send me your e-mail address so we can correspond outside of the forum. I don't like to post pictures and talk too much in front of alot of people so private e-mail would work much better for me.

One criteria for bottom fishing the "fort" is good water conditions. Ground swells after NE winds usually mean dirty water and tons of puppy sharks and bluefish. The red snappers will bite in that kind of water but not much else. When the cold water moves in each June there is no sense even trying unless you want to fish deeper water. Nothing bites in under 140 feet when the cold water sets in. A slow north current and clear water is alwasy best but when the conditions are poor you sometimes have to adapt and make a run for a totally different area. South tides usually stink as they pull down dirty water from the cape so you have to run south to get closer to the stream to get out of the soupy water. It would be good to have some friendly "local talent" that knew what the daily conditions were so I didn't have to rely on the reports from the Fishing Corner although they are very truthful with me and tell me when it's just not worth the trip up. I still have David King, and my good friend Greg Roslow, but he isn't out that much anymore. The divers always have the best info as they are right down there with the fish and can tell you without guessing.

When I can e-mail you I'll send you my phone number so we can talk. You can send yours so initiation of conversation isn't one way. Does anyone still call the little wreck south of the 12A wreck "Harry's Wreck"? I spent so much time on it years ago that it inherited my name at the time.

I hope we can talk soon. Harry

[Gaitor]

Hey Harry!
Rich .... I fished with Harry on Bajakian's boat and believe me .... he knows his chit!

[Harry Klauber]

Hi Gaitor,
You caught me on a good day. Thanks for the "plug". When it comes to the area out of Fort Pierce inlet I spent so many years fishing there that something had to stick. I hope I can get together with the guys up there. Harry

[DIRTYFOOT2]

I'm convinced you are correct about the area Harry. Green cold water has plagued us on my few ventures to the north country. Getting the ones we did was an extreme challenge. Can't imagine what the area would yield under optimum conditions, but I believe fishing through the tough conditions hones your skills. ( At least thats what I tell myself when I'm not catching. ) I'm in for a trip whenever fellas.........I'll even clean the boat .

DF2

[Harry Klauber]

I'm responding via private e-mail

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Rich, I'm game for a midweek excursion next week when the weather allows. Hoping we can get Harry out there w/ us. Let me know what your schedule says.

I want one of those bigger grovers like Harry is talking about.

PS. I attached the pics to the original post. Check it out

[poolman]

Harry,pm en route,I will respect your request. Jim, thanks for the heads up and if we can somehow put a trip together, maybe we can check your schedule. I'll see what I can do, I've been busy as hell lately, but I'm da boss,"don't tell the wifey" and maybe I'll give myself a day off Butch I saw the pics, and somehow they look smaller than I remembered"major shrinkage " but still glad you boated some, and the bigger ones will be waitin fer us.

[poolman]

Originally Posted by miamiangler1

Hi Poolman , great to see you posting on the forum ..again . Like to see some of those monster mango`s dont get many down my way ..I see you got a 400lb warsaw my style .. Willi

Thanks Willi, actually it was only a 72 lber in 400 ft of water. That's why it earned recognition as "Willi style". I wish i could get muttons like you get them down your way, and yellowtail... probably casting from the surf

[miamiangler1]

Originally Posted by poolman

Thanks Willi, actually it was only a 72 lber in 400 ft of water. That's why it earned recognition as "Willi style". I wish i could get muttons like you get them down your way, and yellowtail... probably casting from the surf

I have actually trolled the shore line in 10-15ft of water off haulover and caught muttons on rapalas, but the yellowtails .. are not as big as they are in the keys ....a 72 lb warsaw is great in my books

[DIRTYFOOT2]

10-4 on that willie. I have caught muttons on the flats while wading/stalking redfish. The warsaw is the one grouper that has eluded me thus far. My buddy Kyle said he could put me on one thoughIt appears he's gone bigtime w/ the 50' sportfish scene

can't believe my mangos haven't earned me a cono yet

[kyle]

CONO, Sorry I don't know how to get the cool lilltle squidly line over the N.

[Boboe]

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