For a change of pace, we took off fishing in Venice Sunday afternoon. With tarpon season in full swing in Boca Grande Pass, we took a break, and headed 15 miles offshore out of Venice Inlet with Captain Chuck Williams. Our goal was Red Grouper and Snapper, but we were just a little excited to experience big open water without a soul in sight!
Aboard Capt. Chuck’s 24’ Robalo, we cut through the Gulf in no time. Leaving the Venice Train Depot docks at 8am, we found the water to be smooth with hardly any swell, and a deep blue color. The 30+ minute trip out, consisted of watching the Venice skyline fade away, and spotting sea turtles and dolphins in the deep water. Around 76’ we started aiming for Capt. Chuck’s prime fishing spots.
The difference in the fishing for grouper up in Venice vs. Boca Grande becomes pretty clear, pretty quickly. Though the beauty of Boca Grande is that you can step foot on the boat, and be in a deep water channel within 10 minutes, the change of venue fishing offshore in Venice makes the longer trip equally worthwhile. What you experience offshore is a much greater since of peace. Much like looking up at the night sky, out in the gulf, when you only see a liquid horizon line for your full 360 degree view, you realize how truly small you are. How insignificant your problems are. How there is a much bigger meaning to life than the day-to-day toil we all go through. When the outboard is turned off and you anchor up, all you hear is the gentle lapping of the waves on the sides of the boat. There is no rustle of leaves, no sounds of other motors, no laughter, no chit chat, just pure, unadulterated silence. There’s a great sense of calm in that.
But, that’s not really what we went out there for was it?! We went to fish, and as intoxicating as it may be way out in the middle of the water, thinking in your head, “How well would I have fared in ‘Life of Pi?’” – you shake it all off, grab a pole, get some cut bait, and get to it!
Captain Chuck has the skill and patience you only find in people that truly love the sport of fishing. Realizing that I know just enough about fishing to do it poorly, Capt. Chuck very patiently, and very clearly explained what we were going after, what bait to use, and how to rig it all up. What I learned with Capt. Chuck can easily be utilized on my self-guided kayak fishing trips in shallower water. And with each piece of information he passed along, the more confident I felt in my ability. He talked about whether or not to set the hook or to let the fish take the bait on its own, how to entice the fish in presenting the bait, how to securely hook a cut piece of squid, and even how to reel up on a smaller snapper so as to not have its airbladder expand. I was well prepared with information and technique when I put my first bait down in the water.
And, BAM! First bait in the water, first line down, I caught my biggest fish of the day! You gotta love that! A beautiful red grouper! It felt like I was fighting a pony! There was a quick nibble nibble, then a big grab that pulled the rod down and kept it down! I pulled and reeled and pulled and reeled for a short fight, but a good one, and soon enough, that signature mouth and rounded fin made an appearance a the surface! A bright red and spotted body, not so thrilled to become dinner, was brought into the boat, quickly de-hooked, and tossed into the ice chest.
The excitement didn’t end there – we had three shark hookups in total – two juvenile bull sharks, and a behemoth nurse shark! The nurse shark was around 8’ and approximately 250lbs – and was brought up by a petite 115lb gal who couldn’t have been more excited! We caught at least a dozen Lane Snapper, a few grunt and a few squirrel fish. The weird things we pulled up included a puffer fish and a lizard fish. All part of the experience!
Though the equipment is the same, the bait similar, and the technique only changed slightly, it feels like a different world offshore. If you’re like me, and have found all that you ever needed in Boca Grande, you might just take the chance to see what you’ve been missing in the surrounding waters offshore! You won’t be disappointed!
Captain Chuck Williams is one of Gulf Coast Charter Broker’s newest team members. He comes with years of experience in Venice & Sarasota waters. His patience, I can’t tout enough. The guide is what makes a fishing trip memorable. The Captain sets the pace and sets the tone of the trip. With Captain Chuck, you’ll find that he can provide an enjoyable experience on the water that you’ll treasure for years! Chuck is available for inshore trips as well around Venice, Nokomis, Osprey, and Sarasota Bay.
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