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00:00On this week's World of Saltwater Fishing, the Patch Reefs off Marathon in the Florida Keys.
00:05Catch fire, but in a good way. Stay tuned and see what I'm talking about.
00:22George Bovarumo's World of Saltwater Fishing. Big fish don't stand a chance.
00:30I was in Key West. Time in a weather window. After fishing the Key West shoot, we put the Mark VI on the float-on trailer.
00:43We hauled up from Key West to Marathon, launched the 33rd Street ramp, docked at the Faro Blanco Marina, checked in our rooms here at Faro Blanco Resort.
00:51So several hours later, we were set to jump aboard the Mark VI with Captain Jimmy Gagliardini and fished that one-day weather window that the weathermen promised us.
01:01The wind was around 5 to 10 miles an hour and projected to drop, so it was really looking good.
01:08Loaded up the Mark VI, left the Faro Blanco Marina, and made that short turnaround into Jimmy's dock.
01:15One good thing about Jimmy, he brings the live bait.
01:18Chumming is essential when you're out there on the reef, just because you want to draw as much attention to yourself as possible.
01:26You want to draw in bait fish. The bait fish draws in the bigger fish. Those fish will draw in other fish.
01:32And the more fish you have around the boat, the more you're going to draw in all the fish from the area.
01:38And from there, we just took off and started heading to Moser Channel.
01:42We cleared the bridge, and we head out to one spot that was in approximately, I'd say, 27, 28 feet of water.
02:01We get into the zone, got the Simrad machine on, and we come over.
02:07Nice-looking patch.
02:09We figured out what the very light wind was doing in the current, and very basic.
02:16Dropped the anchor. We're probably situated 15, 20, maybe 25 feet up current of this one patch.
02:22Took a frozen block of chum, hung it overboard, and from there, it was going to be basic fishing, light tackle.
02:28And we were baiting with light pilchards, taking a hook, running through the pilchard's lower jaw, out the upper, casting it out 10, 15 feet behind the boat, and free spool until you felt that jig, or if you're using a knocker rig, hit bottom.
02:45Okay, this could be, this could be better.
02:54Oh, yeah.
02:56This is definitely a better fish.
03:04This could be something.
03:05This could be a net.
03:06This could be a net.
03:07ID yet?
03:08I would say it's a mutton.
03:09Well, if you need a net, let me know.
03:10You got it.
03:11I'm going to go with mutton.
03:12I'm not going to argue with you.
03:13I like mutton.
03:14Yeah.
03:15You got a sizable one there than you?
03:16Yeah.
03:17You want a net?
03:18I'm going to lift him.
03:19Yeah, we'll net him.
03:20Yeah, okay.
03:21That's not a bad one.
03:22Yeah.
03:23Excuse me.
03:24He's a natter.
03:25Oh, yes, absolutely.
03:26All right.
03:27There you go.
03:28Nice.
03:29You saw a second one following him up, huh?
03:30Yeah, there was another mutton following him right on up.
03:31All right.
03:32What do you think about that one?
03:33I like it a lot.
03:34And you can always say, I saw you, it looked like you may have missed or whatever at first.
03:39Then I saw you start whining.
03:40I saw the bending.
03:41I saw the bending.
03:42I saw it.
03:43I saw it.
03:44I saw it.
03:45I saw it.
03:46I saw it.
03:47I saw it.
03:48I saw it.
03:49I saw it.
03:50It looked like you may have missed or whatever at first.
03:52Then I saw you start whining.
03:53I saw the bending the rod.
03:54Then once it started seeing the drag leaving, I said, this is a good one.
03:57We got to go fish here for you.
03:58Oh, yeah.
03:59He ate it and he started coming to me.
04:00And I didn't think I had anything on there.
04:01And then all of a sudden I came tight on him and he realized what was going on.
04:04Well, I got to get a social media pic real quick.
04:06Here, hang on.
04:09That's looking real good, Jimmy.
04:11We got you.
04:12All right.
04:13Let me come back into the action here.
04:14Gets the skunk out of the boat early, which is always a great thing.
04:17All right.
04:18On the board early.
04:19Let's go catch another one.
04:20Let's keep at it.
04:21George Poveromo's world of saltwater fishing is proudly brought to you by Penn.
04:25Let the battle begin.
04:27Mako.
04:28You'll find them where the fish are.
04:30Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's.
04:31Your adventure starts here.
04:33Mercury Marine.
04:34Go boldly.
04:35George.
04:38With the skunk now out of the boat and our mutton snapper numbers building, scoring a big one was now just a matter of time.
04:44I'm fishing the patch reefs off Marathon in the Florida Keys with Jimmy Gagliardini.
04:49The muttons start to show up on the patches and channel humps after their spawn is over in the months of June and July and August.
04:57And then those fish will start to move in in shallower and shallower water on the reef and the inside patches as well as the channel humps.
05:05And the bait moves in there as well.
05:07When that water starts to cool down, all the bait starts to move in shallower, the muttons follow them in.
05:13And then I'm bringing in a mutton.
05:15He's bringing in a mutton.
05:16Got it figured out.
05:18I do too.
05:20All right.
05:21Doubled up.
05:22You know, it's amazing.
05:23These muttons for their size.
05:25Unbelievable how powerful they are.
05:30Oh, it's not that big a fish and he's just strong as he can be.
05:37All right.
05:38Let's see here.
05:39Same over here.
05:40All right.
05:41You got me a little on that, Jimmy.
05:46Yeah.
05:47Yeah.
05:48Little muttons.
05:49But a nice healthy stock of fish out here.
05:53You know, he brings in a grouper and then a few fish later.
05:59Here I go.
06:00I bring in a grouper, red grouper, release it.
06:02It's that kind of action and pace that really makes it exciting because you're always doing something.
06:07Never taking a big break, waiting for something to happen.
06:10You're dropping those baits back.
06:12You're feeling the pilchard move around.
06:15You're feeling the jig remain in contact with the bottom.
06:18You feel that pilchard get nervous and then bam, you get nailed.
06:21Then at one point I got hit hard.
06:24Oh, come on, buddy.
06:26Stick with me.
06:27Nice.
06:28All right.
06:29Jimmy, let's have a decent one here.
06:31That's one of them.
06:32There's definitely two there.
06:33Well, that's some violent head shakes, don't they?
06:34Oh, yeah.
06:35Those were two really nice fish.
06:36I saw you said I saw a little bit of a pink on there.
06:37What do they do?
06:38They come up on the light chum or what?
06:39They just come up in the chum, eating a little bits and pieces.
06:40Yeah.
06:41And I was just going to try to bait them up on a little chunk.
06:42Yep.
06:43And one decided to eat that bait.
06:44Eat your live filtered.
06:46Yeah.
06:47We're trying to get a circle hook to pre-line back there, but that's amazing.
06:49Now the question is, since you saw them, is there one following them up that you might
06:53be able to pop in?
06:54Who knows?
06:55Here comes a leader.
06:56If it's one of the ones we saw down there, it's going to be a fat one.
06:57Here it comes.
06:58Look at it down that color.
06:59Here's the beautiful mutton.
07:00Come in here.
07:01Go, go, go, go.
07:02There we go.
07:03All right.
07:04Yeah.
07:05Yeah.
07:06Yeah.
07:07Yeah.
07:08Yeah.
07:09Yeah.
07:10Yeah.
07:11Yeah.
07:12Yeah.
07:13Yeah.
07:14Yeah.
07:15Yeah.
07:16Yeah.
07:17Yeah.
07:18Yeah.
07:19Yeah.
07:20Yeah.
07:21Yeah.
07:22Yeah.
07:23Yeah.
07:24Awesome.
07:25Oh, man.
07:26This is so.
07:27Oh, yeah.
07:28Amazing.
07:29Check that one out.
07:30Oh, amazing.
07:31You saw those muttons come up.
07:32I caught the final glimpse and then we were struggling to go get a rod that had the circle
07:37to pre-line back.
07:38So mine was in a holder.
07:39Then all of a sudden that starts singing.
07:40So now my tension comes over here.
07:41You think this was one that came up in a slick?
07:42I would imagine so.
07:43I mean, they both shot down when I was winding my bait up and they shot right down towards your
07:53bait.
07:54Uh-huh.
07:55One decided to eat it before he ate swung away.
07:57That is so cool, Jimmy.
07:58I like that.
07:59Just lay my hand under there and nice.
08:01This is, this is amazing.
08:03It is.
08:04Enjoyable, enjoyable fishing.
08:05It is.
08:06I love catching these things on light tackle.
08:10Well, we know they're here.
08:11That's right.
08:12We're going to take that fish home and actually have a dinner a couple nights later at the
08:15Island Fish Company.
08:16And at that point in time early in the morning, I was thrilled with what we just boated and
08:21just having a blast fishing the patches off Marathon and the Florida Keys.
08:27When in Marathon, the Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters is a must visit attraction.
08:31Their beautifully and impressive layout features interactive exhibits such as touch and feed
08:37tanks, stingray and shark encounters, and even a coral reef snorkel experience where
08:42one can meld reef species and even hand feed sharks.
08:46This is all in addition to environments with moray eels, gators, seahorses, turtles, tortoise,
08:53starfish, tarpon snook, hermit crabs, and so much more.
08:57The headliner here, in my opinion, is Ethan, the huge black grouper.
09:02Back in 2016, Jimmy Gagliardini and I caught what was then about a 10 to 12 pound black grouper.
09:08We released it into my boat's live well and alerted Aquarium Encounters, which was seeking
09:13a black grouper.
09:14Aquarium Encounters met us at the dock, took the grouper, put it in a quarantine tank for
09:19a bit and eventually introduced it to their main reef tank.
09:22Today, Ethan is roughly 50 to 60 pounds.
09:25The fish was named Ethan, after my grandson, who also had the honor of snorkeling in the
09:30reef encounter tank.
09:31How's that for some history?
09:33Yes indeed, the Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters has it all.
09:37George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing is proudly brought to you by
09:43Simrad.
09:44Never settle.
09:46Rapala.
09:47Holds the world record for world records.
09:50Suffix.
09:51Always use the best line.
09:53Starbright Boat Care Products.
09:55Blending technology with performance since 1973.
09:58George, we'll be right back.
10:01After blitzing the mutton snapper, Jimmy Gagliardini and I decided to spot fish to various patches
10:07and see what other species might be willing to play.
10:10We're off marathon in the Florida Keys.
10:12The variety out here keeps things very interesting.
10:15There was a point in time we started getting into the mangrove snapper.
10:18On this particular day, it was their lucky day because we decided to release them.
10:23Yeah, I think it's another juvenile.
10:25Juvenile mutton.
10:26My bait started to get nervous.
10:27Yeah.
10:28And...
10:29Oh, a mangrove!
10:30Oh, okay.
10:31Changed it up a little bit.
10:32Okay.
10:33Ugh.
10:34There you go.
10:35There we go.
10:36Mangrove snapper.
10:37All right, Jimmy, I've got to ask you this.
10:38Tell me.
10:39All right, when it comes to snappers, yellowtail, mangroves.
10:41Let's deal with yellowtail and mangroves.
10:42Ready to bite somebody.
10:43I would much rather eat a mangrove for wood.
10:44I just think it has a better, a little better flavor to it.
10:46Yeah.
10:47Yeah.
10:48Yeah.
10:49Yeah.
10:50Yeah.
10:51Yellowtail's a little bit softer.
10:52I just think the mangroves are a little all-around better eaten fit.
10:53All right.
10:54When you are fishing for these muttons, never be surprised when you catch a big mangrove,
11:07or three, or six, or eight mixed in with them.
11:10Because, you know, they're all snappers, and even though they segregate themselves some,
11:14especially while they're spawning, once that spawns over, those fish, they'll intermingle
11:19with the rest of them.
11:20You'll catch, you know, you'll be there fishing that area, and all of a sudden you'll catch
11:23a real nice yellowtail or a big mangrove snapper, and then you'll catch a big mutton,
11:27you know, mixed in with them.
11:28So, absolutely.
11:29There's a, there's a big variety of snappers all mixed in in the same area.
11:33Well, they all feed in the same area, so.
11:35Oh.
11:36What?
11:37Yep.
11:38That looks like a mangrove.
11:41Another mangrove here.
11:42Hold on, buddy.
11:43There we go.
11:44It's like a shark free zone.
11:57Oh, there's a yellowtail.
12:00A decent yellowtail.
12:02What is it?
12:15Oh, it's coming up quick.
12:17I think it's a mangrove.
12:18I think it's a mangrove.
12:20It is a mangrove.
12:21All right.
12:22You got the mangroves dialed in for the most part.
12:26Okay.
12:27All good sizes.
12:29Easy, easy, easy.
12:34Another mangrove.
12:39Also, when that water cools down, all the other fish, because of that food source,
12:43the other fish are moving in there as well.
12:45You get a lot of zero mackerel into the winter.
12:47You get the kingfish moving in there in the shallower water.
12:50A lot of grouper as well.
12:52There's just a, just an abundance of life in that area that time of year.
12:57This fish ate right on top.
12:58That bait hit the water.
12:59Yeah.
13:00Oh, no wonder, because it's a mackerel.
13:02That answers a lot.
13:09Okay.
13:10Hold on.
13:11Another rack coming in.
13:15Ready?
13:16Here we go.
13:17Wow.
13:26You lose a lot of jigs.
13:28So make sure you bring a lot of hooks and a lot of jigs when you're doing this when the
13:31zeros show up.
13:32No, he only got smaller.
13:39It's pretty active.
13:40I was pretty excited there for a second.
13:41Just a couple.
13:42Oh, there we go.
13:43Come on.
13:44Okay.
13:45I am on.
13:46What do you have?
13:47I'm not sure yet.
13:48I'm kind of fighting like a mutton, but.
13:49I have to come over and join me.
13:50Probably because it is a mutton.
13:51That's the best reason.
13:52Let's see what I have.
13:53I got a mackerel.
13:54I got a mackerel.
13:55I got a mackerel.
13:56You got a mutton?
13:57I'll bring him in.
13:58Let's see if my cereal could last.
13:59Here we go.
14:00Oh, nice cereal.
14:01Well, there you go.
14:02At this spot, muttons.
14:03And he's sitting there.
14:04I'm not sure yet.
14:05I'm not sure yet.
14:06I'm kind of fighting like a mutton, but.
14:07I have to come over and join me.
14:08Probably because it is a mutton.
14:09That's the best reason.
14:10Let's see what I have.
14:11I got a mackerel.
14:12I got a cereal.
14:13I got a cereal.
14:14You got a mutton.
14:15I'll bring him in.
14:16Let's see if my cereal could last.
14:17Here we go.
14:18Oh, nice cereal.
14:19Well, there you go.
14:20At this spot, muttons and these cereals have been hitting.
14:25Yeah.
14:26The variety of species on these patch reefs is.
14:29It's endless.
14:30The patch reefs within and along the fringes of Hawks Channel, on the Florida Keys Atlantic
14:35side, are shallow mini ecosystems which provide habitat and forage for the likes of hogfish,
14:41mutton, mangrove, lane and yellowtail snappers, cereal and king mackerel, barracuda groupers,
14:47and cobia.
14:48Best action is during winter and spring.
14:50Best bet, light bait on bottom is hard to beat.
14:53But trolling small, shallow-running Rapala plugs on 30-pound fluorocarbon leader also produces.
14:59And ArtByPasta.com, from catch to canvas, rendering.
15:02Catch to canvas, baby.
15:04Mercury Performance Stats, Marathon, Florida Keys.
15:07Seize, Com, Power.
15:09Triple Mercury Verrado V10 400 horsepower outboards.
15:12Props.
15:13Mercury Revolution X, 25-inch pitch.
15:16Miles traveled, 54.
15:18Consistent cruise, 4800 RPMs.
15:21Speed, 50 miles per hour.
15:24Fuel burned, 45.8 gallons.
15:29George Poveromo's World of Saltwater Fishing is proudly brought to you by the Florida Keys and Key West.
15:36Come as you are.
15:38ACR, the leader in marine safety electronics.
15:41Papa's Pilar Artesian Crafted Rum.
15:44Never a spectator.
15:46VMC, your expert in hooks.
15:49ArtByPasta, real-life art.
15:52Visit ArtByPasta.com.
15:54The newly renovated Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club is legendary, with its iconic lighthouse marking the location of the property and its full-service marina, which can accommodate small center consoles on up to 140-foot yachts.
16:08The waterfront resort offers pet-friendly accommodations, a fitness center, four pools, meeting and event rooms, a lounge, restaurant, and a poolside bar and grill, which, in my opinion, makes an incredible cheeseburger.
16:21With a 33rd Street public boat ramp close by, Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club is a very inviting place to stay.
16:28Now, let's get back to the fishing.
16:33What's really nice about Marathon is, you know, you really don't have to run that far out.
16:37The fishing that we were doing was only anywhere from two to four miles offshore.
16:43And in that area, you can have a whole variety of fish to catch.
16:48You can catch anything from grouper, snapper, yellowtail, to mackerel, kingfish, just a whole assortment of fish.
16:56And, uh, and it's nice because you spend most of your time fishing.
16:59You're not spending a, you know, half your day running around.
17:04Yeah, it's a little grouper, I would imagine.
17:07A grouper it is. Black.
17:15Little black grouper.
17:16He's all scratched up.
17:18Hold you up.
17:19Trying to get up in the rocks.
17:20He's all banged up.
17:23You mess your leader up?
17:24Oh yeah.
17:26There he goes.
17:29Off you guys.
17:33Great grouper.
17:35I switched over just for that one, for the kicks to be different, I put a knocker rig down.
17:39Definitely a better fish.
17:40Wow.
17:41All right.
17:42Looks like a mutton.
17:43Fighting like a mutton.
17:44There he is.
17:45Oh, that's a very nice.
17:46All right.
17:47Can I swing him in?
17:48Let's see.
17:49Ugh.
17:50Good one, Jimmy.
17:51All right.
17:52Good one, Jimmy.
17:53All right.
17:54Good one, Jimmy.
17:55All right.
17:56That is the targeted species here.
17:57All right.
17:58All right.
17:59All right.
18:00Looks like a mutton.
18:01All right.
18:02Looks like a mutton.
18:03Fighting like a mutton.
18:04And there he is.
18:05Oh, that's a very nice.
18:06All right.
18:08Can I swing him in?
18:10Let's see.
18:11Ugh.
18:12Good one, Jimmy.
18:13All right.
18:14Good one, Jimmy.
18:15All right.
18:16That is the targeted species here.
18:21The Island Fish Company and Marathon is always on our dining radar, especially after a successful
18:34day of fishing.
18:35And this trip was no exception.
18:37We brought our fish to the restaurant, which in turn prepared it in several totally delicious
18:42ways.
18:43Grilled, pan seared, blackened, almondine, broiled, fried, and franchisee.
18:48Catch and cook your catch.
18:50Sometimes you can fill the whole table up.
18:53Have a good day.
18:55Joining us was Jimmy Gagliardini and his girlfriend, Nan, Captain Ariel Madero, and
19:00Pappas Pillar rum founder, Steven Groth, and his son, Paul, who's also a Pappas Pillar
19:05executive.
19:06And yes, Pappas Pillar was the featured dining beverage.
19:09The Island Fish Company does it all in style, from lunches and dinners, and from appetizers
19:14to main courses and desserts.
19:16Once again, fisherman captain Jimmy Gagliardini, great guy to share the boat with, had a fun
19:26time.
19:27And again, mid-November timeframe, it shows you just how good the wintertime pantry fishing
19:34can be.
19:35I've been fishing a long time.
19:37And, you know, through the years, you know, you start thinking about what you really enjoy
19:42about that fishing.
19:44And, you know, one of the things is just getting out on the water on a beautiful day and just
19:51disconnecting on what's going on around you in your life, in the world, and everything
19:59else out there.
20:00You know, and it just allows you just to break away from all that and just enjoy your day.
20:06So the patch reefs are really an amazing place to fish when you're looking for a lot
20:11of rod bending action.
20:13If you're a fan of our show, keep up with our adventures by following us on social media.
20:17I'm on Instagram at George Poveromo.
20:19And on Facebook, go to facebook.com forward slash George dot Poveromo.
20:24You can also watch our episodes at any time on YouTube at George Poveromo TV.
20:29We'll see you on the water.
20:30We'll see you on the water.
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