Thread: 2013 Kings and Spanish numbers

In today's report section, Slim wrote:

Oh well, this ends a pretty disappointing year for me - maybe because I was spoiled to the size and numbers of fish during 2009-2012. Dunno what happened this year, maybe a combination of early bad weather, dredging, baitfish arriving late, or whatever else - I hope that 2014 gets back to normal. (assuming 2009-2012 was normal). Kind of a weird year for GSSP, seems like a lot more cobia were caught, more slot reds, more remoras/sharks, a lot 11 3/4" flounder, a lot of mangrove snapper, BUT disappointing year for kings, spanish, bull reds, jacks, legal flounder (12+), and pomps.......even sheepie numbers are down from what I remember.

If I remember right, I think I ended up catching 9 kings this year, mostly at Navarre where I got lucky and hit several really good days. But at Gulf Shores, PCola, and at Navarre, I talked to a lot of regulars who said it was their worst year ever for kings.

Just looking around at the official reports, I found this:

http://safmc.net/Meetings/CouncilMee...g%203-4-13.pdf

If I am reading this correctly, recreational landings have fallen by almost 50 percent since their peak in 2009. I also saw where the commercial sector didn't fill their quota, so season was reopened for them in November for two days -- but I wondered how much good that would do them in November when there aren't a lot of kings around, anyway.

If the recreational sector only caught 25% of their quota last year and the commercial side didn't get theirs, either, is it possible that the overall numbers of kings in the Gulf is on a downward cycle again?

You folks hearing any "insider" info?

(with apologies for being "mackerel" focused, it is what I drive down there for)

I hope the king numbers are up a little more in 2014. I might only be able to make 1 trip down this year due to a couple of weddings I have to attend and my 2 trips last yr were really slow for kings. I know all years are different but it went from them chewing down the pier in 2012 to very slow in 2013. Hope to see everyone next year and put a few on the deck

This past October sure wasn't what I expected for catching numbers, but It was a great time and stress free....still went home with a cooler of fish for some fish fries....I kind of remember John g saying something about how much mackerel was commercially caught in the spring down around the keys??? and the numbers might be down from that...or something like that.

I can say I was part of the record king day and what a memory that was..... for a Yankee googan touron..... Pete was still fishing then, and maybe his last spring.

I know for a fact that in my life time this was the worst year for kings, I don't even want to thing about my final number of kings. Having said that, I will say it wasn't a bad tarpon year. Oh well, the glass is half full, and I've caught enough reds this year to be handing them off to friends (that's a lot for me)

It was a disappointing year for kings for me this year. I believe I caught more cobia than I did kings.

Just one of those years where the kings stayed offshore...we caught them in the kayaks pretty good...every year is different it was only a year ago everyone was talking about all the cobia being gone then this year was one of the best in years. They will be back

I've been reading the messages concerning the slow 2013 season . I was there for two months Oct . and Nov. . I had a blast and as always was amazed by the number of fish . There was never a day that I did not catch something . I was talking to Max one day in mid Nov. He ask how I liked fishing the GSP . I related that, it was to me ,unbelievable . I told him how when I called or got called by my fishing buddies in Floyd , Va as to how the fishing was going. I would start going down the list of the different kinds of fish I had caught during the day, they would absolutely amazed . So I guess what I'm getting to is that perhaps the fishing glass is always half full down there for me. . Of course I didn't just fish for Kings or Spanish ,or Red ,but for what ever was bitting that hour ;be it croaker ,whiting , flounder , mangrove ,white trout ,spade ,poms ,Hell to me the many types of bait fish and different way to catch them was way interesting , anyway you get my drift . Can't wait to get back the end of Feb . to what might be biting then . HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!! Never lose sight of what you have .

As I have said before, a good day on the pier, with a sparkplug for bait beats most any day at work !!!!