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bottom fishing
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2025, Bottom Fishing Shallow Waters
28:46 · Mike HennessyFifty-foot depths offer accessible bottom fishing for grouper and snapper where side-finding fishfinders identify oyster bars and reef structure requiring precise waypoint placement. Success demands 6 to 7-foot rods with 2 to 4 ounce sinkers maintaining sensitivity, frozen Spanish sardines and squid outproducing live bait, and anchoring over isolated structure rather than drifting past concentrated fish holding zones.
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2025, Bottom Fishing Deep Water Ledges
34:34 · Mike HennessyDeep water ledges concentrate trophy fish where upwelling currents bring nutrient-rich water attracting baitfish and predators. Mike Hennessy's techniques reveal precise up-current boat positioning within ten feet determines bait effectiveness, power drifting holds position over structure when anchoring fails, and braid line sensitivity detects subtle bites at considerable depths where grouper, snapper, and tilefish ambush prey.
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2024, Mutton Snapper Bottom Fishing with Ryan Van Fleet
1:19:40 · Ryan Van FleetPower drifting for mutton snapper in Florida Keys maintains boat positioning over productive bottom while presentations work through strike zones systematically. Ryan Van Fleet's expertise reveals when long versus short leaders create natural bait presentations, bait variety importance as feeding preferences shift with tides, and recognizing subtle bites requiring differentiation between current movement and actual strikes.
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2023, Bottom Fishing with Baits and Vertical Jigs
29:57 · Shawn RotellaDeep offshore structure at 75 to 80 fathoms concentrates monster fish around ledges, wrecks, and rock piles where drifting and vertical jigging provide thorough coverage. Captain Shawn Rotella's techniques for setting up systematic drifts, dropping baits and jigs simultaneously, and identifying bite depth in the water column unlock success on deepwater formations where understanding structure determines fish holding areas.
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2022, Bottom Fishing Techniques for Golden Tilefish
41:02 · Chad RaneyGolden tilefish create burrows in soft clay bottom hundreds of feet deep where they live in colonies, creating advantages for anglers because fewer snags occur and multiple fish concentrate in areas. However, contending with current while maintaining bottom contact and keeping bait on hooks demands specific techniques Captain Chad Raney developed for drift management and presentation in low current environments.
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2021, Bottom Fishing Red Snapper with Kevin Adney
22:20 · Kevin AdneyRed snapper concentrate around Gulf Coast structure rather than dispersing across open bottom, making hard bottom location the foundation for success. Kevin Adney's approach develops the game of feel needed to detect subtle bites and position baits where fish feed, using rig construction and hook sizing that handles structure-heavy environments while understanding regulations and preservation techniques for quality catch.
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2021, Bottom Fishing Grouper with Kevin Adney
1:14:21 · Kevin AdneyGrouper bottom fishing productivity depends on targeting natural reefs and wrecks where fish concentrate rather than random bottom. Kevin Adney's drift management approach keeps baits working productive structure zones systematically, but success requires understanding how current affects drift speed and positioning presentations where grouper ambush prey rather than sweeping past strike zones or hanging in barren areas between structure features.
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2019, Bottom Fishing for Golden Tilefish in South Florida
24:46 · Mike DumasDepth sounders reveal whether bottom at 600 to 800 feet contains the soft mud golden tilefish require for burrows or harder substrates holding no fish. Learn identifying proper bottom composition, what Gulf Stream current does to bait presentation at extreme depth, and how rigging must account for detecting subtle bites occurring hundreds of feet below the boat.
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2018, Bottom Fishing for Muskie with Live Suckers
42:04 · Cory AllenCasting dominates modern muskie fishing, but traditional live sucker methods your grandfather used still produce trophy fish. Joe Murphy explains why stationary ambush tactics along traverse lines intercept fall muskies moving predictably between zones, when patient hunting outperforms aggressive casting, and what bottom topography positions baits where fish travel.
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2018, Grouper Fishing Shallow Water with Dan Clymer
39:49 · Dan ClymerCaptain Dan Clymer reveals shallow water gag grouper tactics for Florida reefs. This video covers live bait selection, artificial lure techniques, boat positioning strategies, bottom fishing methods, trolling approaches, and casting techniques for catching grouper in 20 to 60 feet of water.
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2025, How to Position a Boat for Bottom Fishing
Seth HorneWhether targeting grouper on offshore wrecks or snapper along coastal reefs, your boat's position relative to structure and current determines catch success. This technical breakdown covers anchoring systems, drift fishing methods, electronic positioning, species-specific strategies, and safety protocols that professional charter captains use daily to consistently locate and land bottom-dwelling gamefish.
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2025, Red Snapper Fishing Across the Gulf and Atlantic
Seth HorneRed snapper fishing across the Gulf and Atlantic involves more moving parts than most offshore species. Seasons vary by state, gear requirements are written into federal code, and several states require electronic catch reporting before you clean a fish. Here is the full picture, plus how to find and catch them once the season opens.
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2024, Learning Offshore Big Game Fishing from Top Captains
Seth HorneBig game fishing offshore runs across some of the most demanding techniques in saltwater: building a trolling spread for blue marlin, running high-speed lures for wahoo, chunking for yellowfin tuna, and deep dropping for swordfish. In The Spread video courses teach every one of those disciplines from the working captains who fish them professionally.
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2024, Bottom Fishing Mutton Snapper in the Florida Keys
Seth HorneFew reef fish demand as much from an angler as mutton snapper. They are selective about what they eat, wary of anything that feels off, and fast enough to end the fight before it starts. Understanding their habitat, reading the bite, and matching the right bait to the conditions are what separate consistent results from occasional luck.
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2023, Golden Tilefish: Biology, Behavior and Deep-Drop Tactics
Seth HorneGolden tilefish earn a dedicated following fast. The coloration is unlike anything else coming out of deep water. The table quality rivals lobster. And the deep-drop technique, once you understand it, is one of the most systematic and repeatable methods in all of offshore fishing. Here is everything you need to know.
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2023, Bottom Fishing Techniques: Rigs, Tackle, and Tactics
Seth HorneBottom fishing puts your bait where reef species live and feed. But holding bottom in shifting current, choosing the right rig for the structure, and matching bait to species and conditions is where most anglers lose fish. This article covers the real-world decisions that drive results, from rig selection and tackle to reading conditions and adjusting on the fly.
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2023, Bottom Fishing Reefs, Wrecks, and Hard Bottom
Seth HorneBottom fishing is the most predictable way to put fish in the box offshore. Find the structure on electronics, get bait to depth, and execute. This breakdown covers species-specific tactics for red snapper, grouper, vermilion snapper, mangrove snapper, mutton snapper, and golden tilefish, alongside rigs, baits, and the fighting technique that keeps fish out of the reef.
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2021, Daytime Swordfish: Deep Drop Tips for Broadbill
Seth HorneTargeting broadbill swordfish at extreme depths requires precision tackle and technique. This deep dropping method puts baits 1,200-1,800 feet down where swords hunt structure. With proper preparation and practice, anglers of all skill levels now catch these powerful gamefish during daylight hours.
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2021, Golden Tilefish: Mud Bottom and Lobster Flavor
Seth HorneGolden tilefish are one of the most systematic deep drop fisheries in the ocean. Find soft mud on the continental slope, drop a chicken rig, and bring up firm white flesh that tastes like lobster. The hard part is reading the bottom, managing current at 800 feet, and feeling a bite from that far below the boat.
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2021, Tilefish Fishing Guide: How to Catch Poor Man's Lobster
Seth HorneLearn proven deep dropping methods, optimal bait selection, and drift fishing strategies that consistently produce limits of tilefish. Our comprehensive guide covers everything from rig construction to reading bottom conditions for successful offshore fishing adventures targeting these prized bottom dwellers.
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