A Trip of a Lifetime: 110 Miles Offshore

Some adventures feel like once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and this trip was exactly that. On Wednesday, September 3rd, my dad and I got a last-minute invite from my friend’s dad, Morgan Watt, to join him on a 110-mile offshore run to the Elbow in the Gulf. The trip would be aboard his buddy Mike Cheezem’s boat on Friday the 5th. With a rare window of good weather in the middle of hurricane season, there was no way we could turn it down. 

We left St. Petersburg  around 11:30 AM and made the three-hour trek into the open Gulf. About 10 miles from our first reef stop, Morgan decided to put out a couple trolling rods in hopes of finding pelagics like mahi, tuna, bonito, or wahoo. Within minutes, the rods went off. I grabbed one, and after a strong back-and-forth fight, we saw flashes of green near the boat — a solid mahi. Mike gaffed it cleanly, and at 25 inches, it was a stellar start to the trip.

When we reached the first reef, the sonar showed some activity, but after my dad pulled up an undersized red snapper, most of the bites were from small fish. We moved deeper, dropping lines in 200 feet of water, and that’s when things got exciting. I hooked into a powerful fish first, and soon my dad was battling one too. We each landed legal gag grouper, mine at 27 inches and his at 34. A few drops later, my dad added another keeper gag to the box.

Then came the monster. Mike hooked something massive that ran hard for the bottom, forcing us to maneuver the line around the motors to avoid disaster. After a tense fight, the fish surfaced — a giant gag grouper, the biggest I’ve ever seen outside of photos. At 40 inches and 60 pounds, it was a true trophy. Spirits were sky-high as we iced it down.

The action didn’t stop. We brought up gray triggerfish, mangrove snapper, red grouper, and then moved to a spot known for American red snapper. I dropped a dead pinfish and instantly hooked into another beast. After a five-minute battle from 200 feet below, up came a giant 27-inch red snapper — another personal best. Soon, all of us were pulling up reds nonstop until we hit our limit, with a bonus red grouper for good measure.

By the end, our box was loaded: 8 American red snapper, 4 gag grouper, 5 red grouper, 4 gray triggerfish, 4 mangrove snapper, and 1 mahi. With the sun setting over pink-orange skies and a full moon rising, we began the long run home.

The Gulf had one last challenge for us, pop-up storms. Radar showed cells forming ahead, so we adjusted course south to avoid lightning. The storm’s edge kicked up five- to seven-foot waves, drenching us as we powered through at 20–25 MPH. After an hour and a half of battling the seas, we cleared the weather. While catching our breath, a flying fish launched straight into the boat and smacked my dad on the back. A surreal, unforgettable moment.

At 1:00 AM, we finally pulled back into St. Petersburg. Exhausted but exhilarated, we cleaned up the boat and headed home.

Even though I fish offshore regularly, usually 30–40 miles out. This trip more than 100 miles into the Gulf was a whole new experience. Giant fish, stormy seas, and an incredible crew made it a true adventure of a lifetime. I wanted to thank Morgan Watt and Mike Cheezem for this opportunity and I can’t wait to get back at it!

To see more from this trip, check out the full recap on our Instagram page by clicking the link below!

Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DOQ5qaqDRqh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==