How a Tampa Bay fisherman found a go-to spot to catch one of the Gulf’s fastest fish

When Jason Lockard ventured offshore during the April full moon, he joined his friend, “Capt. E,” who was able to guide them to a wahoo near the Elbow, a spot more than 100 miles west of Tampa Bay.

Two weeks later, he returned to the same area on the new moon and produced similar results with another catch of one of the speediest fish in the ocean.

When May’s full moon lined up with Friday night, Lockard made plans to once again visit his newfound wahoo hole to see if lightning would strike three times.

“We headed out Friday afternoon and stopped at a few spots along the way,” said Lockard, who lives near southern Tampa Bay. “The first spot was in about 85 feet and we were catching yellowtails on almost every drop. They were mostly small, 12 to 14 inches, but I couldn’t believe how many there were that far north. I’ve fished with my dad offshore since the 80s and I’ve never seen as many yellowtails as I have this year.”

Heading further west they made another stop in 150 feet to pick at a few red grouper. But as most offshore anglers in the Gulf of Mexico know, there was another problem with too many fish.

“We got some red grouper but a ton of American red snapper. It makes you want to move as soon as you get into them, but then someone lands a big red grouper and it makes you want to stay,” Lockard explained.

“So you get 10 red snapper and start to leave, but then one grouper keeps you there. It’s frustrating since they’re out of season trying to vent and release them.”

With a few grouper in the box they headed west to start trolling before sunset.

Trolling a spread of three rods, he searched for bait on the sonar and big structure at the Elbow, which is known to house some distinct depth changes between 250 and 150 feet in the relatively flat Gulf of Mexico. When he saw what he was looking for, Lockard changed speeds going between 5 and 7 miles per hour as he did circles around the spot.

“There was a show of bait which is light blue and then fish up above them between 20 and 40 feet. Right at sunset when the moon was rising all three rods went off at the same time!”

Two of the fish stayed tight after one came off. After 20 minutes, a pair of the striped speedsters hit the deck.

“We keep the boat in gear while fighting the fish to keep the line tight. On both, when they hit the deck the lures fell right out!”

In the calm Gulf, Lockard made plans to meet a buddy boat on the Florida Middlegrounds nearly 50 miles to his north at 10 p.m. The group rendezvoused up on a big ledge to mangrove snapper fish that night.

“Using pilchards with 1/2-ounce Hogballs on 30-pound leader, we got our limit of mangos by 2 a.m. The biggest was 8 pounds and we were throwing fish back under 15 inches. We also caught and released probably two-boats’-worth of keeper gag grouper,” Lockard said.

Heading east for the 100-mile journey home in the dark Gulf started easy, but around 40 miles a strong east wind changed that.

“We had to tab down hard at 30 miles an hour into stiff 3-footers. It made the last half of the run tough.”

But the trip was worth it, with a variety of tasty fish and memories made, and Lockard itching to venture offshore once again to see if the fourth time’s the charm keeping the wahoo streak alive.

Teams running offshore during next weekend’s Crosthwait will be hoping to find wahoo like Lockard. In its 39th year, the Crosthwait is Bradenton’s premier fishing tournament bringing the best anglers together for a weekend of fishing across inshore and offshore waters.

To register or for more information visit www.FishCrosthwait.com.

Following the Crosthwait will be the Rough Riders Andy Brown Memorial Fishing Tournament from June 2 - 3 hosted on the Riverfront of the Manatee River. The tournament features divisions for snook, redfish, trout, mackerel, grouper, snapper and tarpon.

For more information visit https://www.tamparoughriders.org/fishing.