Gainesville Offshore Fishing Club

The next general meeting of the Gainesville Offshore Fishing Club will be held on Tuesday, August 25th, 2026.
Featured Speaker: Former GOFC President: Cecil Quates

One of the common pieces of feedback we get after a successful presentation at our general meeting is that sometimes the best ones are teach backs from members. We are delighted to bring one of the most successful Grouper fishermen the club has ever known in Cecil Quates, past President of the GOFC to speak to us on the topic of Gag Grouper tips, techniques, and tactics. Cecil has killed more grouper than most of us have even seem, and his presentation and sharing of tackle, ideas, and strategies just prior to the re-opening of Gag season is sure to be a hit!

Meeting Date and Time:
Tuesday, August 25th, 2026
The doors will open for fellowship at 7 PM.
The meeting will begin at 7:30 PM.

Location:
Thanks to the generosity of The Best Restoration in Gainesville, The GOFC is having our meeting at their new location at 6933 NW 4th Blvd. This is just off Tower Road NEXT TO the Home Depot.

There will also be pizza, a rod and reel raffle prize, door prizes, and drinks! We'll see you there!

Now’s a good time to renew your GOFC Membership for 2026!
It’s as easy than ever! Just go to the “Join now!” tab on the
GOFC website. (http://www.gofc.us/wp/join-now/)
Then fill out the form online and pay using PayPal, or you can pay Debby at the monthly meetings.

Join or Renew Now! - Gainesville Offshore Fishing Club Benefits of membership...Receive 12 Acute Angler Newsletters (click to see past issues)Participate in GOFC tournaments and events (About Events | Calendar)Receive a $10.00 Sea Tow discount on yearly membershipsReceive 5% off sporting goods at Alachua Farm & LumberReceive 10% off from any servic...

Tonight….there is a CCA get together…

The scalloping event scheduled for Tomorrow, Saturday, August 1, 2026 in Steinhatchee has been postponed due to inclement weather.
The event committee has reviewed the current marine weather forecast from the National Weather services and voted unanimously to postpone the scalloping learnament due to high chance of thunderstorms throughout the morning and afternoon.

The committee is working to reschedule the event later in the season and more details will be sent out as soon as they are available.

Be safe out there!

GOFC will hold a Members Only Scalloping "Learnament" and Social Event on TOMORROW, Saturday, August 1, 2026 in Steinhatchee.
Register at:
https://gofc.us/tourney-stats/tournament-registration/
What is it?
So far, the 2026 scalloping season in Steinhatchee has been one of the most productive in recent memory. Weather permitting, GOFC will hold a scalloping learnament and social event on Saturday, August 1st. The event will be an opportunity for members who have never tried scalloping before to get some tips and tactics from those who make it an annual tradition. It will also be a great opportunity for experienced members to enjoy a bit of camaraderie and relaxation on the water.

The abundance of scallops this year has attracted scallopers from across Florida and all around the Southeast. To beat the crowds, and secure easy parking, we encourage everyone to arrive at the ramp in Steinhatchee around 7am. We will rendezvous in the river north of the main channel just downstream from where Roy's restaurant used to stand. A map showing the location is included below. We will depart from the meeting point at 8am sharp and travel as a group to the scalloping grounds.

We will likely be collecting scallops in 6-7 feet of water, so it is recommend that all participants be strong swimmers, experienced with snorkeling, and capable of diving to the bottom and collecting scallops in up to 7' feet of water.

During the outing, board members will be present to answer questions and demonstrate effective techniques for catching and cleaning scallops.

A list of recommended gear is included at the bottom of this message.

When and Where?
Participats should arrive at the boat ramp at approximately 7am in order to find easy parking and arrive at the rendezvous point by 8am.

The boat ramp is located on Southeast 1st Avenue in Steinhatchee. It does not have an assigned address, but if you are unfamiliar with the area, set your GPS to 104 SE 1st Avenue, Steinhatchee, FL and you'll have a hard time missing it. See map below.

We will Rendezvous on the water north of the main channel in the river just downstream from where's Roy's Restaurant once stood. See map below.

The event chair will monitor the marine weather forecast and make the go/no-go decision the evening before the tournament. The decision will be announced via email no later than 7:00 pm that night. Individual captains must also monitor the forecasts and make their own determination regarding their vessel's sea worthiness given the expected conditions.

Register at:
https://gofc.us/tourney-stats/tournament-registration/

What to bring:
A Florida fishing license for each scalloper as required by law.
Snorkeling Gear including Mask, Snorkel, and Fins
Mesh bags for collecting scallops - Just about any mesh bag will do. Be aware that zippers and spring loaded drawstring clamps will rust after exposure to salt water. High-end, purpose-built bags with hinged metal handles can be purchased at Sea Hag Marina, but an old laundry bag also works great.
A U.S. Coast Guard compliant dive flag and means to properly display it on your boat. This is required by law.
A cooler with about 60lbs of ice - Icing down your scallops for a few minutes makes cleaning them much easier. You'll also want to keep your cleaned scallops cold until you get them home. The Gulf is very warm and salty this time of year and so are the scallops. 10 Gallons of scallops will melt a lot of ice. Come prepared.
A metal spoon for each member of your crew - Used to use cleaning scallops. Leave the oyster knives at home, spoons are more effective and much safer for this purpose A multi-pack of inexpensive metal spoons from Publix, Walmart, or Target is perfect for this.
Five gallon buckets -There are few things on a boat more versatile and useful than a five gallon bucket and they can even save your life. In this case they are great for making sure you don't exceed the daily catch limit (2 gallons of whole scallops per person to a maximum of 10 gallons per boat) as well as collecting the discarded portion of the scallop when cleaning your catch.
Disposable plastic storage containers with lids or ziploc bags - Useful when cleaning scallops and for packing the cleaned scallops away in the cooler. Reused take-out containers for liquids and resealable tubs from the grocery store work great. The daily limit is 1/2 gallon (4 pints) of cleaned scallop meat per boat. You'll want enough containers or bags to store your catch plus at least one container per person to use while cleaning scallops. The containers or bags should be water tight.
Sunscreen - Lots of it
Plenty of drinks and snacks for your crew - Proven to greatly reduce the risk of mutiny

Tournament Registration - Gainesville Offshore Fishing Club Use this form to register your boat and passengers in advance of a GOFC tournament. Only registered boats are qualified to win prizes. Captain's Name* First Last Captain's Cell Phone*To be used in the event a boat has not checked in at weigh-inBack-up Phone NumberPlease provide a back-up / just in c...

Fun time at the annual fish fry!

Reminder: The 2026 GOFC Fish Fry will be held on Saturday, June 20th at 5:00 pm in Alachua rain or shine!
What is it?
Every summer the Gainesville Offshore Fishing Club holds its annual fish fry. This year the event will be held in the Knopf's boat barn near High Springs and the club will provide fish, shrimp, baked beans, coleslaw, hush puppies, and jambalaya! Waters and sodas are also provided. Members are encouraged to bring a side or dessert for sharing.

The event is FREE and open to all GOFC members and their families in good standing. If you have not rejoined now would be a great time! As a new policy we will have our standard waiver to sign at the sign in desk.

There will be a 50/50 cash raffle to benefit the club's activities.

When and Where?
The fish fry will be held on Saturday, June 20th starting at 5:00 PM at the Knopf's home… more information will be sent out soon…

Fun day fishing the spring GOFC tournament.  The fishing was a little bit slow, but everyone had a great day! Thanks to everyone that helped out in the tournament. Also a big thank you to Slaughterhouse restaurant for helping us in the weigh in. 🎣GOFC.US

2026 GOFC Spring Tournament
Saturday, June 6th, 2026
Register at:
https://gofc.us/tourney-stats/tournament-registration/

What is the Spring Tournament?
The annual GOFC Spring Tournament is often referred to as the "Big 10 Tournament" because all 10 of the club's main target species may be entered in the tournament. This year Gag grouper will not be in season, but any grouper species that can be legally harvested may be entered including Red Grouper.

This year cash prizes will be awarded for the three largest fish in each of the 10 species categories. The adult and youth (15 or younger) angler that enters fish in the most categories will be named the Master Angler and will receive a special plaque at the next annual awards banquet.

This tournament is free and open to all club members in good standing. All individuals participating in the tournament do so at their own risk and must have a current waiver of liability on file with GOFC. All captains must register for the tournament using the link above no later than 7:30 pm the night before the tournament.

Non-member guests are invited to participate in the tournament with the following strictly enforced requirements:

Participating guests must complete a waiver of liability via the GOFC website no later than 7:30 pm the night before the tournament. The waiver of liability can be found on this page: https://gofc.us/join-now/
Participating guests must be included in the list of passengers submitted by the captain when they register their boat.
Participating guests must pay a $30 tournament fee in cash to the Tournament Director at the official weigh in. The payer will be responsible for providing correct change. If the guest wishes to join the club (within 30 days) the $30 will be applied to your membership!
When is it?
Date: Saturday, June 6th, 2026. Members may fish from any port in our home waters
Start Time: Safelight
Weigh in: 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at Slaughterhouse Restaurant in Rosewood just inland from Cedar Key on SR 24.
Weather Dates: Sunday, June 7th or Saturday, June 13th

The Tournament Director will monitor the marine weather forecast and make the go/no-go decision the evening before the tournament. The decision will be announced via email no later than 7:00 pm that night. Individual captains must also monitor the forecasts and make their own determination regarding their vessel's sea worthiness given the expected conditions.

Anyone who registers for the tournament but ends up either not going out or decides to skip the weigh-in is asked to call or text a member of the Tournament committee, either John Patrick at (352) 464-0825 or Dale Reed at (352) 215-5295, so we can be sure that everyone makes it back to shore safely.

Anglers must be standing in line to have their fish weighed by 6:30 pm to be eligible. The cut-off time will be strictly enforced, so please don't wait until the last minute to start heading in.

Where is it?
Contestants may depart from any port in the Club's home waters. The weigh-in will be held at Slaughterhouse Seafood. Members are encouraged to patronize Slaughterhouse Seafood Restaurant to thank them for them hosting the weigh-in.

Slaughterhouse Seafood Restaurant
6991 SR-24
Cedar Key, Florida 32625

Tournament Details
Tournament Directors: John Patrick (352) 464-0825 or Dale Reed (352) 215-5295

Prizes:

Master Angler Award: The angler that enters the most species will be declared the Master Angler for 2025 and will receive a special plaque at the next annual awards banquet.

Youth Master Angler Award: The angler aged 15 or younger who enters the most species will be declared the Youth Master Angler for 2025

Prizes will also be awarded for each of the "Big 10" species based on weight as follows:
Heaviest Redfish
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Heaviest Seatrout
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Heaviest Flounder
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Heaviest Mangrove Snapper
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Heaviest Spanish Mackerel
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Heaviest Grouper
(no gags!)
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Heaviest King Mackerel
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Heaviest Cobia
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Heaviest Sheepshead
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Heaviest Bluefish
1st Place: $100
2nd Place: $75
3rd Place: $50
Only one prize will be awarded per angler in each species category. Ties for the heaviest fish will be decided by time of entry with the earliest entry prevailing. Ties for the Master Angler award will be decided using the Ellett Award scoring system. Interpretation of the tournament rules shall be at the sole discretion of the Tournament Director and committee.

Official Club Rules: https://gofc.us/rules/

Rules - Gainesville Offshore Fishing Club Gainesville Offshore Fishing Club Rules and Regulations Approved by the GOFC Board of Directors on December 05, 2023 General Statements and Regulations All club members are responsible for their safety and the safety of their boat and passengers. Members must determine the conditions under which t....

We had an amazing night learning more about the CCA and how they operate, lots of information on the new STAR tournament for kids and also how Leiza Fitzgerald the CHARTER CAPTAIN works her magic…  very informative and inspirational presentation.