Since all of the red snapper crazies will be gone from the boat ramps now I'm planning on making a trip down to the gulf this weekend to try my boat out in the saltwater. Would really like to do a little trolling and maybe run on out and do some drop fishing too. What species should I be targeting this time of year and what would be a good go to trolling rig? Also would it be a good idea to get some bigger live or dead baits to drift while we're drop fishing? Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Went a couple days ago and loaded up on some mackerel after we got limit on snapper...mostly kings but got a couple nice Spanish ones also...

If your fishing out of OB hunt me down at J&M Tackle and I'll point you in the right direction.

Kings, Spanish, possibly cobia/ling, mahi mahi (dolphin). If you run across something floating, stop and fishi around it...mahi mahi will more than likely be under it. If you hook one and get it to the boat, leave it out and let it swim around...others will follow it to the boat and you can cast to them and catch a mess of them. Same with tripletail...they congregate under the shadows of floating object...grass balls, bouy markers, driftwood, etc.

This.

Exactly

Green drone spoon behind a duster hooked to a number 2 planer Will flat out kill the spanish

Like this one behind a number 2 planer

Click here

What lefthorn said. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

PM to you JohnG