My partner Action Craft Gator - note he grew up fishing Nutall Rise, cut his teeth on the Aucilla river. Was in Tampa all week - drove home Friday.
Had never made the run from Destin back to Panama City, so I had called Chavis asking him about the run and fuel needed. Still looking for more info - called multiple IFA tournament and Champion Fred Myers. He gave me some more info, but he wasn't fishing it. Before the day was out, he was fishing it, but had to get off the boat for his daughters birthday party (okayed with the tournament director, plus they got a third in the boat). Fred and I talked a few times and we ended up meeting up tournament morning and driving to the check in. The biggest irony of the story is while Fred was getting gas - he told us what and where he was fishing, suggesting we follow him. The irony in that is we thought it was some Jedi mind trick and we were not going to fall for that silliness
We launched in the dark fogginess of Choctawhatchee bay at Hogtown and ran across the bay to Nicks to check in. We fell inline behind Fred, got our number and throttle dropped to the floor and we raced across the bay around 67/68 - slowing for the fog and making some turns in the intercoastal. Making the 65 mile trip to spot A in an hour and some change.
At spot A at a little after 6am looked like a boat parking lot - the bad weather and good fishing reports must have leaked out. Spot A is a big area, so we moved around onto the other side and set up...then the wind started to blow and had to reset for it. ACG got the first fish and it was just over the line
. Caught several chicken reds - lacking the mullet, moved around to the other side, which had been gone over like a crime scene. The rain started - picked up a 25." fish told ACG to put it in the live well we need to start with something. Tide was starting to turn - time to goto sport B.Stopped for fuel, rain started really coming down - light rain at 65 is a painful experience.
Arrived at spot B - spied some suspect frolicking ahead of the boat. Signs of happy, happy, happy Mullet, we were about to experience some legendary catching. Fired the Aqua Dream down the bank...went tight, in the net. ACG measured, barely over the line, I said, let me see that..under the line...hmmm. In the livewell it goes. Then it just goes off and we end up catching in excess of 30 reds - from chickens to overs and a few upgrades in the mix. Along with some lost tackle due to the lure being deep in the crusher, broken leaders, etc. We get to the end of the good stuff and I tell ACG, "Jumptrout always says don't leave fish to find fish." But we move across the bay to let the hot bank relax a little. We hit the spot I checked yesterday and found only magnum trout and no reds. Back to Spot B and we hit a few more fish and made two more upgrades.
Moved over to one more spot that was dead...it was after 3...tired and we decide it is time to head back, so we pack up, put ear plugs in and start idling back out and here comes Fred. We fall inline behind him, but can't keep pace with with two livewells full of fish - could only run about 65. Made the trip back over in good time...we had 30 minutes to spare.
Weighed fish, all were good, weight 12.42....Fred weighs in 13.2. After 65 teams check in and the dust settles - Fred takes first and a $5000 check and we take 5th and $500. My hands look like I got into a fight with Edward Scissors hands, my body feels like I wrestled with Andre "The Giant". But man it was fun fishing, weather stayed offshore for the most part, boat ran great. Thanks to ACG for fishing with me and Fred for leading me to water - too bad we didn't drink it
Not too many tournaments over here this year, time to work on the boat need to do some gelcoat work.
Caught fish on Aqua Dream spoons and BiteABait lures
Your still our hero!
<A bdp.
