We were up and cooking by 5:30 and fueled both physically and figuratively by 7, got a few shrimp for Cody’s secret redfish hole and headed out of Carrabelle river shortly thereafter! Waved good morning to Momma’s Money II as she passed us at the launch ramp and after figuring out that the kill switch lanyard being left at the house was the reason we couldn’t get the boat started; we founds a creative use for one of Celeste’s hair clips, put into place we motored out of the river off to the “spot”
Well needless to say our good ole buddy Cody was true to his word and in a matter of minutes; ok it was all of 10, our box looked like this!
Cody capping it off with big fish, a nice 25 in red!
Well after throwing 3 more of these back in the next 5 minutes we were a little tired of the regulations and catching fish we couldn’t keep so we headed to “spot 2” right into a nasty mixed up, chopped up mess of a sea. I’ll say it was a 2 ft with an occasional 2 and a healthy half :eek3: thrown in! Well after busting our butts and a couple rod holder we managed to arrive bruised, but in one piece to Cody’s OTHER spot :nilly:
We drifted and found a few takers in the grunt category so we threw the marker and anchored. After some moving around with the rode we started to pick up the grouper bite and it was on for a while in all flavors including a little scamp, except for one little detail they were all about Cody’s age in length!! We manage to get two major hits, but one cut the leader (maybe shark) and the other came unbuttoned. Without the keepers appearing on the decks or in the box we decided to move to other waters and do a little trolling to get there to ease our banged up bottoms! Since Celeste and I like fish for Kings and Cody’s not done that type of fishing we thought we’d try due to the 73 degree water temps we were showing; also the kids are crying about lack of kingfish dip this year. We drop out a Chartreuse stretch 30 and a similarly colored duster with a cigar.
Cody and I were talking while I was motoring along and Celeste starts screaming about seeing a king come clear out of the water not finished with her sentence and the duster rod starts screaming as to the reason the king was taking flight! Rod in hand the battles on and one of the best King catchers I know is at the reel!
Some time into the battle she says she felt a hook pop so she lightened up the drag a hair knowing she may only have the rear stinger in play! GOOD CHOICE!! First view at the boat proved that to be true and after a quick run and retrieve we got a gaff into it, but the grip on the gaff came off the end and I dropped the fish back into the water! :bang: MAN we were freaking out, but Celeste kept her cool (mostly there were a few choice word I believe) and the pressure on and we got our 2nd chance!
This time it was in the boat!
All she had!!
The proud capture and bloodied captured! 36 in. to the fork!
Well if it isn’t broke don’t fix it right, so out went a fresh cigar and the stretch on the way to one of my spots! Just before arriving we get the bouncy bounce and zing of the king rod of to the races I go beating my fishing buddy to MY rod :smooch: ! With a good hook up in the mouth this time, we boated this nice 30 incher in short order.
Once on my spot we decided to go up and down after a unproductive troll. Celeste grabs my heavy spinning outfit with a white and chartreuse grouper jig tips it with a little squid and goes to work shortly therafter on a 25 in gag. Cody gets into the action with LY on a slip rig and I am just driving the boat trying to get fish in for the happy crew! :king: After a slow down we moved back toward Dog Island and picked up some marauding Spanish and then a couple trout for the ride home!
Wore out but our little mixed box looked good to us!
A few cleaning thrills… a hook in the big kings stomach and a barnacled treble in the grouper!
Proud Lady’s king!
Tally: 2 kings 36 & 30 for dip
2 Gags 25 & 22.5 for dinner :biglaugh: !
2 Spaniards for smoking1
2 grunts for frying
2 Trout for Sautés
3 reds for the grill
A whiting & seabass for good measure
Had a blast Cody thanks again and always and of course thanks to the frozen pea man Blueh2ofisherman!!
Sunday Celeste and I got a late start and took the Jasmine our lab for a little Lanark trout excurtion we were in the middle of low tide and din't find fish like I wanted, but scouted a few new spots while enjoying the water without as much wind as Sat. We did manage a few trout for the box with a 21 incher on a top water that just left me tingling all over!
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