I stop at JBT to pick up a large box of sandwiches and snacks provided by PUBLIX supermarket. Talk to Bad Behavior, then head down to Shields Marina.
Stopped at the Chevron on 98. Rolaids,pickled sausage,gum. Looked at a case of drinking water. $6 bucks. Decided to get the water at Shields since they were providing free launch to HHA.
Eighteen pack of water at Shields $24 bucks.
Got the boat out of storage and in the water. My son-in-law keeps a 30 foot hard top cruiser at Shields. When I told him about HHA he offered to come along and use his boat. He can be a nice guy occasionally.
Met up with our fishermen for a day Mike and Robert. Got everyone and everything loaded on the boat and headed down river.
We get to the SM Range marker and head off to buoy 24 for grouper.
Find some nice looking bottom and set anchor. We are watching storms in the distance. Mike puts a couple nice pink mouth grunts in the boat while we are still rigging lines. Everyone gets set up, and here come the grouper. Red, Gag, rockbass, more grunts. All the grouper are measuring one inch short.
Hooked up on a couple somethings we could not turn. Moved a few hundred yards to new bottom. Storms getting closer. Lightning coming down, wind picking up.
Decide to move away from the storm. We head back to St. Marks Reef. Get set up there. The storms passes to the southeast toward Keaton and Steinhatchee.
SM Reef is holding lots of Angelfish and more short grouper. Hook up with a couple more nice somethings making good runs. Can't turn 'em around. Lines break.
Head back in about 3 p.m. to clean the boat and fish.
Got some pics. Ashley will post them later.
Our guys had a great time. They asked if they could go with us again next year. We had a great time. The answer was yes. Next year is a date.
