Got down to the boat around 6:00am and there was just a slight breeze. Seemed great. Stopped off at C-Quarters for ice and bait, and then we were off. Conditions between Carrabelle and DI were smooth. Got around the west of DI and were greeted by 4-5 footers
Go figure. Wind was out of the east and we were heading east. We took a beating and settled for just trolling to our first spot. We could only manage bonitas (they're out there thick Noleflyfisher, if that's still your name 
). Got to the first spot and could only manage grunts. We took it to spot #2 and managed the same with a few short grouper mixed in. Wind was still about 15 kts and seas rolling. We decided to go to spot #3 anyways. Got set up on the spot relatively easy despite the conditions. The bottom machine was marking fish all over the bottom, but they didn't want anything we dropped on 'em. My son Avery decided to try a diamond jig and started getting results right away (he's been wanting to try one ever since the Indian Pass trip with Trouttrent). The 3rd fish broke him off 
We started managing a few keeper grouper, but the bite was still slow on both live bait and natural despite marking fish all over the bottom. We decided to try one more spot.We got anchored up on spot #3 about 2:30pm and started marking fish and good structure just like spot #2. The fish still were still not biting. We didn't have anything better to do, so we decided to wait 'em out. About 3:30pm, we decided to put the ball game on (FSU/Miami) to help pass the time. About 10 minutes into the game, the bite turned on. Talk about nice.....catching grouper and listening to Gene call the game
I had been working a diamond jig managing a few barely legal fish. I got a backlash and was pulling line off the spool, when a huge king hit the jig about 15 feet under the boat. Needless to say, it was no contest and it got away with my jig My buddy Justin hung into what we believe was a HUGE grouper, maybe even a goliath. He fought the fish for 10 minutes and then I gave him a hand. The fish began to go deeper and all I could do was hold on. I gave him the rod back and said "This is your fish." This went on for about 30 minutes before it broke off. Never saw the fish. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. We stayed on the spot till the final seconds of the game, and then decided to take it to the hill before the sun set on us. It was a smooth run on the way in and we made it back to Carrabelle right at dark. 12 hours on the water with my dad, son and a few good friends. Even managed to catch a ball game and bring a few fish back 
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