July 23 - 24 Econfina Report -- A Blessed Weekend

[big bend gyrene]

Little bro is a Baptist preacher in Indiana, but grew up in the south, attended FSU, and absolutely loves fishing. Been years since he last visited but a month or so ago he called and said he wanted to come down for a trip out. Warned him that the oil might reach us within the month, but the day after I spoke to him it started heading West. Made me wonder if he prayed for the change.

This weekend finally arrives and we head out of Econfina on Friday.

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Was a bit worried the weather wouldn't cooperate but again, he must have prayed in advance.

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Head out to catch some pins for a bit of offshore fishing, and he gets the skunk off the boat with one of his first casts.

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As we pull up to our first offshore spot, the water is brewing with multiple football field-sized bait balls being slammed by mackerel, jacks, and blues!

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Lost count on how many we caught, but after 30 minutes or so of non-stop action we remembered we had pins and made a quick move to our next spot. Within minutes of dropping baits down, my brother has a short cobe on the hook and it's got a bigger buddy with it. We briefly have a double before the larger cobe spits the pin. Quickly tag and released the baby cobe.

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Just a few more minutes, and I've got a beast on the line. Wear him out and wrestle him into the boat and have little bro pose with it.

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Little bro then hooks his own nice one. With the freezer at home already well stocked with cobia, we tag and release the pretty keeper.

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All this excitement and it's still the morning!

Wondering how the day can get any better, my brother hollers at me to look down in the water and we watch as a flotilla of at least 60 spotted eagle rays cruise under the boat with a few cobia tagging along. So amazing a sight we actually didn't even think to cast at the cobes as we stared at the rays with wonder.

Wait the lunchtime slack out and start picking up schooling macks again. While releasing one of the macks, I actually see a goliath grouper come up within 6 feet of the surface to take the mack in a single gulp! Not having a lick of sense, the next mack I hook I purposely let it flounder about 6 feet under the boat and WAM, BAM, THANK YOU MAM it's on like donkey kong! Actually did give him a good fight but after a couple of minutes of being darn near pulled out of the boat, he finds enough structure to cut me off. Hot as blue blazes by this time so I was somewhat relieved.

After the goliath we call it a day.

Day 2 report was a complete different experience. Headed out to 10' waters to pick up bait and it was so rough we gave up on heading offshore. We decide reds are in order to complete a Big Bend slam, so we hit some Econ bars and seal the deal.

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Off the water by lunchtime and get my brother to the airport in time for him to get back to his church service tomorrow.

Great, GREAT weekend! Brother didn't even have to preach while we were out, as we got to witness God's amazing creations the entire time we were out on the water!

[rammerjammer]

nice report and pics//great family time.....

[Chill-N-Grill]

Awesome

[bman]

Awesome report and great trip with your bro...
You told him its always like that right

[silverking]

Sounds like you had some divine intervention there, BBG. Way to put your bro on the fish!

[SS-342]

Big Bend Gyrene:

As I've said before, my wife and I fished all day Friday the 23 and got skunked. I saw your hasty, short report and wondered!

Now I know....when will your little brother be back home? Think we could pay him to fish with us?

Serously, my hat is tipped to ya...you know your stuff!

You are a good writer as well!

Dog, maybe......I need to invite my preacher out fishing?

Thanks for that good report.

[Reel Navy]

Great report BBG!

[Harmsway]

God blessed the weekend for sure. I bet today's sermon was about loaves and fishes.

[big bend gyrene]

Awesome report and great trip with your bro...
You told him its always like that right

Bman, he's been out a number of times with me so knows that's not quite the truth. He does bring blessed trips though! He's caught a 25 pound cobia on board Marine's Dream before, we had a double digit red day years ago (and yes, on gold spoon ), and he was with me one Thanksgiving when the morning was short sleeve weather but a cold front hit in the afternoon dropping temps down to near freezing, it started raining, and we suffered miserable conditions becaust trout were stacked up outside the Econ mouth and wouldn't stop biting.

SS-342, no need to pay him! We share the "go fishing whenever we possibly can" gene, so no bribe necessary. And definitely might want to offer your preacher a trip out too... if nothing else we can gather more data on the "blessing" theory!

And Harmsway, say again, you shouldn't cry over missing out on Saturday. Look closely at the pics and you'll see it was rougher 30 feet off the grass on Saturday than it was 20 miles offshore Friday!

[doggymcnuggets]

I'm the preaching brother, great report BBG! Thanks much for about the best day of fishing I've ever had - double digit mackerels and numerous cobia, jacks, blues, and a couple of reds & a seatrout to boot! Not to mention enjoying the sea turtle, jumping rays, and fleet of swimming rays that passed by... I did indeed pray hard on my way down from IN that we'd catch some fish. Jesus filled the disciples' nets so I figure putting us on some fish was no big deal for Him!
Regards to all the Big Bend fishermen (and women), no place I'd rather get my fish on!

[Sir reel]

Good job to both of you. Never hurts ta have a preacher in the boat. doggy... if your ever in the neighbor hood and don't mind climbing in the boat with a couple of heathens let me know.. JT51 and Butch are interested.

[lonesouth]

sounds like a good time!! always great to get the family together and enjoy God's glory!

[CSMarine]

Great after action report Devil Dog.

[SS-342]

doggymcnuggets:

Please, let me check this out!

You by chance wouldn't be a Baptist preacher, would you?

If my church ever needs another preacher, I'll drop your name in the hat.

It would be nice to have a preacher that can fish!

[FUTCHCAIRO]

CONGRATULATIONS, LOOKS LIKE Y'ALL HAD A BALL.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA SEMPER FI