great day, st marks 5-01-04

[T Smith]

After finals week I needed a good day on the water and got it on Sat.
My dad and I decided to brave the weather and take advantage of the good tide. We picked up two dozen shrimp form Jerry's and arrived at the lighthouse around 9:30. You know how it is when you dont have enough shrimp they bite like crazy and when you have enough you end up letting half of them go , anyways we were expecting to get blown off the water by thunderstorms, but of course the weather cooperated and so did the trout.
Around 11:30 we ran out of shrimp, we only had 1 keeper to show for it but let go about 30 shorts. We knew the bite would be good after the tide turned so we loaded up the boat and headed up to jerry's and got 5 dozen shrimp.
We stayed on the west flats about half way between the light house and birdrack in about 5' of water. The afternoon bite lasted about three hours. We caught 4 more keeper trout let go 4 that measeured 14" 3/4" , and a 26" Spanish that blasted one of the shrimp and headed for Cuba.
The highlight came from a live pinfish we were drifting behind the boat. The reel was screaming and I thought it was a shark cause the thing had shoulders, but it was running too fast to be a shark. After a few long runs we finally saw it was a huge Cobia and got it boatside . It was the biggest one ive seen in a while to include all the beauts in Florida Sportsman, she was around 40 lbs. When my Dad tried to gaff her she jumped clear out of the water and hit the gunwal nearly landed in the boat. The fish bent the gaff broke my rodtip and of course the line had no chance 20# ande. Anyways broke my heart I nearly wanted to cry. The things head was as big as a soccer ball. We tried to finish off the shrimp but headed home demoralized but with a good story about the big one that got away. Shes still out there all the more wiser and smirking i'm sure .
The weather was actually nice. Not too many boats it felt like we were fishing on thuesday or something. We stayed dry the seas were 1'-2's and the rain stayed away, the sun even came aout after 2:00
Overall the best day this spring for us. Alot of trout a big Spanish and one huge Cobia Story.

[tin can]

That's what it's all about, Fishinfreak. Time well spent with your Dad, a few fish, and memories that last forever.

I can tell you're a true fisherman. The big one got away.

[ALMAR]

Boy those large cobe's can give you a workout. Last year Carl Brown and I were fishing the bar in front of the lighthouse and I hooked a cobe that was about half as long as our 16' boat. We cranked the kicker and chased that rascal for 1 1/2 hours, got her up to the boat about 5 times and the last time she seemed to be wearing down and Carl slapped the gaff in her and man, she jumped across the bow of the boat and almost knocked Carl out of the boat, the line caught on the anchor chain in the boat and broke loose, the hook came out of the gaff and we were down beyound #3 stake, I would guess about 3 miles from where I hooked her, I would guess she would have gone around 70-80#. That was the largest cobe I have ever seen and I have been fishing for over 75 years. Good report.

Pa

[dstockwell]

Great report FISHINFREAK.. We never saw a cobia Saturday, but saw plenty sharks and the like.

[Sea Gurl]

Good report Fishinfreak. The west flats were good to me weekend before last with lots of action that never quit. 'Cept I didn't have a cobia story to tell - I know that was really exciting - too bad she got away!

Maybe we will all have good luck this coming weekend!

Thanks for the report

Sea Gurl