The morning started at 6:15 for me, since I live on SGI.
I have been catching some nice fish for the last couple of weeks over this way so I told my partner to meet me over here. My partner (Kneeknocker) got to St. Marks to check us in right about 6:00 and then headed west. He met me at the ramp right about 7:00 and off we went. I knew it was gonna be a slow morning with it being 30 degrees and a stiff north wind blowing all the water out of the bay. We eased off to the 1st hole without getting on plane, it was COLD!
After bumping ground a few times we began to see pushes and wakes, a good sign but the fish were vary spooky and wouldn't touch anything we threw. After messing with these fish for an hour or so we moved on to another spot really close, it was still COLD and we didn't feel like getting on plane. This spot was holding a few fish but they didn't want to eat either, pretty frustrating morning to say the least. After looking at each other with the look of Sh.t, we talked it over for 10 mins or so. My partner wanted to go back to the fish we found earlier in the morning but I had a different idea. After talking him into getting on plane and making a 20 min run, we were off. After the run, and yes it was still COLD we arrived. Within a min of being on the poling platform we see what we are here for, 2 groups of fish both holding 100 or more!
Both Kneeknocker and myself threw to the fish and both got eats almost immediately, but one came unbuttoned and the other breaks off, crap! After regrouping we were both hooked up again, one slot 26.5 fish and the other a 29, so one in livewell and one lives to fight another day. After catching 3-4 more over slot fish I finally land a 24.5 and in the livewell he goes. We fished for another hour or so without picking up another fish, they were everywhere but there mouths were shut and NOT opening! With it being 1:30 we had to call it and get back to the ramp, I handed over the fish and Kneeknocker headed East and I headed West. He called me after weigh-in to tell me we finish 3rd, not bad for what we had to go through to get'em! Congratulations to the 1st and 2nd place teams!
