BigBendFishing.Net

Decided I needed to spend some time looking for new spots, and this looked like a calm day. Got up at 3:00 a.m., left the house at 4, and splashed the Pioneer into the Lanark basin about 6:15. Checked my pinfish trap (now reduced to one, the other went missing in action), and found that post fishing tournament number two is now missing in action, too. I think I am going to give up on traps - unless I want to use an armed guard, and it isn't worth that trouble.
Anyhow, headed to the can, sabikied up a dozen live baits, and noticed my bottom machine wasn't working. Monkeyed with the controls, then had a look at the transducer. Well, that puppy had broken off at the mount, must have done it when I ran on a sandbar last low tide. This changed the objectives for the day, from looking to some fishing. Decided to head to 70' number, and anchored up nicely. Well, the fish were biting, but, like last time, I had a royal boatload of red grouper, all of legal size, that I put in the boat to admire and then release. When I had my one in the cooler, did manage to box a couple of nice gags, and one red snapper, plus some grunts.

I counted this time, and I put 11 red grouper of legal plus size into the boat - good thing I let them go, because the commercial guys need to have something to do, I guess. Enough griping - the grouper hit dead bait and live the same - pounded them until about 11, then quit. So, I had plenty of fish and headed in.

Came upon a wonderful pod of 30-40 dolphin on the way in, lots of babies, big ones, flipping into the air, just full of life. A joy to see.

Beautiful day, hot, lots of boats at the ramp, but went just fine.

Hope you enjoyed your day.

The fish box.




EJ

Nicely done, sounds like you got some of my luck

It is a shame about people taking your live traps...what happened to just taking some fish out and leaving the trap? Don't they know that the karma will follow them around like the legion of doom! I'm telling you this because Bobby & I did find some other people's pinfish traps during the Classic and left them strictly alone! Bad guys can bite my shorts, good guys don't worry about karma!!!

That other subject you mentioned seems to be on a lot of offshore angler's minds - the red grouper counts! Seems like the "commission" sold the "recreationals" out to the "commercials", eh? Ah, it goes by the way of phewy alligators and stupid bears - more "knothead" decision made by the commission, eh? Dadburn alligators are eating people and perfectly good pets (including some fine bird dogs) and the bears - they are an overpopulated nuisance and need the hunting season opened up again!

I ask ya'all - what can we do about it? Some say, go to the public meetings and voice your opinions! Yeah, I've done that and felt like I was talking to a pile of people for "sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows"!
Others say, ignore it and it will go away! Okay, I doubt it...we might go away - soon, too. The others I like the best say: contact your political representatives and "give 'em hell" - yes sir, I subscribe to that one! Why? Because they are ELECTED to office...they have a vested interest in what you want...those twits on the "commission" are APPOINTED - they don't give a good hoot what you want!

Opps, I got carried away this morning! Consider that my sermon for today. Seriously, call your representative and voice you opinion...by email, or phone (I've done it in person before)!!!

"Bad guys can bite my shorts, good guys don't worry about karma!!!"

Captiain Reggie please be careful in your chioce of words.

Not only does Jumptrout like the goat loven he eats like one too, so when you say bite my shorts that is like ringing the dinner bell to him.

Nice catch, EJ. At least the reds give ya a fight, even if ya can't keep um.

tin can wrote:Nice catch, EJ. At least the reds give ya a fight, even if ya can't keep um.

True. I was glad for some nice fish to catch, and my left arm was pretty tired before I left the spot. On several I had to stop half way through the fight and just hold them in place, then finish to the surface. I do use very light (for grouper fishing) tackle to increase the fight, so some of it is my own choice. Some one accused me of using "bass rod" tackle rather than meat rods when they saw my favorite outfit in action.

I shouldn't complain much about the red grouper limitation. As it is, I tend to have more fresh fish than I can eat, and I vacuum freeze some every time. Fishing and bringing home something is truly a pleasure, but fishing regulations are quite arbitrary, and this I know from being quite close to the process over the years. The feds are particularly captured by the commercial interests, and always have been so.

Luck,

EJ

Great report.

Nice haul EJ.

Nice work, EJ.