8/3 and 8/4 Memorable Midshore Trip with S.C. Friends
Posted: August 7th, 2007, 1:32 am
Had an old work buddy and his son down from my home state, South Carolina, this past weekend. My ol' bud was interested in how my Panga has performed for me and I promised him if he made the trip down and the weather cooperated I would give him a test ride and do my best to put him on a few fish.
The weather reports had me a bit concerned early Friday morning and we did have overcast skies all day with occasional light rain but I saw it as a HUGE blessing after 2 or 3 of the last trips out being so hot it was tough to fish past midday. My friend kept saying it didn't seem right he made a big trip down and it was colder in FL than back home
We used the first few hours out on Friday to fish 8' to 10' depths so I could catch pin fish for bait and my friend and his son could try for trout/anything else biting. Put about 20 pins in the bait well while my friend's son had a blast catching shorts, a few big cats, and a lizard fish.
Wanted to use the pins further offshore but the wind wouldn't cooperate so headed inshore to a favorite spot. Big man upstairs smiled upon us giving us about seven reds in short order, with almost all of them in the slot. Put one a piece on ice before calling it a day.
Saturday morning we faced considerably less chop so decided to make a quick run offshore after filling the bait well with pins. Stayed in less than 30' but had an awesome day. We drop our very first line down in the water and in less than 15 seconds a keeper cobia is on. I had warned my friend's son, Jacob, that to hoss a cobia away from structure he would have to do some hefty pulling. My friend and I had a real good laugh when two pulls into the fight he's yelling, "Dad, give me my fighting belt!!!".
In all seriousness, Jacob's form was good and in short order we've got a keeper cobia on ice.
Few casts later and Jacob shows he's still got the hot hand! Wrestles a 24" grouper off the bottom... this after a full year of shorts for me, all about 1" shy
Dad and I ask Jacob to take a rest while we try our luck and the bite turns cold. Have to ask him to step back in to set the hook on one for Dad - another 24 incher!
Decide to call it an early day so we can fire up the grill and head back in with the tide at under 1/2 foot. Really gave me a chance to see how shallow I could float my Panga. Brought it right up to the bar at the Econfina mouth and took the chance to get a few photos of the boat.
Really made it back in without too much trouble at all... just had to pull the motor up a time or two in order to pole a few feet. All in all couldn't have asked for a more fun weekend with good family friends!
The weather reports had me a bit concerned early Friday morning and we did have overcast skies all day with occasional light rain but I saw it as a HUGE blessing after 2 or 3 of the last trips out being so hot it was tough to fish past midday. My friend kept saying it didn't seem right he made a big trip down and it was colder in FL than back home
We used the first few hours out on Friday to fish 8' to 10' depths so I could catch pin fish for bait and my friend and his son could try for trout/anything else biting. Put about 20 pins in the bait well while my friend's son had a blast catching shorts, a few big cats, and a lizard fish.
Wanted to use the pins further offshore but the wind wouldn't cooperate so headed inshore to a favorite spot. Big man upstairs smiled upon us giving us about seven reds in short order, with almost all of them in the slot. Put one a piece on ice before calling it a day.
Saturday morning we faced considerably less chop so decided to make a quick run offshore after filling the bait well with pins. Stayed in less than 30' but had an awesome day. We drop our very first line down in the water and in less than 15 seconds a keeper cobia is on. I had warned my friend's son, Jacob, that to hoss a cobia away from structure he would have to do some hefty pulling. My friend and I had a real good laugh when two pulls into the fight he's yelling, "Dad, give me my fighting belt!!!".
In all seriousness, Jacob's form was good and in short order we've got a keeper cobia on ice. Few casts later and Jacob shows he's still got the hot hand! Wrestles a 24" grouper off the bottom... this after a full year of shorts for me, all about 1" shy
Dad and I ask Jacob to take a rest while we try our luck and the bite turns cold. Have to ask him to step back in to set the hook on one for Dad - another 24 incher!
Decide to call it an early day so we can fire up the grill and head back in with the tide at under 1/2 foot. Really gave me a chance to see how shallow I could float my Panga. Brought it right up to the bar at the Econfina mouth and took the chance to get a few photos of the boat.
Really made it back in without too much trouble at all... just had to pull the motor up a time or two in order to pole a few feet. All in all couldn't have asked for a more fun weekend with good family friends!
