We had lots to do Saturday so we got up early Sun and headed down in the morning, having a negative low at @ 8:30 and seeing 3 boats at the end of the Lanark basin channel we decide to drop in at the new city ramp in C-belle. We headed out the river at around 9 got out to our first trolling number and realized we left all the sandwiches in the truck, luckily Emily had bought some snacks on the way down and had stuck them in the food cooler on the boat so we had just enough sustenance to make it through the day.
We gave the first spot over an hour of trolling time without a bite! This spot is normally a great starting point for a trip and almost always produces a couple nice fish trolling stretch 30’s. Strike one, so we went out to a great number where we had done excellent in the past this being @ 65ft we decided to go up and down hoping Emily could handle a BIG grouper if we got into them again! Unfortunately with the current ripping we only could manage snapper and a few short grouper Emily still skunked on her first ever keeper grouper! She was getting very proficient at catching snapper however and we enjoyed the positive attitude and smiles on every fish she landed. Here she had what would be a limit of Red snapper on one drop! Lots of snapper but still no keeper grouper!! Strike Two
We decided to make a move checking some spots on the way and trolling some as well with only grunts and numerous snapper releases to our credit we decided we needed some more food for the box so we hit our favorite black sea bass hole which often gives up a keeper grouper or two after figuring the drift we anchor up and start landing some big hump headed sea bass and then Larry rocks up on what he originally thought was a fish we move the boat to get a better angle and he manages to get it lose thinking he as a piece of bottom, except had eight tentacles and a big head. We continued to catch some great sea bass and lots of good eating grunts to fill the cooler and then Emily lands a nice grouper but it was only 18 inches and we have to return it to the sea! We’ll call this spot a foul ball but not a strike out since Emily was still smiling and having a great time. =)
We had one chance and a possible place to check on the way in, so we get up and move 7 miles to our last hope; placing it all on a super producer in the clinch, but relying solely on the troll! We set the spread, a red head and chartreuse and purple 30’s out and I cross my fingers and say a prayer as we start our trolling pattern. 2nd pass we find the fish markings I want on the depth finder and the next time through we have a big hit line stripping fish ON!! Emily starts cranking in and I could tell it was a good fish with the drag slipping a few times!! Emily does great and cranks in her first EVER keeper a 28 inch Gag grouper!! WOHOOO high fives and pictures unfortunately we only had Emily’s camera out so I don’t have that pic yet since she took it to school this morning!! I finally dug through the dry box and found mine for what would be fish number two a few trolling passes later!!
We were very happy to say the least that Emily had a chance to catch not only her first, but 2nd grouper and with time getting late we decided to head for the hill having a long drive with a stop in Tally to pick up the boy who were spending the day with Nana. Boy was Emily ready to show off those fish to her brothers! We called lines in and Emily is cranking in the red head and says I have a fish on we tell her no dear that’s just the pull of the lure they are hard to reel in. Well wouldn’t you know it she had a fish on and when we got it measured up it was a solid 22.5 inch KEEPER # 3 we told her that she had to release it because she had already caught her limit hehe but she knew better!
Another round of high fives for our girl and we headed home in CALM seas! Great fun with my wife Daughter and one of my best buds! Thanks Larry, and thanks to all my friends for what has been truly one of the best 2 months of fishing with my family I have ever had!!
God Bless
-Joe
I'll try and get the other pictures off Emily's camera up later!
The smile on your girls face says it all though 
it's a shame them thangs is endangered 
