Carabelle 11-06-2003
Posted: November 7th, 2003, 4:30 pm
Headed out with Sawbones at 6:45 and stopped for bait at the sea bouys. Nothing. No bait at all, water a nasty greenish brown. Decided to head to O tower for bait instead. Flat mirror like seas with some 3 foot swells greeted us as we opened up the twin yams.
Found a bait pod about half way to O and sabikied up 4 dozen cigar minnows and spanish sardines. Continued to O and got 2 dozen more assorted baits (pilchards, hardtails, beeliners, etc.)
Bait got spooked and we couldn't get anymore. Before then another boat pulled up and they started bottom fishing without much luck. When the bait left I grabbed my INSHORE jigging rod (Abu 5500, 6/5 foot rod, 20# ande) and dropped a jig down to see who was home.
1st drop nothing. Second drop, second jig up, BAM, drag screaming. Bones backed up away from the tower, and the guys in the other boat were WIDE eyed.
I continued to work the fish on the severely overmatched tackle for nearly 20 minutes. It was a back and forth on the same 30 feet of line, so much so that it became frayed. I got the fish close and Bones yells cobia. Well he must have heard him because back down he went.
Back and forth again, and I was starting to feel it, being that I was the only mechanical advanatage in this struggle. Finally the fish seemed to just give up and up he came only its not a cobia, its a 30lb AJ!
Wanted a picture but the damn batteries in my camera were dead. I asked Bones if he wanted one, so I motored us back to the tower which by now was a 1/4 mile away. I tried to hand Bones my rod to use but he insisted on using the sissy 4/0 and 65# power pro.
When we approached the tower I relayed to the guys in the other boat what was happening, and they started to scramble. Bones dropped his jig down and it never hit bottom. We did the same drill but he was able to get his to the boat much faster than me (wonder why?). His fish was about 2 inches longer than mine, but not nearly as thick. It also had about 3 feet of mono leader and a HUGE circle hook for lip jewelry.
We are both sufficiently whipped now, and with no wind, 90% humidity, and nearly 80° temps, sweatting like pigs.
A quick run to a grouper hole provided a much needed air conditioning break. We decided to drift this spot since there was no wind. I was the first to hook up and landed a 22" red grouper. We both got used a few times and caught plenty of the ever present 19" red grouper.
On the next drift I deployed a cigar minnow on a flat line. We continued to catch shorts and decided to drift the spot once more. I left the flat line out and dragged it behind the boat. With the cigar minnow skipping on top, it wasn't long before a kingfish skyrocketed on him and started stripping line.
I quickly put the little 9 pounder in the boat and Bones said it ws his turn. His line was out maybe 30 seconds before it was screaming. This fish was a bit bigger, about 15 pounds, when he got to the boat. Once again Bones deployed his, and I don't think he got the reel engaged this time, and the fight was on again. This fish was identical to the last one, and quickly went in the box. Now, its 9:30 and we have 2 AJ's, 3 kings and a grouper in the 120 qt ice chest, and almost can't close it.
We hit several more spots, but only shorts. Bones said lets try a spot I found last time. So we did. A nice ledge in the middle of a bunch of live bottom. We picked a good drift line and deployed the baits. Nothing for a good while then we both get bit. My fish is coming, while Bones' isn't. I put my red grouper in the box, while Bones is cussing a damn nurse shark that he has. This fish is swimming slow away from the boat, stripping drag. I told him I bet he had a big redfish. He finally got the fish turned and heading up. I was able to see the fish about 20 feet down and was amazed. It was a gag grouper, and abig one at that. Bones got him up and I boga'd him. 32", 16.3 pounds. We were able to scrounge some batteries for the camera and took this picture of a fine fish.
After that, the rest of the day was uneventful, with only one more keeper grouper, and a couple of sea bass. It was probably a good thing, because we couldn't really put any more fish in the box anyway.
Seas were flat all day. Water temp was 74°. Bait pods scattered all over. We never got deeper than O tower and stayed east of it almost the entire day. The best bite seemed to be in 50-55 feet. Live or dead bait didn't seem to make a difference, but bigger baits did yield bigger fish, except for the big gag. He hit a 4" sardine.
Thanks Bones for another stellar trip.
Found a bait pod about half way to O and sabikied up 4 dozen cigar minnows and spanish sardines. Continued to O and got 2 dozen more assorted baits (pilchards, hardtails, beeliners, etc.)
Bait got spooked and we couldn't get anymore. Before then another boat pulled up and they started bottom fishing without much luck. When the bait left I grabbed my INSHORE jigging rod (Abu 5500, 6/5 foot rod, 20# ande) and dropped a jig down to see who was home.
1st drop nothing. Second drop, second jig up, BAM, drag screaming. Bones backed up away from the tower, and the guys in the other boat were WIDE eyed.
I continued to work the fish on the severely overmatched tackle for nearly 20 minutes. It was a back and forth on the same 30 feet of line, so much so that it became frayed. I got the fish close and Bones yells cobia. Well he must have heard him because back down he went.
Back and forth again, and I was starting to feel it, being that I was the only mechanical advanatage in this struggle. Finally the fish seemed to just give up and up he came only its not a cobia, its a 30lb AJ!
Wanted a picture but the damn batteries in my camera were dead. I asked Bones if he wanted one, so I motored us back to the tower which by now was a 1/4 mile away. I tried to hand Bones my rod to use but he insisted on using the sissy 4/0 and 65# power pro.
When we approached the tower I relayed to the guys in the other boat what was happening, and they started to scramble. Bones dropped his jig down and it never hit bottom. We did the same drill but he was able to get his to the boat much faster than me (wonder why?). His fish was about 2 inches longer than mine, but not nearly as thick. It also had about 3 feet of mono leader and a HUGE circle hook for lip jewelry.
We are both sufficiently whipped now, and with no wind, 90% humidity, and nearly 80° temps, sweatting like pigs.
A quick run to a grouper hole provided a much needed air conditioning break. We decided to drift this spot since there was no wind. I was the first to hook up and landed a 22" red grouper. We both got used a few times and caught plenty of the ever present 19" red grouper.
On the next drift I deployed a cigar minnow on a flat line. We continued to catch shorts and decided to drift the spot once more. I left the flat line out and dragged it behind the boat. With the cigar minnow skipping on top, it wasn't long before a kingfish skyrocketed on him and started stripping line.
I quickly put the little 9 pounder in the boat and Bones said it ws his turn. His line was out maybe 30 seconds before it was screaming. This fish was a bit bigger, about 15 pounds, when he got to the boat. Once again Bones deployed his, and I don't think he got the reel engaged this time, and the fight was on again. This fish was identical to the last one, and quickly went in the box. Now, its 9:30 and we have 2 AJ's, 3 kings and a grouper in the 120 qt ice chest, and almost can't close it.
We hit several more spots, but only shorts. Bones said lets try a spot I found last time. So we did. A nice ledge in the middle of a bunch of live bottom. We picked a good drift line and deployed the baits. Nothing for a good while then we both get bit. My fish is coming, while Bones' isn't. I put my red grouper in the box, while Bones is cussing a damn nurse shark that he has. This fish is swimming slow away from the boat, stripping drag. I told him I bet he had a big redfish. He finally got the fish turned and heading up. I was able to see the fish about 20 feet down and was amazed. It was a gag grouper, and abig one at that. Bones got him up and I boga'd him. 32", 16.3 pounds. We were able to scrounge some batteries for the camera and took this picture of a fine fish.
After that, the rest of the day was uneventful, with only one more keeper grouper, and a couple of sea bass. It was probably a good thing, because we couldn't really put any more fish in the box anyway.
Seas were flat all day. Water temp was 74°. Bait pods scattered all over. We never got deeper than O tower and stayed east of it almost the entire day. The best bite seemed to be in 50-55 feet. Live or dead bait didn't seem to make a difference, but bigger baits did yield bigger fish, except for the big gag. He hit a 4" sardine.
Thanks Bones for another stellar trip.
