BigBendFishing.Net

Prepped the SeaFoxxx the night before, or so we thought. We got up and to the shop around 6a planning to be off and in the water by 7/715a. Tried to start the boat before we headed out and she wouldn't turn over. Replaced the plugs, switched batteries and realized both only had ~50% charge. We ran to WallyWorld, grabbed a marine batt and off we went.

Finally in the water a bit after 8 to catch the rest of the rising tide. Out and to the west we go with a tiny bit of chop out allowing us to throw some topwater. First few casts, clack clack clack boom. TheBeerGuy lands a 17 and 18" trout in the boat with both of us having many blow-ups along the way. Switched to some suspenders and jigging off the bottom with some magics and plenty of great strikes.

A solid Blue over the edge and we thought he'd stay in the box... But no, TheBeerGuy had other plans and launched in back in the water *facepalm* and then he gave me the, "ooops" look. haha! We continue to fish catching a few MONSTER sailcats, some of the largest over the rails we've had before, stupid lizardfish, and had a few gars follow. I had a solid red follow a soft plastic up to the boat, go for it twice, miss and then swallowed but never got hooked, and disappear. After resetting drifts a few times we finally decide to load up on baitfish (pins, croakers, etc) and head out to 20-30' depths.

We get out there in the middle of slack tide and drop some spiny pins down and not much action until one of the rods double over and drag sings, and thennnnnnnn silence. She's off. Not much more action on pins. Decide to throw a soft plastic over in about 23' of water and doing some rapid up and down jigging while bringing her in and the zipppppppppp a solid Mack gets on and I bring him over. Looked like a spanish but didn't really have a definitive line, but had the spots and such, not sure.

We finally decide to pull anchor and move except one thing, the anchor wouldn't budge. We tried from all angles, power levels, etc... Nothing. I got the bright idea I'd dive down and grab it and undo it myself. I have dove before, but when I got in with snorkel, mask, no fins, and realized I had about 2' of visibility i said eff it and back in the boat I went. hahaha
We ended up having to dive down as far as our tails would allow us, just a few feet, and cut line. unfortunately. Any tips of recovering a stuck anchor? It was the lever wedge style.

On our way we decided to head east and set up a few drifts. I had a solid strike that I thought was red and ended up being a fairly solid dogfish shark. That was about the extent of our trip, worn out from battling the anchor and too many the nights before and only a few hours asleep.

Grabbing a new anchor this week (any recommendations on style?) and hopefully make it to econfina this weekend!

galantnole wrote: Looked like a spanish but didn't really have a definitive line, but had the spots and such, not sure.

Do you think it could have been a cero? I didn't even realize there was another species of mackeral until reading an article in FS a while back. Never caught one that I know of, but my buddy caught a huge Spanish over in Pensacola a few years back that just blew our minds. Could have passed for a nice King, except for the spots and coloring. I now wonder if maybe it could have been a cero.

http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/mackcero.html

You da man for cutting the line, although we don't know who, someone thanks you for not leaving 30 feet of it (I had to cut on like that this summer that someone left out). I found the dead anchor rope with my anchor, but did not hit it. We found a reel the week before within 50 yards of that spot. I have been looking for a 20 foot flats boat with a 225 Yami on the bottom there as well, but no luck so far, durn it.

Cero are a tropical mackerel. Not impossible, but highly unlikely any would ever make it up here, especially now that the water is cooling.

Juvenile kings look a lot like Spanish, complete with spots. The easiest way to tell the difference is by the lateral line.

The line on the Spanish tapers slowly back towards the tail, while on kings there is a noticeable dip part way.

The Dogfish shark:


The mack:


The blue: (actually bigger than pic shows, haha)

As soon as I find the Blue pic I'll get it up. he was a monster!

The mackerel in your pic is a Spanish. I have found the best way to tell is the dark spot on the top fin. If you look at a juvenile king and a spanish side by side, it is a noticeable difference. Nice fish and thanks for the report.

Yeah, had I seen the picture first, I would have called it a Spanish.

I had assumed it was, there was just no definitive line through. Either way, she ate very well

Another great day on the water Chris!

Find one of your buddies who dives; offer him a case of beer; have anchor retrieved; EZPZ

I had a similar situation happen to me on the St Marks Reef. After trying everything I knew to free the anchor I pulled all of the line up I could then secured it to the bow cleat. I went back to fishing and before ya knew it I was free!!! I was about to cut it though just worked its way out. Nice report.