Econfina 5.28.11
Posted: May 30th, 2011, 9:46 am
Tom Keels and I got to the ramp at about 5:50 in an attempt to beat the holiday weekend crush. Tom and I had been texting back and forth all week planning something different - a run to deeper water in my little Hewes skiff. The forecast indicated this might be the weekend to try it. At the ramp (2.5mi from open water) we could feel a SW breeze which was a lot more stout than the SE wind which NOAA had forecast. Not the end of the world - we brought the trout tackle too. So we decided to run to some standard trout holes and try for some topwater action. Fished the plugs for three drifts (about an hour) with nothing to show but a nice trout which spit the hook at the boat and an average bluefish. The wind seemed to be calming down a little bit and it was time to make a decision.
"Well - we should probably do what we came down her to do right?" We pointed the bow offshore and bounced out to a wreck in 20ft of water. On the way out we stopped at several spots with a sabiki and put 20-30 decent pins in the livewell. Got to the spot about 8:45 and the anchor held (I was anxious about the anchoring). We set out a flat line, two bottom lines and a chum bag. Nothing…. Sat there for an hour with absolutely nothing to show for it. We changed baits several times and we were getting robbed now and then but we had perfectly clean ice. We saw a water spout (first time I’ve seen one in several years) but we never got rained on.
We were looking at the GPS and talking about moving when Tom threw out a golden Super Spook. On the first or second cast something smashed the spook on the surface; Tom’s little baitcaster and 12lb line were getting a workout. Eventually, after a couple of nerve wracking runs, Tom steers a nice 8lb king towards the gunnel. I had brought the fiberglass custom gaff I won at the social several years ago (thanks Nathan!) and I asked Tom: “Is this a bad time to tell you that I’ve never gaffed anything in my life?” Tom thought that it was a bad time to bring up such a topic but he dragged that king to the boat and I stuck a solid gaff shot right into his gills. We slammed the king in the fishbox. First gaff job on the Hewes and first kingfish on the Hewes too!
The kingfish fight must have turned on the cobes. Before we even cleared all crap from the floor or the boat (net/gaff/tackle boxes/Gatorade bottles) one of the bottom rods went OFF and Tom grabbed it. A nice cobia came towards the surface and, while I was clearing lines, it spit the bait. But then another one came up and inhaled the used bait!!!!! After about a 5min fight on the heavier bottom rod Tom steered a nice cobia towards the boat. My first gaff shot (on the king) had been perfection but this cobia seemed intent on making me look bad. I stuck him once in the head but he got off. There were several more attempts where he was just too deep to stick or the glare would ruin my view or something else would go wrong. Finally I got him just back from the gills in his underbelly and lifted him into the boat. The fish went 38" and 21lbs. First keeper cobe on the Hewes!!!!!
After high-fives we were a little shaken-up and we both went to the bow of the boat and cracked a couple natties to relax. My hands were shaking from the adrenalin. Tom's fish had come to the boat with two bigger ones behind it. I remembered a buddy of mine Lyle Floyd telling me that he was having good luck at Rock the Dock free-lining livies up-current from the spot and letting them drift back while he was at anchor. I tried it a few times while I was drinking my first natty. One or two casts into the process I had a customer and all of a sudden I was tied into a nice cobe. My fish looked a little bigger than Tom’s and I was fighting on a rod that wouldn’t turn him.
After a 10min fight which included three trips around the anchor line I finally got the 41"; 26lb cobe close enough for Tom to gaff. My first keeper cobia of all time! The fish went bezerk on the deck of the boat and Tom held him down. He broke a rod in the under-gunnel holder before Tom got him subdued and we gingerly folded him into the fish box.
With a box full of fish we headed into the ramp early. Got back to the ramp about Noon. No ramp issues either way for us.
On the way back we bought more ice. Never had 50lbs of fish in the skiff before. We cleaned the boat and filleted the fish once we got home.
We had hours of time still in our schedules so we washed the boat and tasted some beer for quality. We sent the admiral to the store for some additional ice and wasabi. Once she got back we ate some cobia tenderloin sashimi.
"Well - we should probably do what we came down her to do right?" We pointed the bow offshore and bounced out to a wreck in 20ft of water. On the way out we stopped at several spots with a sabiki and put 20-30 decent pins in the livewell. Got to the spot about 8:45 and the anchor held (I was anxious about the anchoring). We set out a flat line, two bottom lines and a chum bag. Nothing…. Sat there for an hour with absolutely nothing to show for it. We changed baits several times and we were getting robbed now and then but we had perfectly clean ice. We saw a water spout (first time I’ve seen one in several years) but we never got rained on.
We were looking at the GPS and talking about moving when Tom threw out a golden Super Spook. On the first or second cast something smashed the spook on the surface; Tom’s little baitcaster and 12lb line were getting a workout. Eventually, after a couple of nerve wracking runs, Tom steers a nice 8lb king towards the gunnel. I had brought the fiberglass custom gaff I won at the social several years ago (thanks Nathan!) and I asked Tom: “Is this a bad time to tell you that I’ve never gaffed anything in my life?” Tom thought that it was a bad time to bring up such a topic but he dragged that king to the boat and I stuck a solid gaff shot right into his gills. We slammed the king in the fishbox. First gaff job on the Hewes and first kingfish on the Hewes too!
The kingfish fight must have turned on the cobes. Before we even cleared all crap from the floor or the boat (net/gaff/tackle boxes/Gatorade bottles) one of the bottom rods went OFF and Tom grabbed it. A nice cobia came towards the surface and, while I was clearing lines, it spit the bait. But then another one came up and inhaled the used bait!!!!! After about a 5min fight on the heavier bottom rod Tom steered a nice cobia towards the boat. My first gaff shot (on the king) had been perfection but this cobia seemed intent on making me look bad. I stuck him once in the head but he got off. There were several more attempts where he was just too deep to stick or the glare would ruin my view or something else would go wrong. Finally I got him just back from the gills in his underbelly and lifted him into the boat. The fish went 38" and 21lbs. First keeper cobe on the Hewes!!!!!
After high-fives we were a little shaken-up and we both went to the bow of the boat and cracked a couple natties to relax. My hands were shaking from the adrenalin. Tom's fish had come to the boat with two bigger ones behind it. I remembered a buddy of mine Lyle Floyd telling me that he was having good luck at Rock the Dock free-lining livies up-current from the spot and letting them drift back while he was at anchor. I tried it a few times while I was drinking my first natty. One or two casts into the process I had a customer and all of a sudden I was tied into a nice cobe. My fish looked a little bigger than Tom’s and I was fighting on a rod that wouldn’t turn him.
After a 10min fight which included three trips around the anchor line I finally got the 41"; 26lb cobe close enough for Tom to gaff. My first keeper cobia of all time! The fish went bezerk on the deck of the boat and Tom held him down. He broke a rod in the under-gunnel holder before Tom got him subdued and we gingerly folded him into the fish box.
With a box full of fish we headed into the ramp early. Got back to the ramp about Noon. No ramp issues either way for us.
On the way back we bought more ice. Never had 50lbs of fish in the skiff before. We cleaned the boat and filleted the fish once we got home.
We had hours of time still in our schedules so we washed the boat and tasted some beer for quality. We sent the admiral to the store for some additional ice and wasabi. Once she got back we ate some cobia tenderloin sashimi.
