Off St. Marks on a Friday Morning

[Aucilla]

Thanks to Tony tempting me out, I skipped work today and we had a blast off St. Marks. The prediction was 2 to 4 foot seas, but when we left at low tide at 8:30 or 9, it was smooth. After tried one unproductive spot just outside the stake line east of the River mouth, we moved further east and out to maybe two miles and dropped anchor over variable bottom in 10 feet of water.

We put out a chum block and fished live shrimp under cajun thunder and by free line.

We started getting spanish mackeral right away, and it was off to the races. Tony lost one to a cut mono leader, but I got a few "hook only" and so decided to leave the mono leader on until I lost one.

In a while, we had a double hook up; and I think I had on my big one of the day. Tony had his on, and so he couldn't help with the net. As I got my big boy to the boat and leaned for the net--you guessed it!--the darn thing cut that mono leader of off he went! Lesson here?

Well, now I will get a recipe and fire up the grill this evening.

Thanks to all for your stories and guidance! And inspiration!

[RodBow]

nolester, perty fish - good job - to think I stayed in the office today. go figure

[DixieReb]

Nice. Those Spanish eat good, I'll be glad when I can go get some. I never thought about chumm'in for 'em, but it sounds like it works.