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Cedar Key Veterans Day: no bottomfinder but lucked into grou

Posted: November 11th, 2015, 10:54 pm
by Big Bend Brian
They say “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while……

With no skool today (& wifer working) our day began at 0525 hours in our driveway in Ponte Vedra as my son, daughter & I did our own Veteran’s Day tribute by saluting the flag & reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and talking about the contributions American men & women have made so we can live the life we have and enjoy being FREE.
Hoo Yah & Thank you Veterans!!

We arrived at Cedar Key at 0825 hours but lost Casey as he was not feeling well so he stayed back. Launching the boat it was just my daughter & I and our plan was to troll up some grouper then hit Sea Horse Reef for Spanish followed by returning to shore and then hit the trout flats. We were without a bottomfinder as I just sent my Furuno in for repair so our plan was to just troll a shallow broad area of intermittent hardbottom we used to stone crab on. Stopping in 19 feet we deployed some grouper plugs despite a fair amount of grass on the surface and within 10 minutes had our first fish.

These photos pretty much describe our day……we did not leave the ~ 20 foot area.

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Running out. Awesome prefrontal conditions.

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First gag but only 21 inches
(grass was a problem….)

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Grass was a pain

Ten minutes later and a nice fish was on.
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Kaitlyn on a better fish

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25+ inches and into the fish box

A few Spanish started playing with us too.

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Not playing around

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Lizard

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Voracious little black seabass…….too many to count

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Another Spanish

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These guys just go for it!!

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King on the initial run pulled some good drag on a grouper rod

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Went 23 lbs. Kaitlyn’s personal best!

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Heading to the smoker…….

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A few more….

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Voracious little guys!
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What are these guys thinking?????

We enjoyed a fishy few hours but with Casey sick in Cedar Key we called it a short day. At the dock I spoke with a man who said they tore up the Spanish on Sea Horse Reef….. Offshore it was cool to see a couple of large flocks of ducks flying south, a number of loons and there were a few coots resting on the water too. It’s getting to be that time!!

Short quick day on the water but an awesome time to spend with your daughter!! Back in Ponte Vedra at 2010 hours.

Hoo Yah!
Brian

Re: Cedar Key Veterans Day: no bottomfinder but lucked into

Posted: November 12th, 2015, 5:53 am
by fishinfool
Nice catching. If 11 1/2 hours is a short day, You would wear me out on a full day trip.

Re: Cedar Key Veterans Day: no bottomfinder but lucked into

Posted: November 12th, 2015, 10:23 am
by Steve Stinson
I know exactly where you were - those black rock cliffs in the background gave it away. Lol. :-D

Good Job on the fish!

Re: Cedar Key Veterans Day: no bottomfinder but lucked into

Posted: November 14th, 2015, 10:03 am
by FUTCHCAIRO
CONGRATULATION, GLAD YA GOT OUT AND CAUGHT FISH.
PA
SEMPER FI

Re: Cedar Key Veterans Day: no bottomfinder but lucked into

Posted: November 14th, 2015, 5:31 pm
by SS-342
Thanks for a good report. Looked like a lot of fun. Hope your son is better. X2 on the length of day.