We set off in the opposite direction of the storms, and trolled for a while with no luck. Ran a drone spoon, a yozuri pink diver, and a cigar minnow behind a duster.
Ended up on some live bottom and dropped cut bait and ended up with some small black sea bass, but nothing else.
Headed west to the Ochlocknee Shoals, and swam a bit, and also had some very large fish chase my spoon and jerkbait, but they wouldn't take it. They almost looked like barracuda, but I couldn't get close enough to tell what they were
-not needlefish
-maybe spanish?
We heard someone on the radio asking for assistance for a grounded sailboat near Shell Point, and since we began heading that way. Stopped and fished the buoy, with no success.
Finally got to Shell Point, and indeed, a sailboat had run aground in THREE feet of water.
It was a young couple who were attempting to get into Shell Point, and as we arrived, another two guys came up in a small skiff to help. They were the brains, and I was the brawn.
They hooked to the top of the mast, while I was able to get his main tow rope. They were able to heel the boat over with the skiff, and I was able to pull it forward once the keel came up.
These guys were obviously far more experienced at sailing than I was, and we were able to work the boat from 3 feet of water, and out to 4 feet.
After a few more adjustments to rope and boat positioning, we were finally able to get the firmly undone, and out into deeper water.
We got the two rope back to them, and they were able to follow the skiff back in a safe path to Shell Point.
Great job by the guys in the skiff- it took a lot more skill to know how much to heel over the sailboat and keep it there in order to be towed.
So, we ended up with no snapper, no spanish, and no dinner whatsoever.
But, that couple on the sailboat is definitely in better shape.
