Trip report;Yankee Capts 3 day

Hey fellow fishheads,
Another trip in the books. While I wasn't able to wipe away the stink of the last trip, this trip went up on the fun-o-meter ten fold. A big part of it was the weather. Beautiful and stable for all three days. Overall I would have to say the bite was slow with a few brief flurries. This was surprising to me considering the weather and the length of time we were out (they have to eat sooner or later). Last trip was rough and I was a bit ill for a good portion of the trip. Had it been even a tad bouncy on this trip I would of likely again had gotten sick as just 2 days before departure I had a terrible stomach virus that had laid me low. But like someone with a bad crack addiction it would have to be "hell or high water" to keep me off. Add to that I had been struggling with tendonitis in my left elbow and had some concerns about blowing it out. 1/2 way through the trip my concerns with the elbow were starting to materialize as it was painful to lift my rod out of the rod holder to start fishing but from that point it revived and hasn't felt this good in months. I guess there's some health benefits to putting your body into a tightly coiled spring for three days after all.

I think fresh bait (or really lack thereof) was a big part of our small catch. We started out trying to catch bait at no-name bridge which was devoid of anything but pins. No 'hoo and most concerning was no grunts. The water was as clear as I had ever seen it and you could see bottom everywhere. We blew out of their after a few hours and hit one of my pet spots were we found a big school of big threadfins. Rich had the right sabikis to catch them and we loaded the cooler. Rich was the man often catching them 4 at a time. While we did catch some fish with them they were not the secret weapon I had hoped. They certainly looked they should be mutton candy. Oh well, that's fishin. In the meantime the 2 grunts I did manage to catch were hammered immediately. Lesson learned.......get down there early in case your no-fail bait stop doesn't pan out!

We started out about 3 AM friday morning. My first fish was a good sized grunt which I promptly put on my 8olb rod and dropped him back down. Boom! I set up and missed the fish but hopeful my bait was still there I dropped it back down. Sure enough he bit again and the result was a decent black grouper.

 I had high hopes it was going to be a jam-up trip after the quick blackie but such was not the case. It was a slow but steady pick after that and that pattern remained until friday night. I implemented the new trolling strategy in hopes of catching some bait in the form of a bonita. Instead I got to witness some dopey guys get their reels dumped 500 yards of expensive 80lb braid when they would hook up with big fish all the while knowing the capt. doesn't stop for trollers. Not only did they wear themselves out they ultimately got bested. One fish hit a big wahoo lure. I got to see the strike and later watched the 5 ft. fish jumping 3 football fields away. I ended up getting nipped off twice before putting wire on and catching a perfect size cuda on my small feather. No luck on the cuda bait though.

Friday night found one good flurry where a number of big muttons hit the deck. I managed only one that ate a bonita strip that I had caught earlier that day by freelining a threadfin on a jighead with 25lb test. I also caught a king of about 10lb at the same time. Our bait situation was starting to look up but the deep water night and the big boys would be behind us. I fished starting 3 am friday morning, all day friday, all friday night and until about 10 am saturday before having to go down with about an hour sleep. Nice to know I can still hang with the young lions. Rich pulled his all nighter Saturday night where he came and woke me a few times when things started to perk up.

Saturday proved quite eventful. I hooked up with a fish of a lifetime on 30lb line. Talk about being undergunned! I dropped a jig with a strip, going finesse on the slow bite when KA-BOOM it was game on about 3/4 way down. Prospects looked good when my fish headed toward bottom (not likely a shark). The Captain and mate looked at each other and started clearing the rail as my fish decided to head up to the bow with me in tow.We got to the pulpit where my fish decided to go underneath the anchor rope. The captain and mate handled my rod (the Capt casually pointing out it would no longer be eligible for a world record....LOL) but we were back in business. Up in the pulpit the fish that only 20 minutes earlier I thought there would be no chance of seeing was now just out of sight, my spool being mostly full. Unfortunately I had picked up 2 lines and while the Capt. and mate were struggling trying to clear them the fish shook his head and we parted company. My fault all the way. When I gained so much line on the fish he was closer and now no line stretch. No margin for error. I should of backed my drag off a tad more realizing the knot had to be mostly done. With the fish mostly beat but only a few more kicks in him I should of had him! Arrrrrgh!

Now heads up. This was my first try with the butterfly jigs. Jacks were coming in so I picked up the new combo/jig which is exactly what I bought it for. WHAM-BAM I'm hooked up. I'm thinking "wow, that was cool" until about 1/2 way up a shark decides to eat my jack and dumps 1/2 my spool in about 10 seconds until I tighten it down and bust him off. Hmmm, my thinking went from "wow, that was cool" to "wow, that was expensive". The butterfly jigs are ridiculously expensive ($25 for that big one) and so was the 1/2 spool of 65 lb test power pro. So, I grab my 80 lb rod and slap on another jig and repeat the same process all over again. Of course being hard headed I do it a third time just to make sure the lesson sunk in. To be fair I've never lost 3 fish in a row to sharks but obviously it does happen. Fellas, the fish really like the jigs. I'm totally impressed. Hint to my Yuri crew in 2 weeks......want to try some jigs? Better get some. You will not be able to beg, borrow or steal my outfit.

Saturday night found us fishing shallower. 150 instead of 240 and green slime on the bottom was definitely a problem. With a slow bite and the slime I crashed about 11. Rich woke me twice when things started looking up. We got on a run of small muttons but they hold little interest for me. Rich connected with a dandy which he landed. He also got busted up pretty good several times. While I was asleep he also had his "major event" with a fish that I think someone else helped him release by yanking on his line when they tangled. Oh well, that's party boat fishing.

Overall it was actually a great trip. Next to me on the trip was "The Great Wall" of Team Chaos fame. Many of you who are on the Florida Sportsman Forum will know of whom I speak. Great guy, Iraq war vet, he too had a slow trip. Rich was great company and I enjoyed fishing with him. In 2 weeks we meet up again on my favorite trip of the year with Capt. Yuri and 5 other buddies including Rich. Can't Wait!!