Advanced Trips for Advanced Anglers
Friday, July 27, 2012, a special day for the Florida Fisherman ll , Hubbard's Marina. We are honored to welcome aboard some very special guest. Joining us for what Captain Mark Hubbard calls, "Advanced Trips for Advanced Anglers," is the newly-wed wife of our long time first mate, Mr. Will Mcclure, Mrs. Kara Mcclure. Can this new bride fish? Can she hold her own on a 39 hour excursion to the fabulous Florida Middle Grounds? Can she play where the big boys play? Only time will tell. In addition to Kara, we are honored to have sailing with us two former marines, two who have helped to keep all of us free. We owe Vince, our mate, and Justin so much. What kind of a mate is Vince? What kind of fisherman is Justin? Justin has never caught a big fish before. How will these two of America's best hold out against the monsters of the Florida Middle Grounds? We are also honor to have sailing with us, on vacation from Columbus, Ohio, five members from The House of Prayer, Pastor Roger Lloyd Sr., Roger Jr., Isaac Lloyd, Dennis Lloyd, and Jerome Canady. This is going to be interesting. By Sunday morning there will be no strangers.
First things first. In addition to dozen & dozens of live pin fish, it takes hundreds of pounds of bait to challenge the Grounds. Will makes sure we have plenty:
The mighty jaws of John's Pass bridge opens wide, we are out of here.
No time to play around, after all, this trip is for 'serious anglers!' Vince, our X marine, goes over the basics. What's a 'double snell' hook rig? Don't know? See Vince:
After a quick Tammy Philly steak sandwich, it's time to hit the bunks. This is going to take all the energy we have.
One A.M., Saturday morning, let the battles begin. Immediately mangrove snapper and red grouper hit the deck of the Florida Fisherman:
Vince is all work, look at that gag:
Trevor catches them big:
Vince love this as much as we do, it shows:
Rich is having a field day:
Accurate, on the water data, is so very important to all of us. Hubbard's Marina welcomes FWC biologist on board regularly. Today we welcome Nate & Jon, FWC.
Ready to go back home. See the tag? If ever you catch a tagged fish, be sure to report it. The number is on the tag:
The fishing is not really fast, but constant. We are hungry. Tammy time. Think I will try the Country biscuits, bacon, and good old Country sausage gravy. Hope our friends for Ohio like Southern food.
Now that is a nice gag grouper. Whish we were catching more:
Hold on! I hear screams. What the heck has my good friend Tony Baker got himself into. Tony is pinned against the rail of the Florida. Finally, we see color. It's a cobia, a big one. Vince, the gaff, hurry Vince, Tony has about had it. Talk about being thankful for the Marines:
Oh No! Kara, Will's bride, is in real trouble. Will help! Hurry! Will, being the husband he is, Will runs to the rescue. My hero!
The sun peaks out:
Look at that ARS:
Tony is on a mission:
Somehow the sun is something really special when seen from the Florida Middle Grounds:
Angelina Villa-Lovern is some fisher-girl:
Rich, a Florida Fisherman regular, is having a field day. Every time I look over there he is battling a fish:
Our marine, Mister Justin Head, a native of Seattle, Washington, is moving his business, Vintage motorcycle parts, to Edgewater, Florida. Hope he will be a regular visitor on the Florida Fisherman. Justin can really catch mangos. Wonder if he can out-power a real brute?
Well, guess this answers that question. Hard to believe but Justin was using squid on a snapper rig. After his offering sat on the bottom for three minutes, the monster hit. Justin is drug from the middle of the starboard to the port stern. There is no give up in this marine. Always fist in battle:
Look at the size of that monster our second mate, or marine, Vince, is holding:
I even put my camera down long enough to get in on some action. I caught a nice stringer of mangrove snapper, and my 2 day, if the season was open, limit of American reds:
It's getting hot, I mean really hot! Tammy to the rescue:
Will, Kara's husband, is really getting excited over our catch:
Our visitors from the North are having a blast. They sure know how to fish. Pastor, Mister Roger Lloyd Sr., is having the time of his life. Look at the size of that gag:
Hey! What is Mister Steve Rudenis so excited about? It's a nice scamp, but nothing too special. Hold on, that's not a scamp, it's a yellow mouth grouper. We are all excited for Steve. We seldom see yellow mouth grouper on the Grounds.
Gosh! Somehow it's dinner time already. Two weeks ago Tammy served Italian, last week Southern BBQ. No telling what she will surprise us with this evening. OH! By the way, the Florida Fisherman is sailing for the Middle Grounds Tuesday, July 31, with less that thirty anglers. Wish I could make that one. Friday is just too far off. Oh Well! Tammy is not booked for the trip either. Looks like we will both be forced to wait until next Friday. Here she comes now. Tammy has gone Mexican:
What a meal! Talk about being stuffed. We still have about an hour of fishing time left. Captain Hubbard will be sounding the let's go home bell early. We are so very far away, so deep into the heart of the Middle Grounds. Let's hit the evening mango bite and get ready for bed. After challenging the Grounds for such a long time, we are really tired. Most of us have just about enough gas in the tank to hit the showers, eat a piece of chocolate cake, and dive into those cool, cozy, bunks. Lights out. Take us home Captain Mark, and Captain John.
Six A. M Sunday morning. We just hit the sack. It can't be time to get up already. But just think about that mountain of fish waiting for us. Let's go get them!
Our new friends from Ohio can't believe the amount of fish Florida has to offer. And, if the truth be known, this was a very average trip for us. If we could have kept AJ's & American reds, the catch would have been a great deal larger. Actually, it only took thirty minutes to distribute the fish, instead of the usual forty-five. Next week is a full moon trip. Watch it take a solid forty-five minutes next Sunday morning. Talk about a Advanced Trip for Advanced Anglers! Is it Friday yet?
Mister Dennis Lloyd is absolutely amazed at the size of the porgy he caught:
Our House of Prayer partners leave for Ohio Tuesday. Hope they will be back soon. Talk about memories to last a life time:
Finally, this weeks adventure is almost over. Only one little task left. Come on Captain Hubbard. Let's weigh in the jack pot contenders. Now that looks good!
And the winners are:
(L) Mister Ron Kiser, Mister Tim McAlpin, Mister Craig Scott::
Check out the action packed video of our trip: (click on the link)
Bob Harbison Native Florida Sportsman
Active member Florida Outdoor Writers Association
