Battle Stations sounded on the Florida Middle Grounds
Last week those overpowering bullies know as amberjacks beat us up pretty darn bad. Pay back time! Captain Brian and thirty one anxious anglers are ready. Battle stations sounded on the Florida Middle Grounds. This is going to be all out war. Captain Mark Hubbard, and Will, are attending Captain Garett Hubbard's wedding.
First things first, bait. Most of us prefer cut bait for snapper, and live pins for amberjacks & grouper. Tom has plenty of really frisky pin fish waiting for us:
The Florida Fisherman ll has individual live wells. My pins go in # 23:
For this trip we will be using thread fin herring for cut bait, snapper love them. Some of us like to prepare our sardines ahead of time, saves time in the morning. A six pack cooler, ice, and salt, works great:
After Tammy's Philly cheese steak wonder piece, some troll, most, including me, hit the bunks. After all, we will be in attack mode for over twenty hours:
The mangrove snapper love our sardines. Some pay for their meals, most skip out without paying. The morning bite was slower than we would have liked:
The AJ's were making a guest appearance. Jeff, filling in for Will, is proud of our success. However, this is just the very beginning of the great battle. The outcome is still very much in doubt:
Oh No! What the heck is Harold got himself into now? He is fishing the corner starboard side of the Florida. Yells, screams, awaken the night. This man among men was actually brave enough to send down the largest, most frisky, 'pin-fish' he could find. Clear the way! This monster is on the run. Heard, being the man he is, will never give up. To the port side of the stern, to the bow, under the anchor rope, this really took team work, to, once again, the starboard. Don't know about the beast, but we do not know how much longer Harold will last. Finally, we see color, the color of a huge shark. Looks like a bull shark. This fish, this monster, gave us everything he had. This shark of sharks has earned our greatest respect. What to do next. He has earned his freedom. Great! just as this prize of nature hits the surface the leader snaps. So long old friend. Be sure to watch the great battle on video, end of this report.
Gosh! those darn mangos sure are hard to catch. We did manage to actually land some really nice ones:
Finally, the sun decides to make an appearance:
Guess I did not catch too many fish, never-the-less, I am starved. All the excitement has most of us ready for a hot meal. Tammy time! I want the 'Tam Slam.' Talk about a real breakfast:
We are absolutely stuffed, but no time to rest. Captain Brian sound the alarm:
"Battle Stations," get ready for a real fight. The fish finder is lit up. Show those overpowering monsters who the bosses really are:
We win some, they win more. The great battle is in doubt:
Man! the AJ's are on fire. Harold, fresh from the great shark encounter is ready for anything:
From one end of the Florida Fisherman to the other, the great battle continues:
Joe, hold them up Joe. We need all the motivation we can get. Way too often we are being completely over-powered:
Jeff, hold that big won up:
Captain Brian & Tammy help with the count. We absolutely will not go over our two day limit:
Tuna decide it's time to join the battle:
The great American red snapper joins the party:
Make sure that beauty is properly vented. See you next year:
Look at the size of that B-liner:
Did not catch too many gags. I caught a very nice red grouper:
Those darn American reds simply will not leave us alone:
Ever see a mantis shrimp? Somehow Harold managed to catch this thing. Be careful, that dude will pinch the heck out of you:
By our standards the fishing, for the most part, was pretty slow. We had one really fast, long, bite. That after breakfast wreck we fished was really something. The weather was simply stunning all night & day. You simply would not believe how calm it was:
Dinner time. We thought it was impossible to beat the beer, batter dipped, hot off the grill, fish Tammy stuffed us with at lunch time. Chef Tammy just had to out do herself. This New Jersey transplant spent all afternoon preparing a very special meal for us. The best BBQ chicken in the entire universe, served with baked beans, potato salad, pasta, and Texas toast was a meal fit for royalty, for the Florida fisherman/woman. Thank you Tammy; thank you NJ for sending this master chef to us.
Late Saturday evening, time for the evening mango bite:
Jeff, hold that mango up:
Only one problem, the mangrove snapper were as full as we were. Oh well! We still managed a decent catch:
Well! the great adventure, the great battle, is over for this week. Come next Friday, once again it will be, 'Battle Stations sounded on the Florida Middle Grounds.' The fight is far from over!
Nothing but the best Captain Garett Hubbard. Sure hope that woman is a fisher-girl. Hope to see you & your new bride soon on the Florida Fisherman ll.
Check out the action packed video. See Harold's monster shark, plus much more. Click on the link:
Bob Harbison Native Florida Sportsman...Florida Outdoor Writers Association
