Friday the thirteenth, will it be 'good luck Friday?' The full moon is this Friday at 12:13 A.M. That could be a problem The hard to catch mangrove snapper have been stuffing themselves by the light of that big bright full moon for the last few nights now. Will they be 'filled to the gill?' Or will the feeding frenzy continue? Will it be an empty fish box, or a, 'Full Moon Mango Mania?' Come along as we find out together. The Florida Fisherman ll, Hubbard's Marina, is ready and so are we. Joining us in the search for the elusive mango snapper is the Mayor of Treasure Island, Florida, Mr. Bob Minning. Mr. Minning looks after 6,800 people. But can he fish? Only time will tell. Also joining us from Nineveh, Indiana, is Mr. Tim Fisher. Tim often makes the 1,000 journey to fish the fish rich Florida Middle Grounds. Joining Tim is the husband wife team of Calvin and Becky Gaither. Can these visitors from the Hoosier state catch our Southern fish? Only time will tell. Calvin & Becky have never been on a head boat before.
Our trip begins on a wet note. It's been raining for a very long time:
First Mate, Will, goes over every little detail of how to catch the elusive mango snapper and red grouper. Calvin & Becky are all ears. It looks like Nineveh people are as serious about fishing as they are about basketball.
Captain Bryon sets up the jack pot. Wonder if our team from Indiana has even a slight chance of winning jack pot money? Not likely! That would mean beating out Southerners who do this on a very regular basis. It would mean beating the real experts like Mr. John Martin:
Let's hit the bunks. Captain Bryon is taking us to the extreme Northern edges of the Middle Grounds, a very long ways away. We will have plenty of time to really enjoy or air conditioned bunks. Hopefully we will need the rest.
Two A.M: Time to go to work. The aroma of Tammy's hot off the grill ham & cheese sandwiches will wake anyone up. Ever wonder how Chef Tammy keeps us stuffed with great hot food for the entire trip? Watch this culinary genius doing her thing during the first 51 seconds of the video at the end of his report:
Tim, did you drive that 1.000 miles to fish or eat? Well!
Chef Tammy makes sure everyone joins in:
Becky, are you sure this is your first time on a head boat? Captain Bryon is so happy for you; we all are! Watch beck at work beginning 52 seconds into the video.
Looks like you really did listen to Will:
Kyle is so happy for you. Look at that big grin on hubby's face:
What a team:
Looks like we are well on the way towards,' Full Moon Mango Mania.'
Reports of hungry mangos are coming in from stern to bow & all parts in beween:
Many are a little on the large size:
Ed hopes this one is a jack pot winner. What a fish!
Tim goes to work. Now that's a scamp to be proud of:
Mango Mania is in full gear:
The mayor of Treasure Island, Mr. Bob Minning. That grin says it all:
Before breakfast box number one is already all but full:
And, speaking of breakfast; here comes Chef Tammy. Now what the heck is that?
Good friends, both new & old, a huge box full of fish, and the special touch of Tammy's hot off the grill blue berry-banana pan cakes. Nothing artificial here; only the best is good enough to carry the Tammy brand:
Well! The sun is having a hard time doing its thing. Will the bite continue?
Mayor Bob Minning:
Ms. Kathryn Tidwell, Tallahassee, Florida, has been in the fish all day long. To talk about woman power is to talk about Becky and Kathryn. Watch Kathryn at work on AJ's 6:17 & 8:30 minutes into the video. Ladies, we are so proud to have you on our team:
Calvin, you and Becky are doing the Hoosier state proud. Bet the people back home in Nineveh will be in a fever to visit the Florida Middle Grounds. It would be an honor to have them. We are the South; we are Southern hospitality: (Watch Calvin land his red grouper 7:52 minuets into the video)
Tim, that's a fine grouper. Boy! Would we ever love to see the man from Indiana take home the Florida jack pot. Good luck! (Watch Tim land his grouper 7:23 minutes into the video)
Kathryn is still battling AL's. In fact, as I was eating my steak dinner I watched this lady at work through the big picture window in the galley.
Captain John, now that's an American red to be proud of. After being properly vented the great fish immediately dove for his rocky home. (Watch the great dive 9:38 minutes into the video.)
Bo, now that's a fine red grouper. (Watch the fight & a landing net used on a head boat 9:43 minutes into the video)
Middle Grounds mangrove snapper can get a little on the large size. Ed is a master when it comes to large fish. On this trip he circled the boat twice while fighting a huge shark. The shark finally won:
Ever see a fish after a dolphin attack. Those 'scratch' marks were left by dolphin. We know it was a dolphin; we saw the attack. Dolphin have huge teeth. Why the 'scratch' marks?' Was he simply playing a game? Anyone have any ideas, pleas share your thoughts.
Well! It's finally time to go home. We are still almost a hundred miles from Madeira Beach. Hold on! Someone just hooked a really big AJ. Twenty minutes later we can finally head home. It's often hard to leave the Florida Middle Grounds; the fish just will not let us.
Those air conditioned bunks are a real life savor. We are completely give out. Before we know it, Captain Bryon tells us we are going under John's Pass bridge. Get up! Talk about a quick night. Two of the huge boxes are almost full, that is with plenty of ice. Our fish are always in prime condition:
Tim (L), Becky, and Calvin, we sure hope you enjoyed your visit to the Sunshine stare as much as we enjoyed having you. We will be back. It was well worth the 1,000 journey. Tim makes the trip numerous times every year. "Bob, it's not only the fishing, but the hospitality that brings us back." Well Tim, we are the South; we take great pride in our fishing as well as in our our hospitality. Talk about some happy campers. Look at hose smiles:
Just think how big that pile would have been if we could have kept gags & AJ's
So many people were proud of their catch. Many limited out on mangos, and we are talking about a two day federal limit of twenty:
Tim's red grouper did win the jack pot. Can these visitors from the Hoosier state catch our Southern fish? You had better believe it.
Nice going Ed. That's one heck of a mangrove snapper.
Calvin & Becky, Tim is coming back for gag season. Sure hope you can come with him. We need people like you to help us catch our Southern fish:
It's a good thing Will & Kyle are experts. We sure give them plenty to do:
Will it be an empty fish box, or a, 'Full Moon Mango Mania?'
And this was before the sun came up: Many, including Mayor Minning, limited out on mangrove snapper. Twenty mangos alone is a very good catch. Add yellow tail, Vermillion snapper, red and scamp grouper, and a very good catch is not only possible, but provable. And, don't forget, next month adds the big one, gag grouper. We have been catching plenty really big boys, and that's without even targeting them. .
Watch the trip's best in this short action packed video.
(Click on the Youtube link)
Bob Harbison
Florida Outdoor Writers Association.
