On July 4, 1776, our Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on Independence; the birth of American independence; the birth of freedom! 'We are America' We are FREE!
For the avid sportsman/woman there is no better place than the decks of the Florida Fisherman ll, out of Hubbard's Marina, to celebrate our freedom. Open wide John's Pass Bridge; we are on a mission, a mission to catch fish:
So long Madeira Beach, Florida. Next stop snapper land:
Let's troll for kings on the way out:
One very good thing about Florida fishing, as one season closes; another begins. Mr. Michael Fierro celebrates the opening of a five month gag grouper season:
Next month, a long amber jack season opens. Mr. Robert Jones vented and released this trophy. See you next month:
Ever see a tuna after a shark attack. It's not pretty:
The gags are even biting at night. This is going to be a great season:
We are fishing the full moon period; the mangrove snapper are on fire and they are big!
Captain Garett (L) & first mate Will, look over the Florida's huge fish box stuffed full of mangrove snapper:
We may not have fire works 100 miles off Madeira Beach, but we can still celebrate the fourth of July with the best burgers imaginable:
OK! Time to go to work:
Let's check out the red grouper & scamp:
Looks like it's time for some serious American red fishing:
Talk about impressive:
The pride of the Gulf, the American red snapper:
Mr. Pham can catch a lot more than scamp grouper and mangrove snapper:
Talk about serious snapper fishing. Many have already limited out, and that's a two day limit:
Mr. Philipp Mehlenbacher, fishing out of Winter Garden, Florida, can't believe what he is seeing:
None of us can; the deck of the Florida Fisherman is red with snapper:
Mr. Ray Summeraur traveled from Marietta, Georgia for this fight:
Finally! It was worth every mile:
We watch in amazement as our sun dives into the warm, crystal clear, tropical water. Priceless!
First a hot shower, followed by the best Lasagna dinner in the entire universe, and then our air conditioned bunks.
What a way to celebrate freedom...'We are America!'
Let's check out our 'mountain' of fish; see who won the jack pots, and count
the days until we can do it all over again.
(sorry no video this time. Camera malfunction)
Bob Harbison Florida Outdoor Writers Association