Blond Power on the Florida Middle Ground
Fridays are really special around Hubbard's Marina. You can almost hear the Middle Grounds calling. The Florida Middle Grounds, one hundred miles North West of Madeira Beach Florida, is recognized as one of the best sports fishing areas in all of Florida. The Florida Fisherman ll makes the long run every weekend. This weekend is going to be something special. Thirty-two very excited anglers are ready to go. And, for the first time ever, Mister Joseph Drew, our dedicated mate on the Florida, has invited his long time girl friend, Ms. Rachel Dibbert, to join us on a thirty-nine hour excursion to the Grounds. Can this very petite blond, this message therapist, this lady, really battle the monsters of the Middle Grounds? What will 'Blond Power on the Florida Middle Grounds' really be like? Well, guess there is only one way to find out. Let's go!
Ms. Rachel Dibbert is ready:
Rachel's boy friend, Joe, delivers a 'how too' seminar. Joe also explains how to find my report on the Internet. That little red card says it all.
Gosh! Joe sure is interesting, he know his stuff. All this excitement is really making us hungry. Chef Tammy time, Philly cheese steak time:
That moon sure is bright. Bet the snapper are as hungry as we are:
One-thirty A.M. the Florida reaches the Northern edges of the Middle Grounds. OK! Rachel and gang, let the fights begin.
Mister Joe May, decides to try a cut Spanish sardine on a fly line. Will this man from Orlando be successful. Joe, look! That rod is bent over double. Joe is in for a fight, a battle with a real speed demon. Man that thing is strong and so very fast. Finally, we see the bright moon light glimmering against a shinning submarine. It's a tuna. Quick get the gaff. What a way start a trip. We are all so happy for Joe.
Mango time. Mister Josh Barton, Orlando, and Mister Andy Adkins, St. Pete, lead the charge:
Will & Joe are having a most difficult time keeping up with all the mangrove snapper we are catching:
Mister George Edwards, Greensboro, NC, is congratulated by Captain Mark Hubbard. Job well done, well done indeed:
Mister Chuck Erwin, Seminole, Florida, proves that amber jacks love to feed at night:
Now that's a nice American red:
Cobia time. What a fight:
The mangrove snapper are really hungry. Some are even paying for their meal.
Mister Terry Baxley, Greensboro, NC.
Hold on, that's no mango snapper. These brutes are trying their best to head for their rocky homes. Time to put on the heat, time to prove who the bosses really are. Time for Mister James Neuendorf, Holiday, Florida, and Mister Scott Robertson:
Well the night battles are over. Some were won; most were lost. Wonder what the day will bring?
Now this is really getting impressive:
Let's go show the mighty amber jacks who the bosses really are. Let's visit one of the many ship wrecks that call the Middle Grounds their final resting place.
That peak is part of the ship itself. Hope the AJ's are home:
Joe at work. We made sure he kept busy. No time to visit Rachel now. Hope that petite little blond gets her chance.
Oh no! What the heck has Mister Nate Heath, Lithia, Florida, got himself into now. Nate is pinned against the rail of the Florida Fisherman. Nothing can really fight that much, pull that hard. At times the outcome was in doubt, but Nate won the great battle:
Mister Adkins did very well on largo mangos, but Andy does not know the meaning of quit:
Mister Josh Barton, Orlando, Florida, knows how to put the heat on:
Young Mister Alex Edwards, North Carolina, had a field day. Youth vs. AJ, youth is winning:
Now that young lady can fish:
Looks like the AJ's are getting bigger:
Finally! Time for blond power on the Florida Middle Grounds, time for Rachel.
Our therapist has hooked in to a monster, a real brute. Joe, stay out of this. I can do it on my own. Rachel is pinned against the rail of the Florida. OH! That hurts. For every inch this blond takes, the monster takes two. On & on the fight goes. Rachel is covered with sweat, she is ringing wet. Joe, massage my shoulders. This is a battle to the finish. Finally, we see color. Joe hurry, get the gaff. Joe, being the man he is, races to Rachel's side. Joe sinks the long gaff hook deep into the side of the monster fish. Rachel...You did it girl. You fought the beast, and the beast did not win. And, guess what, I captured the giant struggle, the battle of all battles, on video. This trip is indeed something special. 'Blond power on the Florida Middle Grounds' is for real. Just ask Ms. Rachel Dibbert. Think this lady is ready to call it quits? No way! Rachel is ready for battle number two. Guess what? Same results. This lady can fish. Joe, you are one lucky man.
More mangos! What an adventure. The bite is never fast, but enough to hold our interest:
And the ARS:
Oh well! Time to try something different. Joe can't help but wonder if anything our there would like a blue runner free lined off the Bow. In no time Joe's rod is bent over double. This thing, this fish, is so strong & ever so fast. Will he spool me? Finally, Joe takes in a little line, then a little more. Finally, we see color. Gaff, Will hurry! Will to the rescue. Even our first mate has a most difficult time heaving that monster king over the rail of the Florida Fisherman. Job well done gents, very well done!
Our catch is really getting impressive. Rachael has become a Middle Grounds believer. You have a real fishergirl there Joe. Rachael on the left, Captain Mark Hubbard on the right, and in between, James, LaMont, Alex G., Tomohiro, and Alex D.. Watch out Florida Middle Grounds, you have met your match.
Mister Kelvin Lipham, in addition to a fine catch, won the raffle for a new spinning reel:
Time for dinner. Chef Tammy has gone Italian. After a very fresh, all you can eat, green salad, its spaghetti and meat balls. Thanks Tammy! The chocolate cake wasn't bad either. Let's see if the mangos are hungry. Well the evening bite was just not there. We are a very long way from home, from Madeira Beach. Let's go home. Time to hit the bunks.
It can't be six A.M. Sunday morning; I just laid down. Time to get up, time to check out a real mountain of fish. Rachel, she is the pretty one on the left, and Joe can't believe their eyes. Blond Power on the Florida Middle Grounds is alive and well, well as in Ms. Rachael Dibbert:
So how much did that king fish actually weigh? Would you believe forty-five pounds?
Only one thing left to do. Weigh in the jack pot winners:
Snapper: Mister Andy Adkins, St. Pete, Florida. 7.4 pounds
Amber Jack: Mister Tomohiro Tanaka, Louisville, Kentucky, 42 pounds
Grouper: Mister Scott Robnson, Tampa, Florida, 17.5 pounds
Talk about money fish, talk about jack pot winners:
Bob Harbison Native Florida Sportsman...Florida Outdoor Writers Association
See Rachael in the fight of her life! 'Blond Power on the Florida Middle Grounds!' Then watch the rest of the action packed story: (Click on the Link)
