A Very Special Time Of The Year

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   Florida fishing has been on fire this entire year. We in the sunshine state have so much to be thankful for. Our weather is second to none and our fishing and hunting opportunities are absolutely outstanding. There is fish to be caught and game to be harvested 24/7 in this our sportsman's paradise. Our own Florida Middle Grounds and vicinity offers some of the finest fishing imaginable. Many who fish also hunt. We hunt the very elusive, plentiful, Osceola & Eastern wild turkey. In addition, Florida has a huge deer population with a season lasting from the middle of September until the end of January. Florida wild boars can legally be hunted, even at night, twelve months out of the year.
November begins 'A Very Special Time Of The Year,' a time of Thanksgiving. In 1621 the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast of 'Thanksgiving' that is still acknowledged today when we give thanks for the blessings of the preceding year and hope for an even better year to come.
Thanksgiving is only the beginning of:

Think the 'gales of November' slow down Florida fishing? Just ask fellow Florida native Mr. John Martin, John Martin, fishing coach, adviser, on the Florida Fisherman ll. John is so good he draws a crowd anxious to learn from this man of the sea. Catch John's big fight 35 seconds into the video at the end of this presentation:



Mr. Jim Turner, and son Travis, Hazlehurst, Georgia, have been following our overnight Florida Fisherman ll videos for years. Finally, this father son team could take it no more; they had to see for themselves. First stop, Mr. John Martin:

Followed by plenty of live pins:

Can this father/son team from Georgia catch our Florida fish? Join us on the deck of the Florida Fisherman ll as we find out together. Let's go catch some fish.
As we leave we see Old Glory flying high over the famous John's Pass Boardwalk:

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Will shows us how to be the best we can be:

After a fine dinner, and good rest, it's time to get down to business:


Our target for tonight, mangrove snapper, offer even the experts a real challenge. We are landing many that first took our pin fish and ran without paying. And, best of all, we can legally keep a two day federal limit of 20.
Now, it's pay back time:

No matter how hard we try we just cannot get away from the 'endangered' American red snapper:

The mango bite is ongoing:




Nice gag. We will target them after sun-up:

I first had the honor of meeting Mr. Charles Vannoy when I snapped this picture of his monster cuda, 10/9/15:

Today he returns with his girl friend the lovely Miss Erica Grolemond:

Good friend, Mr. Omar Castillo, a proud Tampa Catholic grad, welcomes the morning. Omar is a good as they come:

Another real gentleman, and expert fisherman, is fellow Jesuit High School, University of Tampa, graduate, Mr. Doug Dallier:

Mr. Dallier and I both graduated from the University of Tampa in 1967 with degrees in Psychology:

The day-time mango bite remains slow, but steady. Many big boys are gracing the deck of the Florida Fisherman ll:


Know how to easily tell a coronet from a trumpet fish? Check the tail filament:

The gag bite remains strong. See, hear, Jon's excellent re-cap or our trip 10:42 minutes into the video at the end of this report.




All that catching has left us starved. Time to call in Chef 'Jersey Girl' Tammy:

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Need a snack to keep us going? Almonds are known to be healthy:



Mr. Alvin Davis, fishing my old fishing spot #23, a proud Desert Storm vet, caught something never before seen on the Florida Fisherman ll; a red grouper that spit out a lion fish:

Ever see that before?
It's been a long, hard fought, night & day. It's time for 'A Very Special Time Of The Day.' Talk about a feast! Those choice, center cut, huge, pork chops are hot off the grill cooked to perfection:



Talk about a way to finish-off our Thanksgiving feast; how about a slice of the very best, spiced to perfection, pumpkin pie?

This is not the end, but the beginning of, 'A Very Special Time Of The Year.' Catch what Will has to say about our catch 12:50 minutes into the video:

After a good night's sleep it's back at the dock:

Will & Jon look on as Dunnellon, Florida's, Charles, Erica, and friends check out a very good catch:

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Check out those smiles on Charles & Darren's faces:

Talk about smiles! Erica, gags like that will put a smile on anyone's face:

Can this father/son team from Georgia catch our Florida fish? Well!

The, 'in the money' jack pot winning gag hit the scales at 17.5 pounds; mangrove snapper 7.4.

As we approach out holiday season:

Check out the action in this short, action packed, video of our trip:

https://youtu.be/NkEUXS31hdc

Next up a very special three day birthday wild boar hunt with Eustis, Florida's best, Bear Bridge Ranch. On December, 8, I will be celebrating BIG number 76 with long time friend retired police officer Mr, Tony Cangelosi, and professional guide, United States Armed Forces Veteran, Mr. Scott Maybury. Like the outdoors? You will love the wild life to be seen at Bear Bridge. Complete report with video to follow:


This was going to be my mystery fish. But when I found out what it was from the biology department, FWC, I had to share with you. Ever see, or hear of, a horned whiff?

Like outstanding weather while fishing & hunting in a tropical wonderland? In Our Florida we enjoy, 'A Very Special Time Of The Year' 24/7 twelve months out of the year. This is our Florida. Welcome to Paradise on earth; welcome to Florida.
Bob Harbison Florida Outdoor Writers Association

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