FIRST CHOICE

by Robin





Our buddy boat stayed behind to make another drift or two over the area.  We opted to begin heading back in.  Our boat only has one engine on it and so we tend to travel between 27-30 knots.  We probably got the first 24 miles down before we noticed we were being trailed.

Well, not so much trailed but being pursued.  LOL.  Sure enough, we were passed and they took some nice pictures of us.

Love them.



Not long after this picture, they were stopped by FWC and checked for illegal fish.  The big orange boat after us (in the channel) was also checked.  I guess we look like honest folks.  ha ha.

It sure was a gorgeous ride in after such a strange start in the fog.



This was after we made it through the channels and had a manatee zone. I was setting up for the photo when the shrimp boat passed us. Why, thank you very much!!

I love seeing all the fish pictures of people out there catching right now.  So many kings and wahoo.  A few cobia, too.   (Btw, cobia meat was $17.99/ lb at the market the other day.  Wow.)

Happy Fishing everyone.

REEF FISH

by Robin

The Gulf of Mexico has some very beautiful reef fish.  And they seem to be much bigger than the ones I'm used to in the Atlantic.

Here's the two main reef fish we caught and kept from our trip last weekend.

We were trying to ID this porgy.  The best we could come up with was a Knobbed Head Porgy.  Supposed to be excellent pan fish.  We kept 3 of the bigger ones we caught. Wow, they were brilliant blue coming fresh out of the water.




These were called a Key West grunt (AKA white grunt, although, not very white).  I'm thinking we had a couple of these nearly 3/4 lb but Jack says most were 1/2 lb.  We kept all of these when we could get 'em.  They make excellent white meat.  Our boys LOVE fried fish, so these will do the trick.



Ok, I'll give you a couple more pictures. First drop for me, I get bowed over and it is a good fight. I finally win the battle and Jack calls out, "Amberjack!" He nets it for me and I take the picture. (Of course! Standard protocol.)

 

They have to be no greater than 22" in the Gulf and mine was 24", so after we took a picture of me holding it, back it went.

This is my first time fighting an Amberjack.  The Greater Amberjacks are called Donkies, with good reason.  They are very stubborn and hard to pull up.  I'm thankful to have been broken in with a Lesser one first.  Not that I would have loved a big ol' fight but I did need my arms for all the Red Grouper we were going to catch after this.
 

Happy Fishing,

Robin

COMING OUT OF THE FOG!!

by Robin

Wow, have I totally neglected my blog.  We're coming out of winter and into the best fishing of the year.  Spring!!

I will start posting up pictures this week of the past couple fishing trips.



For a teaser, here is one from yesterday.  We were fishing in the Gulf of Mexico with friend. We had the most incredible fog! Seems like it lasted all day.  It had varying degrees but mostly it was just THERE. So glad we had a buddy boat!  I'm actually quite comfortable with not seeing shore when we go fishing.  I fully admit being a bit creeped out by fog roughly 46 miles offshore. The crazy things we do to catch fish.  LOL.

God bless & be looking for updates all week.
Robin