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Date: Fishing Report From Brian Faulds
Title: 5/16/05
Date: 25 May 2005
Time: 22:45:08 -0400
Dear Captain Brian & Gina, Here’s a thank you for another, fine, safe day on the water! Schedules Well, we finally did it! Three university students from three different schools, spread across Middle GA. A coast to coast trucker from Chicago with a cell phone semi attached to his ear, and me. We nailed down a date, and did the commit thing for, a “lets go fishing” day. Oh, and by the way, “me” is defined as a retired, fishwhileican, grandpa. The day was a Monday, a week before the moon, water temperature at 70deg (+), and a current gone to sleep by 9:30 AM. Now, I knew of only one Captain and Mate who had the wherewithal to design a date like this and still tickle the fancies of his Anglers. And what a group of Anglers! Three of the batch, were totally inexperienced, and of that three, two were (what one could call): possibly unsuitable for this type of fishing (as petite adults, the gunwale came up to their belly buttons!). Uh oh, give them spots by the cleats and secure the rods while they fish! It was a wham, bam, trip, down to the water. The trucker flew in to Atlanta Saturday night and moved 100 mi.’s to overnight at the homestead with two of the students. Sunday AM it was Service, and a split from there, down to the Gulf, in two cars, with an overnight at the fish camp. Whew! Monday came to light with anticipation, and for at least one of the group, relief! Off we go. Bait traps gleaned, and the live well stocked, we headed out for our first stop. The current was still good and the Red Grouper (a very wise choice by the Skipper) gave the neophytes a breathtaking workout. Then when the bite slowed, and the arms, backs, and wrists of the newbee’s screamed for relief, off we scooted, it was time to troll. Now grandpa (that’s me, remember?) had this thing about a new lure he wanted to try, and the Skipper, being a congenial gent, allowed “giving it a try” (accompanied with a roll of the eyes by the Mate, soon to be Skipper!) The Captain ran a five line spread, with the new lure (a Mann’s stretch 30 sea snake). Considering the Anglers profiles, I was surprised and grateful that the Crew would endeavor to turn the deck into a classroom; regardless, with this Captain and Mate you can expect this as “par for the course.” Well, the sea snake ran a wide pattern (little did I know) which did not bode well for the trolling team (especially on turns) and we had to wind ‘em up...a bunch, to straighten out crossed lines (the mate had a friendly, “I knew you had to see for yourself”, look on his face.) However, lo and behold, the new lure chaffed the fundament of a big ol’e 18 lb. Gag Grouper, and he body slammed that bad boy like a Philadelphia Eagles Linebacker (ya, he lost too!). More trolling (this time with a four line spread!) and more Grouper later, it was time to visit a productive wreck, and stick what we could see! Good golly miss Molly! And, what we did see! Known in the Gulf as Greater Amber Jack, and not so affectionately by anyone who has pulled up a 30 pounder, “Reef Donkeys.” We were in about 60 (+) feet of water, and you could see flash at least 25 – 30 feet down. Live bait freelines, and HD spinning tackle was unbattened by the hard working mate, and issued to the Anglers in accordance with their strengths. Now the fun really started. The inexperienced were tutored, carefully by the mate, with the savvy to land an AJ, and the vets...well they just threw out the oversize surface plugs and turned the AJ’s world into a ceiling of gurgles and bubbles. Wow! The nice, placid waters of the Gulf turned into a landscape very similar to what the turf looks like at a PBR competition. The AJ’s were finning, and jumping on the surface, all around the boat, in “packs” of a dozen or more, as they chased, and whacked the spinning plugs. On deck, the Angler’s were pulling, and grunting, and screaming with glee, as their rods moved with impressive and decisive sweeps...up and down. I’ve got to tell you, it was the closest thing to fishing – rodeo that I have ever seen. Here, is where the trick comes in. As much as an AJ can just plain wear you out, these Anglers had to be plied off the water. A glance at the time (my wrist, the Captain won’t wear a watch) showed 2:30 PM, and 15 minuets later it was 5 O’clock! These petite Anglers, and the rest of the deck, couldn’t get enough of the bite! I must admit the Captain and Mate were keeping score on rod & equipment saves (mine included with theirs) but the time passed quickly with them as well! Thank you, Oh Great Kahuna Captain of the Gulf! Yeah, we did catch some fish that day, but what a great day we had at the Fishing – Rodeo! Brian Faulds / Macon GA. ©Big Bend Charters, all rights reserved.