5/16 – Today I had regular Gregg and one of his employees. When it comes to Bonito, Gregg has about the worse luck of any client I have ever had chase them. The first three years he tried to get out for them he got blown out each time. The fourth year we finally got out…and managed to hook a lose one Bonito before we were overwhelmed with 8-13lb bluefish.
Well, he got another beautiful morning this year. The spanish were chewing good early and we caught several before we had a large fish boil on a stingsilver several times right behind the boat. Gregg hooked it and landed the lb Bonito after a great fight, looks at me and says “Well, it only took 5 years.” Ha!
A few Bonito and spanish later and I saw a brown shadow swimming through a swell – two cobia. One was about 60lbs, the other probably about 20. The 60lb’r ignored our offerings while the little guy decided to hang out behind the boat for about 20 mins – not interested in a single thing I had to offer, period. Either they don’t eat or they jump on anything you throw in the water – Cobia are just so odd.
We spent the rest of the morning picking away at the Bonito – fish of all sizes – and the big spanish. We landed about a dozen bonito and just as many nice spanish. We ended the day with a little bucktailing – landing 3 quick flounder with 1 nice 20″ keeper. Great Day Guys!
I fished with Steve and his lovely wife this morning on a quick 3/4 trip. It was nice for about 30 mins and then the east wind just started howling. Fortunately, the fish were chewing like crazy with the approaching front. Bonito were busting, kings and spanish were skying all over the place! After getting thrown around, we decided to stick with the troll to make things easier on us.
We could barely go 5 minutes without a strike, but we could not stay buttoned up today – we probably broke off, pulled hooks or lost tension on half the fish we hooked today. Steve and Stacy are very experienced fishermen, and couldn’t but take humor in some of our misfortunes. Some days are just like that – tough luck. But, truth be told, we had so much action this morning that we didnt think twice about any fish we lost.
However, we had no problem putting fish in the boat – spanish, bonito and small kings. The kings were out in force and were jumping all over our plugs – and they were nice spring kings, all measuring between 28 and 32″ and 6-10lbs. Good class of fish.
We decided to leave them biting and it get on time – rough seas but excelent fishing.
Charles was back again, this time with his brother Adam, in hopes to find a few Bonito. The seas were slick calm and we had a great time, first thing, with some nice spanish but the Bonito were absent for us today.
We moved off the beach a bit, hoping for some more bones…and we did find some small tunas – Frigette mackerel (a rather rather catch) which were inhaled by large amberjack about as soon as we hooked them up.
We took the cue and decided to play with the Jacks- we hooked several on poppers and jigs that we broke off in the wreck. Then, while casting for Bonito (with the lightest rod in the boat), Charles hooked something huge. I had a good idea what it was. An hour later, we finally saw it – a big ol’ Jack and Charles was hellbent on landing him (i can’t make a guy break off a fish!). After two hours and 15 minutes, and a very sore back and arms, we got him fairly close before we decided to finally horse him a little. He won but I was able to touch the leader for a legal catch. Whew!
Then we did some serious AJ fishing – hooking several on poppers and even 1 on the fly rod. Adam struck first, getting a big boy to the gunnel! Charles wasn’t as lucky – but he had his chances and was plum wore-out at the end of the day.
Always a pleasure guys!
