12/7 - Test, this was only a Test!

Went with Cappy Bryan today. He just got his boat back from the Mako factory where some warranty issues were being addressed. So it's been 70...something days since he's been in his boat, (he was Jones'n) and what did we do. Head out to test it, on an offshore trip! Close in, but offshore none the less. We headed out the jetties, and it was a "soup sandwich". So Bryan says, "forget this lets turn around, any wind direction with a "N" or an "E" in the beginning, FORGET IT!"

Hell, I was all ready! I was Grundens slickers from head to toe, had my Crocs duck shoes on, I was ready to get wet and tossed around. So instead, Bryan heads back in and up river to a good ole Trout spot. "Thank goodness we brought 4 dozen shrimp along for the ride. "

The Trout bite was hot. But most of the fish were smaller 14-1/2 inchers, and Bryan caught most of them too.

Out of nearly 20, 5 were keepers up to 20 inches, on this one and only spot we fished. Not a good ratio. I also pitched a jig-n-shrimp combo meal, besides a float-rig.

The weather was not at all what it sounded to be last night. It was overcast, cold and windy. "Didn't I read SE winds 5-10 kts.??" Well, it was North, Northeast, 15 knots! And the sky "looked like winter" . But I'm a boy scout, I came prepared and was very comfortable in my foul weather gear.

And the funny thing is, all I caught on the jig-n-shrimp was a small Lane Snapper.

So before ya knew it the 4 dozen shrimp were almost gone. And Bryan says, "can ya get rid of that last shrimp in the well?" It was a tiny little shrimp too, almost too small to fish with. I said, "sure can, I'll make one last cast with it", So I pin it on my jig, while Bryan pulls the anchor. And I get hit, I set the hook and the fish pulls a little drag. Then, the fish gets stuck in something on the bottom. I yell, "pull up, pull up ahead, the fish ran me into something!" I end up getting the fish out of the structure, and it's a really pretty Gag Grouper, 18 inches. I got "rocked-up" by a river Grouper!!

So a Lane snapper and a Gag Grouper....(almost like the offshore fishing trip, for me.)

With a few Trout added in....that's funny.

Two days ago a 18-1/2" Red Snapper at the jetties that a client caught....

(Ut Oh, Commentary brewing....)

And the State is thinking of sucking water out of the St. Johns River so Orlando residents have fresh water to drink?

Screw them, then the state shouldn't let developers go hawg wild! Greedy damn tax sucking governments!

What's next if they do that, "King Mackerel down town?"