SeaBiscuit Fishing Report 12/8-12/9

[HOLWACHAGOT]

In keeping with tradition I titled this thread a fishing report. Catching report or eating report would have been equally suitable. Every trip I have taken to Wilmington to worry the Grouper populations has had little surprises: this one would be no exception. After a successful trip down with no speeding tickets and only a few missed turns once in Wilmington I was very pleased to arrive in Nick’s driveway about a half hour early: This was certainly a first. As usual the boat was hitched up, rods and tackle bags were loaded aboard, cigar minnows taken out of the freezer, and we headed off to the boat ramp to meet JMS-ILM. The ramp parking lot was chaotic to put it mildly with "good eatin size" catching fisherman, a category we did not fall under. You will soon see why. But first have a look at the Captain in his new Grundens.

I quickly felt out of place when I saw that Matt was also brandishing some brand new skins as well and mine still had a couple layers of fish slime and crab mustard caked in various places. Down the creek we headed and this was the sunrise that greeted us a few miles outside the inlet...

It only took me about twenty miles to quit pointing at the neeters and we stopped to make bait. The cigar minnows were not very cooperative but we did manage a few and also several TomTates. On further offshore we went and at the first spot while the Captain expertly figured out our anchor course this is what happened the very second my line hit the bottom...

OK, we’ll start here...so we anchored. That’s when the distractions started. My next drop was a Scamp and a Gag, both a little shorter than good eatin size and back they went. We were getting bit every drop but the best thing we were catching were handsome little tropical Groupers good for nothing more than a picture or two.

NOT what the Captain wanted. Then a very tired bird landed on the boat. This distraction got me tangled up in Biscuit’s line as I rushed for my camera to snap a picture quickly before the bird flew away.

The rushing for the camera turned out to be unnecessary because the stupid, tired ass Heron would not leave us alone. Any question in my mind if he was good or bad luck was answered as I don’t think another fish was caught on that spot. I dared Biscuit to grab the bird and his reply still has me chuckling..."YOU DO NOT WANT ME TO GRAB HIM". I think he was being polite about it as I was quite amused (and even more distracted) by the long legged bow ornament. When the bird moved to the motor cowling as we pulled anchor and then rode with us to the next spot in the floor of the boat I began to become concerned about his life. The Captain was not pleased with this distraction which I finally scared away to go land on someone elses boat for a rest. It was time for me to redeem myself and that I did with this...


The very next bite I got felt just as big and straightened my hook. Then another tropical worty of nothing more than a photo.

The rest of the day we caught some very nice Beeliners, Triggers, some more Red Grouper, and even a few of Matt’s FAVORITE FISH- Pinkies. I was trying to shade my eyes from the sun(which happened to be behind me) when I heard the RPM’s drop ever so slightly. I opened my eyes to see a little conspiring going on between Nick and Matt and my camera missing from it’s place in the console. I had once again been caught snoozing.

We packed fish at Nick’s house after laying out the days spread and I took a few more snaps of the catch.

The Gag was to heavy to hold out away from my body in the pic...by far my biggest ever....

A few of the Beeliner’s and Triggers before being laid to rest under ice so we could go eat dinner.

I went to sleep wondering what the weather would bring the following morning.....This was the pic off the port side of the bow....

And this was the pic off the starboard side of the bow on the run out to where we would try to make bait...

Bait this day would be better than we could hope for with a livewell full of citation cigar minnows, a couple tom tates, and a few dozen Grouper candies that will remain a secret because the weren’t 12 inches long, an oversight the Grouper’s do not seem to mind though. After a couple quick stops where the fish had lockjaw unless they were grunts we pulled over a spot where Matt and I were both warned "DO NOT GET ROCKED". Nick had to show us how to catch one but would not take a picture with the fish...It was "good eatin size" and I had to take the fishes picture on the deck...

I got slammed and ended up breaking off my hook with the fish halfway up. Then Matt got slammed and rocked. The fish were not playing fair, imagine that.
Some frustration and a couple moves later while running to the next spot Nick yanked back the throttles and pointed to a pinnacle on the bottom machine and said "YOU ARE GONNA DIE!" I was thinking maybe he marked a school of sharks and was gonna feed Matt and I to them when Matt quickly redeemed himself and...

That got me going a little...

Then Matt nailed another...

Then I got another...

Then the Captain cranked up some Toots on the radio and as Slip-Slidin would say...Life was Good again. Here is the sunset on the ride home...

We even got to stop and bail cigar minnows on the Sabiki’s for a little while coming home.
I could write another five pages of all the fish such as Bonitas on the light line, king mackerals on the light line, huge amberjacks, Barracudas, and a Cobia or two swimming under the boat but that will have to come later. Maybe I’ll get the video edited one day of them under the boat trying to get a live Tom Tate while I take it away from them waiting for the Cobia we saw. One thing I will add to the report is the proper use of pickup trucks...

and cars with leather seats...

How to properly enjoy a December evening...

Before the coals were ready the Grouper waits...

As well as a perfectly crafted hardwood coal fire started by the Snapper Slapper "Lil’Biscuit himself....



And also a perfectly cooked slab or two of Gag Grouper over said coals....



Last of all the Snapper Slapper himself at the head of the table, have you ever seen such a beautiful spread?

I can’t thank you enough for the AWESOME weekend Biscoto. Thanks for the incredible hospitality and fishing lessons. Needless to say the eats weren’t to bad either. The report was late because I have been sleeping off three days of sleepless anticipation and two full days of fishing. I will get a video up eventually and you CD of pictures is done. Thanks again Matt and Nick for the great time. To quote Slip-Slidin again...."Life is Good".

HOLWACHAGOT

[clt_capt]

Now that's what I call a fishing report. Shane goes out and catches a grouper while bluefinning and Sea Biscuit has to turn the heat WAY up. Pretty work guys.

It doesn't get much better than that.

[Glenn W]

WOW!!!!
nuff said

[Tuna Taxi]

Those reports never cease to amaze me. What a catch! Sounds like a couple great days of fishing.

I need to get Biscoto to do a little consulting work on the 'Taxi to teach me how to catch these things.

[worknot]

Great report! You could not have picked better fishing conditions to be out there in. Way to make motha ocean cough up some vittles!

[hunt4fish]

Great report,You guy's are always on fire!!!! I've had some Biscuit Grouper before and man did that make me HUNGRY!!!!

[mannysmate]

Awesome catch!! (them strawberry's making me hungry!!)

[Ravens16]

HOLY C......

GOTTA HOOK EM' TO COOK EM

I'D SAY YOU GUYS COMPLETED THAT TASK
START TO FINISH, AWESOME REPORT!
NICE WORK!
THANKS

[shoefish]

Wow.....speechless......just absolutely impressive. You guys are just plain the best. Thanks for sharing!

[gottaflylee]

Pigs...you all are pigs...au, ah...I mean you guys caught some pigs...a bunch of pigs pretty work guys. Love the cooler in the back of the truck...makes it harder for someone to pick it clean...
Love the tropical pictures...