WAHOO CHALENGE

[joeksr]

I had a ball.
The hospitality was second to none. Marty is great and Jane
aka "the ponytail" is Awesome. I gotta tell ya, never have I walked into a new environment and felt so comfortable.
When these folks tell you you are welcome they mean it.

OK Lets talk fishing.
I don't know much about trolling and nothing about targeting Wahoo. (I learned what a planer rod is this week). I made this clear up front.
Hey I shark fish, Thats what I like best and never spent much time trolling. Not a problem, I didn't even get yelled at once.

We had four guys on the boat. Two of us knew what they were doing, the BOX and Cap't Terry. The other two of us had varying degrees of offshore experience. Maybe not the best combination for a tournament but we came to fish.

Here's How it goes.
We could'nt fish Thursday.
Friday was dooable.
A little bouncy on the way out but not uncomfortable.
The BOX has these cool chairs that set up in the back of the boat.
Hell, I took a nap on the way out.
The BOX ran us out to the Killin ground.

Then we start fishin,
Cap't Terry is runnin the boat (like ringin a bell,) and BOX is workin the pit ( this is something ya gotta experience). These guys are good. I don't think they ever fished together before but, man, what a team.
I'm tryin to help but out of my league.
Troll a little while and the planer goes off.
I'm not sure what to expect from the planer but it was pretty obvious something ate the bait.
Blood starts pumpin, Adrenalin goes thru the roof, fish on.
( Can't help it I get excited). I want to crank this fish to the boat as fast as I can.
(I was instructed in the following before we left the dock. Wait, Slow down, First, Make sure BOX is ready, Need to get the planer off, Make sure you leave enough line to get it done, Watch the BOX, Back off the drag when BOX starts to wrap the lne).
Timing is everything.
OK, Box is ready, Gloves on, Gaff in hand, The planer is off, Bring that baby up.
COLOR, I see COLOR, It's a WAHOO. Whoa, Never caught one of these. What a site. All right, BOX is about to wrap the line, I back off the drag The line is wrapped, the gaff is sunk, OH shit, this fish does not want to be caught. He ate the hook and is chewing on the wire, The call goes out, Second gaff, second gaff, To late, The wire leader broke, the gaff ripped out, The fish swam away with a sore back.
Damn, now I'm commin off an adrenalin rush. No time for regrets, re rig, get the baits out, theres more out there.

Theres more to come but I'm gonna crash for the night.

Joe.

[Phat Mann]

Glad the iron at least got to be pulled out.

More stories please!

[dunn6253]

How mean to leave us hanging like that. Wake up, we want some more details.

[Robja]

Are you up yet? Nothing worse than getting into a good story and then the author decides it is nap time. I think your age is showing Joe.

[seapower]

GET UP and finish the story, already!!!!

[Buckeye]

Finish the story. How many did you catch? Where did we finish? WE NEED MORE!!!!!

[Ravens16]

Guys , I will post up a report with plenty of pics' after I get back from the store, within an hour
Had one almost finished and my computer took a shit
Have to re-do

Buckeye, Marty's on his way to see you and he wants to kill something

Joe, it was a pleasure to fish with you guys

[joeksr]

Are you up yet? Nothing worse than getting into a good story and then the author decides it is nap time. I think your age is showing Joe.

I think your right. Just reliving that fish story wore me out.

OK, here we go.
Lines are back out, Lots of weed floating around, constantly bringing in the lines to get em nice and clear. Everything is running nice, Cap't Terry has us back over the fish and BAM, There goes that planer rod again.
Same drill, Bring her in slow till BOX can get geared up,
Ready, Theres the planer, Ok, it's off, Crank him in baby.
There it is, Damn not a WAHOO, It's a little blackfin, Thats ok, Sushi tonight. The Box reaches for the wire and the fish takes off to the side of the boat, spits the hook and goes back home. Bummer, no sushi.
Thats ok, theres more of em. Calm down Joe, Get everything reset and back in the water we got fish to catch.

Seas are calming down, this is turning into a real nice day out here. Just getting relaxed, watching the lines, waiting for that big HOO to crash a bait BAM, That planer rod goes nuts.
Now if you havent seen a planer rod, this thing is heavy duty, Pulls that planer with no problem, Down she dips, a good bend, tip comes back up and down 1 more time with a good deep dip. POP, rod comes up to rest, What the heck happened. Well, I'll tell ya. Something tried to eat the planer and cut it right off. I don't know what would go for the planer but id of loved to have seen it layin on the deck. Fortunately, BOX was prepared with another planer reel all rigged and ready to go.
I'll tell ya, if you want to get your heart rate up, forget jogging, treadmills and all that crap, Just watch that planer do it's job. Man, my hearts gettin a workout today.

Back in 10, Gotta take a nap, This is wearing me out.

[Capt. Terry]

NOT THAT I'VE TALKED TO JOE THIS MORNING OR ANYTHING...
WHAT A BEGINNING OF A STORY..
I DON'T THINK HE WILL MIND IF I STEP IN HERE TO WRAP IT UP.
I CONTINUE TO TROLL THE SAME SPOT....CIRCLING AND WORKING THE EDGE.
PLANER ROD HAD GONE OFF BY THE WAY ONCE BEFORE - IT WAS A SMALL BLACKFIN.
AFTER THE HOO PULLED THE GAFF, WE WORKED THE SAME AREA, THEN GET ATTACKED BY A SAIL DOG ON THE STARBOARD SHORT RIGGER.... GOT A DECENT SHOW WHEN HE SAILED OUT. IT WAS A COOL SHOW ESPECIALLY FOR JOEKSR AND I BELIEVE DAVE WHO NEITHER HAD EACH SEEN ONE BEFORE. AT LEAST THATS WHAT I RECEIVED OUT OF THEM - IF I AM WRONG THERE I APPOLOGIZE.
SORRY JOEKSR, BUT I ALSO SHOULD ADD THAT THE FIRST FISH OF THE DAY THAT HIT THE PLANNER ROD NOT 15 MINUTES INTO THE START OF TROLLING DECIDED TO EAT THE PLANNER I THINK. EITHER IT WAS AFTER THE FLASH OR IT GOT HUNG UP ANY WAY, AS EXPECTED, MARTY WAS PREPARED AS A PROFESSIONAL SHOULD BE AND SWITCHED IT OUT RIGHT AWAY.
THE STORY MOVES FORWARD AND AFTER THE SAIL DOG.......WE HAD A LITTLE MYSTERY BITE ON THE PORT SHORT RIGGER I KINDA THINK THAT WAS ANOTHER SAIL DOG...MARTY DROPPED IT BACK, NADDA.....
I TROLL AROUND FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR MORE.....NADDA WE HAVE LOST OUR BITE...NOT MARKING ANYTHING NOW AND NO BAIT...GOTTA MAKE IT HAPPEN
WE START TO TROLL DOWN THE BEACH.
NO FISH , LOTS OF BUSTED WEED AND THE WATER TEMP DROPS TWO TENTHS...
NO BITES FOR 30 TO 40 MINUTES MORE..
WE ARE GOING BACK UP THE BEACH.
ALL OUR BITES AT THE ORIGINAL SPOT WERE FROM 215 TO 220 FEET. WATER LOOKED GOOD THERE - BOYS WE ARE GOING BACK.
GET BACK THERE AND THE BACKING CURRENT HAS MOVE THE WATER TEMP A TENTH DOWN. FOLLOW THE CURRENT WE AGREE SO I RUN THE BOAT UP TO THE NORTH.
TWO BOATS ABOUT 2.5 MILES UP THE BEACH FROM US THEY COULD BE WORKING ON WAHOOS,........THEY COULD BE GETTING COVERED UP BY SAIL DOGS..
WE GET UP THAT WAY AND THE WATER TEMP WAS DOWN ANOTHER TENTH FROM OUR ORIGINAL SPOT.
GRASS EVERYWHERE, BUT ITS ALL BUSTED TO SHIT.....MAKING IT A REAL PAINNNNNNNNNNN IN THE REAR.
FELLLOWS I'M GOING BACK TO WHERE WE HAD ALL OUR BITES AND POUND IT........MAYBE IT WILL TURN BACK ON.
MARTY SAYS GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HEADING BACK THAT WAY, WE START TO SEE BAIT ON TOP OF THE WATER WITH TWO BIRDS WORKING THEM.
QUICK I COME TO THE STARBOARD SIDE IN A SLOW TURN, COME BACK AROUND, TROLL DIRECTLY DOWN THE PORT SIDE OF THE BAIT .....BIRD STILL WORKING IT.....NADA......WHAT THE 'H' IS HAPPENING HERE TODAY?
GIVE IT ANOTHER CIRCLE AND THE HEAK WITH IT HEADING BACK THE ORIGINAL SPOT NO MORE DISTRACTIONS....
TWO TENTHS OF A MILE FELLOWS, GET READY.....
ON THE NUMBERS ......FISH ON BOYS PLANNER ROD.....PUT DAVE ON IT THIS TIME. I FIGURED I WANTED JOEKSR TO BE READY WITH THE SECOND GAFF, IF NEEDED - WHICH IS NORMALLY NOT, BUT AS WE SAW EARLIER THAT MORNING ANYTHING CAN A MAY HAPPEN.....
BACK HER DOWN JUST A HAIR, DAVE CRANKS THE WAHOO IN TURN THE WHEEL TO THE STARBOARD FOR A SLOW TURN, MARTY TAKES A WRAP, STICKS HIM......WAHOO-IN-DA-BOX...........TEXT BOOK.
NOW THAT'S DA WAY ITS SUPPOSED TO BE.
FELLOWS THE FIRST ONE MIGHT OF WENT A HAIR LARGER....WHO KNOWS - I ACTUALLY PUT THE SECOND ONE IN THE MID THIRTY'S TILL WE OPENED UP MY CANYON BAG AT THE SCALES AND REALIZED THE GROUND SWRINKAGE.....AS MARTY SAYS.
ANYWAY WHAT A TRIP.
WE PUT THAT WAHOO IN THE BOAT AROUND 1:10 PM.
WORKED THAT SAME SPOT FOR THE NEXT 50 MINUTES, DUE TO THAT FACT THAT THEY PULLED THE QUITING TIME BACK TO 2:00 PM INSTEAD OF 2:30 PM TO ACCOUNT FOR THE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME.

OKAY DAY TWO.
FELLOWS WHEN WE LEFT MARTY'S HOUSE THE BOUY REPORT ON MARTY'S COMPUTER SAID 15 KNTS.
WE COME OUT THE MARINA AND THERE IS A LITTLE SWELL ALREADY.
WE MAKE OUR WAY OUT OF THE INLET......
MARTY SAYS FELLOWS I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS ONE TODAY....
THEN HE SAYS CHANGE OF PLANS - WE ARE RUNNING MORE NORTHERLY TOWARDS THE BIG ROCK.....
WE START OUT TOWARDS THE POINT......IT A SOLID 4 WITH SOME 5 FOOTERS.....
THEY ARE CALLING FOR NASTY SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES BY LATER IN THE MORNING WITH BIGGER WAVES AND HIGHER WINDS TOWARDS NOON.
WE ARE IN THE SMALL BOAT CATEGORY.........WITH A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY AND WE ARE GETTING THAT FEELING THAT TODAY JUST IS NOT THE DAY.....
TIME TO HAVE A TEAM MEETING FELLOWS.
STOP THE BOAT AND MARTY SAYS, WELL GUYS WE TRIED....DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU HERE REALLY WANTED TO GET OUT THERE TODAY AND KILL A SLOB, BUT THE WEATHER IS JUST NOT COOPERATING HERE. HE LOOKS AT ME AND SAYS WHAT DO YOU THINK CAPT. TERRY - I SAID MARTY I AGREE WITH YOU, LETS CALL IT. HE SAYS GUYS WE GOT GUYS ON BOARD HERE WITH FAMILIES AND I JUST DON'T THINK A FISH IS WORTH GETTING HURT
I GOTTA TELL YOU FOLKS IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THAT WE WERE IN A SMALL BOAT CATEGORY, BUT WE HAD OUR GAME ON AS ORGANIZED AS I HAVE SEEN......IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT....
I WAS HONORED TO FISH WITH THE TEAM.
AS JOEKSR STATED ABOVE THE HOSPITALITY WAS SECOND TO NONE. MARTY AND JANE BOTH ARE A CLASS ACT, WELL ROUNDED, DOWN TO EARTH, ENJOYABLE PEOPLE AND I KNOW THAT I HAVE MADE SOME GREAT FRIENDS.......
WE HAD TALKED AFTER THE CAPTAINS MEETING AND MARTY SUGGESTED TO THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR THAT WITH ONLY 4 SMALL BOATS IN THE CATEGORY .....WHY NOT JUST PAY OUT THE BIGGEST FISH IN THE SMALL BOAT CATEGORY AND HAVE ALL THE MONEY GO TO THE FIRST PLACE FISH SO THAT IT IS WORTH THEIR WHILE......
THEY DID CHANGE SOME RULE AROUND AT THE CAPTAIN'S MEETING WEDNESDAY NITE.
FOLKS I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE, BUT THEY SAID AT THE CAPTAIN'S MTG THAT ANY BOAT COULD SIGN UP BEFORE SATURDAY MORNING, THE LAST DAY OF FISHING......
WEDNESDAY NITE THERE WERE 4 BOATS SIGNED UP AS I HAVE STATED ABOVE, FRIDAY WE FISHED, STILL THINKING THE ABOVE......AND WE WERE ON THE BOARD WITH THE 29.9 LB FISH UNDER THAT INFORMATION ABOVE.
AFTER TURNING THE BOAT AROUND SATURDAY MORNING, WE WENT CLEANED UP THE BOAT, BACK TO MARTY'S PUT AWAY HIS RODS, MY RODS, ALL THE TACKLE, COOKED UP A KILLER BREAKFAST WITH SOME NEESE CAROLINA COUNTRY SAUSAGE, EGGS, AND TOAST, AND LET ME TELL YOU ALL NOT ONLY CAN THE FELLOW FISH HIS A*S OFF, BUT THE CAT CAN COOK MIGHTY FINE AS WELL..........
JOEKSR & I RODE DOE TOGETHER, SO WE PACKED OUR GEAR UP AND SET OFF FOR HOME STOPPING AT THE TENT TO GET A HAT AND THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR SAID THAT THERE WERE NOW 10 SMALL BOATS IN THE CATEGORY.....SO MORE DID SIGN UP AND IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT WE WERE BUMPED OUT OF THE MONEY.....
HAVE TO CHECK THE STANDINGS.....
AS FAR AS ME JUST NOW POSTING......I WANTED TO SPEND A BIT OF TIME PLAYING WITH MY LITTLE BOY AND I COOKED BREAKFAST, SOME CAROLINA NEESE COUNTRY SAUSAGE THAT I BOUGHT ON THE WAY HOME YESTERDAY FOR MY WIFE AND SON AND WE HUNG OUT AND PLAYED ALL MORNING.........THANKS FOR EVERYBODY'S SUPPORT IT WAS A GREAT EFFORT AND WE GAVE IT AN OUTSTANDING SHOT....HOPE EVERYONE HAS GREAT DAYS OF FISHING AHEAD!!!!!!!!

[joeksr]

OK, Cap't terry is keeping us on the fish, BOX is making sure all lines are clear and running right. THERE IT IS, A sail just jumped off. One of the rigger lines pops out of the clip, NO hookup and I mess up not dropping the bait back, 2 days in my room for missing that one. Got a little slow for a while when down goes that planer again. Raven is on the reel.
OK, everything going right, planer is off, there he is, It's a wahoo. This time we were ready with a second gaff just in case. I'm on second gaff and hoping I won't be needed. I can gaff fish but sure didn't want to screw this one up. NO problem, BOX has this one under control, Wrap the leader, sink the steel, He's on the deck and were going to the scales.
Put him in the fish box to calm down a little. Cap't Terry brought a canyon bag and in he goes, load it up with Ice and get those lines back out.
WAHOO has to be 20# to qualify, No problem, l have no idea how much he weighs but he's more than 20.
No more WAHOO today.Real nice ride back in, crusin about 30.
At the weigh station a chase boat picks up Raven and the fish.
Weighs in at 29.9#. OK, for now we are on the board.
We still have Saturday to get the big one.
Wasn't meant to be, Headed out Saturday and it would have taken us all day to get to the fish with the seas the way they were and it was going to get worse as the day went on. Lets call it a day.

Great trip and company, Action thruout the day.
BOX, thanks for setting this up and lets do it again.

The only problem I had with this tournament was thier decision to let small boats register right up till Saturday morning.
I understand the weather was Iffy but I don't agree with allowing boats to register after a fishing day has been completed. Pretty sure a late registration beat out our fish.

Thats all folks, Till next time.

Gonna go cook up some HOO for lunch.