You Can't Always Get What You Want (MHC 4/11)

[Ponce]

With the forecast showing such beautiful weather on Sunday I knew we needed to get out and see what we could do. With it showing 1-2 all the way to the SBH, I decided that it would be a good day to take our 9 year old Daniel. He has been going for the last 2 years and has been out in some really nasty stuff, and then all of a sudden last year he got sick 3 trips in a row. So, now we are picking our days and slowly working him back in the game. He loves to fish and is as hard core as they come. He is also a very good fisherman. We also had the rest of the core crew me, Doug, Mike, and Caleb. The only thing I didn’t like were the SST’s for trolling.

This winter I started rod building and the first rod I built was for Daniel, I added a Saltist 30T to it and this was the first chance to test it out. The plan was to go out and do some trolling, then finish the day bottom fishin; right now I’m dying for the trolling to really kick off so I’m going to give it a shot.

We were supposed to meet up with our good friends and certified serial killers the Merry Marlin crew out by the BR and do some trolling and bottom fishing. When I looked at the SST’s that morning it looked like they would be in 65 degree water and that if we headed south we could reach 70 degree just south of the SBH. I figured I could call them on the radio on the way out and we could adjust our plan on the fly based on the SST’s I saw and their intel from the overnighter they were on. Silly me I could never raise them on the radio, sorry guys.

We broke the inlet at 0500 to smooth waters and a 2 hour run to our trolling area; we got to the SBH just a little after 0700 and started setting up. It didn’t look very promising 67 degree green water, we put out the spread and headed in the direction that the SST’s showed the warmest water. We went about 10 miles and out to 150 fathoms and never got above 68.5 degrees and it was green the whole way.

So, I decided to pull the plug early on trolling and go work some wrecks and live bottom on the way in. That was really a big part of the days plans anyway, because that is Daniels bread and butter.

Daniel has been dyeing to try and jig he just isn’t quite big enough yet, but I told him sometime on this trip I would help him try it. The first wreck we stopped at I asked the guys if they wouldn’t mind a couple drifts were I would just help Daniel try to jig an AJ everyone said go for it. He got a hit on his second drop that came off. After a couple of more drifts and nothing; I told him it was time for him to switch over to a bottom rig. This week I bought him some hooks and taught him how to make bottom rigs and he made all his own rigs for this trip, which to me was very cool.

On Daniel's first drop with a bottom rig we hear a WOO, WOO, HEY and look over to see his rod doubled up with him reeling like a mad man, he brings in the biggest Porgy I’ve seen (at least that’s what I call them). This started the rule on the boat for the day that if you didn’t say WOO, WOO, HEY when you hooked up, the fish didn’t count. He followed that shortly with a nice Beeliner and various other fish including Grunts, Triggers, and Black Sea Bass. I’m pretty sure Daniel out fished the rest of us that day.



Caleb kept jigging and managed to wear himself out on AJ’s as the day went on with some in the 70 lbs class. I don’t know what’s more fun catching AJ’s or watching someone else get beat up with a big AJ, they are both entertaining for sure.



We ended the day with a nice box of fish and a smooth ride home.

I wanted to start the day trolling in hopes of Wahoo and or Yellow Bellies, and Daniel wanted to try to get a fish jigging neither of those happened. But, we had a great day on the water with lots of fun and laughs and plenty of fish to eat. So it’s true you can’t always get what you want, but you might just get what you need. Here’s to another great day on the water with family and friends.

I didn’t take very many pictures, but we did take some video, enjoy.

[liv2fish20]

Sweet! looks like you guys had a great trip!

[gottaflylee]

Just can't beat a great day with friends and family on the water...

[crappiekrazy]

Love that video, Great job Daniel, Keep the reports coming.

[ncjawbreaker]

Ponce,

Sounds like you and I had the same idea. In fact, we passed a boat going in that area aroung 6:30 or 7:00 and I suspect it was you.

We, likewise, struck out, but we were either too stubborn or stupid to abandon the troll.

Congrats on ending up with a good day overall!

[BTH284]

The expression on Daniel's face when the rod doubled on that first drop was priceless!

Nice work Jeff!

[Ponce]

Ponce,

Sounds like you and I had the same idea. In fact, we passed a boat going in that area aroung 6:30 or 7:00 and I suspect it was you.

We, likewise, struck out, but we were either too stubborn or stupid to abandon the troll.

Congrats on ending up with a good day overall!

I think it was you, I need to pick your brain on your boat. I think that may be my next move up. Could you PM me some of your likes and dislikes about it?

[WAHOONBOX]

DANIEL.....THE BOX IS VERY PROUD OF YOU BIG DOG! WAY TO GET BACK ON THAT BOAT AFTER FEELING PUNNY ON SOME PREVIOUS TRIPS!

LOOKS LIKE YOU GOT A GOOD STRONG RIGHT ARM FOR CRANKING AND YOUR DAY WILL COME DUDE! NICE PORGY AND I LOVE THE VIDEO...GLAD TO SEE CALEB IN ON THE ACTION AS WELL!

PONCE YOU GOT A GOOD ROD STROKE DOWN HELPING MY LIL MAN THERE! THAT AIN'T AS EASY AS IT LOOKS!


ROCK AND AND I LOVED MY MORNING VIDEO FIX!

BOX

[netman9]

A CLASSIC IN THE MAKING.

Awesome job with the video capturing his first jigging hook-up. From the looks of things he should be slinging them in the boat after a few more bowls of Wheaties. Well done, thanks.

[clt_capt]

As the song says - "You get what you need"...

Nice day - Good job Daniel