Late Report from Fridays WAHOO Killin.....

[Ace1st]

Made it out to the 100/400 line Friday morning early on the ProCat with two of my Buddies. The ride was nice with the seas slick as glass, hard to judge the ride of the cat like that. But it was a pleasure with the nice temps and flat seas.

Had a time findin the water but thanks to JEFF DRAKE on THE LAW he showed me the way on that big VIKING.
Immediately we put down the planer rod with a BLK/Prpl YOZURI and off it went. Hadnt even put the other baits out yet. Up came the planer and fish like a torpedo. As he exploded thru the surface the BIG HOO shook its head violently in mid air and out popped the hooks. Fish Gone!

Oh well, the day was young and we figured we were already off to a great start. This time we got all the lines out and settled in for some WAHOO SLAYIN. Got on the break and soon the radio was abuzz with hookups all around.

Soon after, I was watchin FRED ARCHERS "FAT BOY" down the middle doin the FAT BOY SHUFFLE when a fine HOO skyed from under it chasin the BIG GREEN Squid. Before I get to the rod he again skyed on that SUPERBAR! That was an excitin moment! The HOO then turned and picked up the flat line located just outside and behind the SUPERBAR.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ off went the reel and MY Buddy BLINKIE had his first wahoo hooked up. After a few minutes of give and take we put a 50lb HOO in the box and a BIG SMILE on BLINKIES face. He quickily realized this aint BASS FISHIN!

Around 11 am the bite went off again as boat all around were hookin up. Then the outrigger clip pops and ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ the fight was on again! This time HUMDINGER takes the rod and it was his turn on the reel. Another nice fish on the run.......got him to the boat a couple times with the fish exploding away when he saw the boat. This ones probably 60 or more. Finally, I think hes giving up and the fish comes to the transom, just as JB drops the rod to get around the outrigger bungee the hook just falls out of the HOOs mouth. Off he goes laughin at us!

Oh well, thats fishin! Several more knockdowns and a couple more bites on the planer rod produced no fish. Couldnt keep um buttoned up! From the sounds of the radio, THE LAW and DARK THIRTY had some nice fish on deck. Several in the 60-75lb class. Congrats to those boys!!

By now its 2 PM and time to go. We pull lines in and point her to Little River Inlet. Then it happens, about 5 miles into my run, the starboard engine quits shovin. UUUUUH OOOOHH! I shut her down and realize we had spun the prop. Thats when the fun starts!

I limp in at 9 knots. 63 miles....10 hours and god only knows how cold after dark degrees later we stumble in to Little River Inlet. WOW... what a ride home. But thank god the seas were flat or Id probably still be out there.

I guess if youre goin to enjoy this sport its not a matter of "IF" but "when" it will happen to you. Just be prepared when it does.

Thanks go out to TOWBOAT US (LITTLE RIVER), US COAST GUARD, LITTLE RIVER FISH HOUSE (Aquaman, MATT), JEFF MARTINI, KEVIN CAUSEY, SCOTT CHILDERS and SEA MONKEY for checkin on us and keepin our families in the loop while we made the long slow ride of shame to the hill

Ill have to say that in this fast hurry up and get there world we live in, sometimes we just need to slow down and notice things more. The ride home that night was so clear with no wind and no light polution....... the stars were unbelievable!

Oh yeah, I got to say thanks to the GUARDIAN ANGEL. The little SPOTTED PORPOISE that swam beside us for 40 miles. That little fellow literally stayed in the light of our green Nav light right up to the mouth of the inlet. Hated to see him go. Hopefully we'll see each other again sometime.

Ill post up some pictures soon as I download them.

[Jay W]

Ouch! Glad you made it in safely.

[Captain Michael Buffington]

and came home with some meat too!

Mike

[clt_capt]

Glad you got into some fish. Limping home definitely sux, but it certainly beats the alternative.

[Surfacegrinder]

Good report and glad to hear you made it back. Spun my prop back in Oct. but it was at least inside. Makes me want to buy a couple spare props just to be safe.

By the way loved the porpoise story.

[nautiduck]

Glad you made it back Ace, Hell of a day.

[Ace1st]

Yeah, it was a day to remember for one reason or the other.

The best thing is my buddy caught his first HOO and now hes hooked!

The Porpoise was the treat of the trip though. Ive had them stay with us playin in wake before but never for 40 miles. It was a little one, maybe 3-4 ft long with white spots. It would get up in the light of the green nav light and lay over on its side lookin up at the boat. I think it thought the boat was his Mom or something?

I like to think he was our Guardian Angel lookin after us though.

[CaptGorges]

Nice job on the wahoo, sucks about the hub. Ever since I spun one about 25 miles off I now switched everything to Flo-Torque hubs AND keep 2 spare props on the boat at all times. Since then there have been a couple times where I have been sitting on the lower unit in 5ft seas switching props. Ain't no fun, but in the long run it beats idling in.

[paul708]

great looking fish.
sorry to hear the long ride.

hope you get it fixed and get some of that action.

[Nauti Natured]

Thanks for the report Ace! I love the guardian porpoise story. Glad you made it back safe. If you need a place to send the spare wahoo let me know