Capt.Gene
11-13-2002, 11:35 AM
Mark, Kriz, Chuck and I departed Hudson a little before dawn, headed North, in my 26' Twin Vee Hawaiin Fisherman model cat boat. At first we thought the weatherman might have got one right. Plan #1 was to hit several spots up to 40 miles NW.
The 2' or less forcast lasted about 2 miles. Wind and seas were out of the S.W. We were running is a following sea 3-4' at first then becoming 3-5 then 4-6 as we got closer to our dive site.
About an hour later we were at our first stop, 26 miles out, on the super secret Meisners Crain wreck. We were airbourne repeatedly but the landings were soft. Biggest aggrevation of the day for me was that the Garman GPS kept shutting itself off at the landing. I don't much mind green water in the face.
I rode the boat while three divers speared up 2 legal aj's, and 2 legal grouper and some lesser fish.
I back dove the wreck, shot my 3 small triggers/shit heads, 2 legal grouper off the wreck, and shot my 23# aj when the school found me out on the hard bottom NW of the wreck. My biggest bonehead move of the day came while making my safety stop. At 20' I started unbanding my Riffe. Fins down, head up taking off the first band I felt like I was being watched, and I looked to my left. Posing perfectly sideways to me about 20' away was a true black grouper, at least 40 inches long/ 30 # or so, my honest estimate. My shot hit the gill plate and I got one real hard pull before the grouper pulled off, and ruined my attatude for the day.
I went back down and hunted the structure with my light but no luck finding the black. The big jewfish there may have beat me to it.
In retrospect, If I haden't been unloading the gun I would have been horizonal in the water instead of vertical, and I would have taken the kick to get closer. I admit to being startled seeing that big ass grouper that close to the surface. Having all 3 bands pulled might have made the difference as well.
Because we had our aj's and it seemed to be getting rougher, we decided to go West to some of Chucks good numbers out another 15 miles. It was a much better ride with the 5' beam seas, but we were in big white caps when we got to the ledge and I requested nobody take any long swims away from the jug.
Greg and Chuck both shot and lost big grouper on this spot. Greg's fish hauled ass with the free shaft.
We hit another ledge in the area and on my dive I put my 3rd grouper in the boat along with some small hogs and mango's.
Next stop was 15 miles South to the Thompson wreck (Another top secret spot, unknown to most divers South of Naples, Florida)
We had 4-5' right -in-the -face head seas for this part of the ride. When we got to the wreck a charter boar was drift fishing for aj's. We waited a while thinking he might pull off as he wasn't getting any action. After 20 minutes we needed to make a move and I didn't have anything real close by.
It was my call for next, and I drove another 10 miles South to a small cheese bottom spot in 70' where I have taken many spineys and slippers over the years. But not that day. Lots of life on it but no targets. No bait there either.
Chuck's favorite dive was only 5 miles away so here we go NW again, out into 80' of water. Fish of note on this dive was Chucks big mango, almost 5 pounds. We waved hello and goodbye to Dean Young on the "Charley" cigarette boat, about 1/4 mile N. of us, and we headed NE the 30 or so miles back to Hudson.
After all was said and over, I think we would have done better staying closer to home. We should have spent less time riding and more time diving in the bait. We didn't get any bugs anyway. We should have gone for the bigger mango's holding on the rock piles only 20 miles from home.
We probably ran 120-140 miles total. I'm sure we ran right over top of most of the winning fish.
I know we burned less than 120 gallons of gas because we didn't run out.
So how did we do? The prize table made it worth the effort. Chuck took a new Zeagle T50D regulator with his 9th overall pick, I selected a JBL Magnum XHD gun at 19th pick (I'm very unsure about the exact number of my pick), and Mark selected a new 80-aluminium tank about 10 picks later. A Mistery Ticket got me another gun, a JBL 38 Special. Gregs pick, down the line, was a make-it- yourself band kit with band material, cable wishbones and tye string. Very cool also.
What would I like to see done better? Not a thing!! GREAT job Sheldon and all involved.
BallyHoo's sure earned my future patronage. Excellent food and service. Great accomodations for hosting our event!
Most contestents seemed appreciative of all the hard work that went into putting this tourney on. I hope everyone went out of their way to say thank you.
Something I would like to see added next year would be a Calcutta, or team competition with a $100 buy in, winning team take all. Maybe a split with the FSDA taking a bite of it.
I hope you all enjoyed the day as much as I did.
The 2' or less forcast lasted about 2 miles. Wind and seas were out of the S.W. We were running is a following sea 3-4' at first then becoming 3-5 then 4-6 as we got closer to our dive site.
About an hour later we were at our first stop, 26 miles out, on the super secret Meisners Crain wreck. We were airbourne repeatedly but the landings were soft. Biggest aggrevation of the day for me was that the Garman GPS kept shutting itself off at the landing. I don't much mind green water in the face.
I rode the boat while three divers speared up 2 legal aj's, and 2 legal grouper and some lesser fish.
I back dove the wreck, shot my 3 small triggers/shit heads, 2 legal grouper off the wreck, and shot my 23# aj when the school found me out on the hard bottom NW of the wreck. My biggest bonehead move of the day came while making my safety stop. At 20' I started unbanding my Riffe. Fins down, head up taking off the first band I felt like I was being watched, and I looked to my left. Posing perfectly sideways to me about 20' away was a true black grouper, at least 40 inches long/ 30 # or so, my honest estimate. My shot hit the gill plate and I got one real hard pull before the grouper pulled off, and ruined my attatude for the day.
I went back down and hunted the structure with my light but no luck finding the black. The big jewfish there may have beat me to it.
In retrospect, If I haden't been unloading the gun I would have been horizonal in the water instead of vertical, and I would have taken the kick to get closer. I admit to being startled seeing that big ass grouper that close to the surface. Having all 3 bands pulled might have made the difference as well.
Because we had our aj's and it seemed to be getting rougher, we decided to go West to some of Chucks good numbers out another 15 miles. It was a much better ride with the 5' beam seas, but we were in big white caps when we got to the ledge and I requested nobody take any long swims away from the jug.
Greg and Chuck both shot and lost big grouper on this spot. Greg's fish hauled ass with the free shaft.
We hit another ledge in the area and on my dive I put my 3rd grouper in the boat along with some small hogs and mango's.
Next stop was 15 miles South to the Thompson wreck (Another top secret spot, unknown to most divers South of Naples, Florida)
We had 4-5' right -in-the -face head seas for this part of the ride. When we got to the wreck a charter boar was drift fishing for aj's. We waited a while thinking he might pull off as he wasn't getting any action. After 20 minutes we needed to make a move and I didn't have anything real close by.
It was my call for next, and I drove another 10 miles South to a small cheese bottom spot in 70' where I have taken many spineys and slippers over the years. But not that day. Lots of life on it but no targets. No bait there either.
Chuck's favorite dive was only 5 miles away so here we go NW again, out into 80' of water. Fish of note on this dive was Chucks big mango, almost 5 pounds. We waved hello and goodbye to Dean Young on the "Charley" cigarette boat, about 1/4 mile N. of us, and we headed NE the 30 or so miles back to Hudson.
After all was said and over, I think we would have done better staying closer to home. We should have spent less time riding and more time diving in the bait. We didn't get any bugs anyway. We should have gone for the bigger mango's holding on the rock piles only 20 miles from home.
We probably ran 120-140 miles total. I'm sure we ran right over top of most of the winning fish.
I know we burned less than 120 gallons of gas because we didn't run out.
So how did we do? The prize table made it worth the effort. Chuck took a new Zeagle T50D regulator with his 9th overall pick, I selected a JBL Magnum XHD gun at 19th pick (I'm very unsure about the exact number of my pick), and Mark selected a new 80-aluminium tank about 10 picks later. A Mistery Ticket got me another gun, a JBL 38 Special. Gregs pick, down the line, was a make-it- yourself band kit with band material, cable wishbones and tye string. Very cool also.
What would I like to see done better? Not a thing!! GREAT job Sheldon and all involved.
BallyHoo's sure earned my future patronage. Excellent food and service. Great accomodations for hosting our event!
Most contestents seemed appreciative of all the hard work that went into putting this tourney on. I hope everyone went out of their way to say thank you.
Something I would like to see added next year would be a Calcutta, or team competition with a $100 buy in, winning team take all. Maybe a split with the FSDA taking a bite of it.
I hope you all enjoyed the day as much as I did.