MY Big Fat South Carolina Hog

[kitefisherman]

I did a road trip this weekend to South Carolina to visit Les (Slay Ride) and Rob (Charlestondivin) to hunt with them aboard Les’s 36 foot Bertram.

We (Les, Rob, Eyyeball, Larry, Taylor and I) left the dock about 5 AM and headed offshore to first do a little trolling. Although the tuna bite had apparently cooled off, Les understood that the dolphin bite was on. Within 10 minutes of deploying our spread of ballyhoo, the first rod went down and in came an 8 pound skipjack tuna. For the next 3 or so hours, the 5 of us in the cockpit didn’t sit down as we had near constant action from the 5-20 pound dolphin that crashed our baits in singles, double and triples. We boated about 18 dolphin and another skipjack and tagged and released some smaller dolphin. Since I mostly live bait over here, it was fun to get back in the routine of rigging and running baits and working fish in through the spread while clearing as few baits as possible. Everybody seemed to know exactly what needed to be done, and I don’t remember any fish that were lost due to foul ups. At first I was a little apprehensive about inserting myself into Rob’s cockpit, but I soon found myself in the thick of things as if I had run baits with these guys for years. Of course, Les was a source of constant encouragement from the marlin tower. I could have trolled all day, but it was Rob who had the presence of mind to remind Les that I had not come all that way to troll for dolphin. So the lines came in, and we headed to one of their favorite spearfishing ledges.

Rob and I dropped on a ledge in about 100 feet of water. Prior to entering the water, Rob told me that if he saw a big hog that he would give me a series of toots on his subduck. If I showed up, I could shoot the fish but he wasn’t waiting long. We dropped down the jug line and went in different directions. Almost immediately, I heard Rob’s subduck and backtracked down the ledge where I found him beside a large hog. I put a freeshaft in the hog’s head but didn’t stone him. The hog ran down the ledge and holed up, but I was able to work him loose and string him. I looked at my computer - 3 minutes bottom time. Rob and I again parted ways and I soon saw a 15 pound gag coming across the broken rocks towards me; he turned, and I shot and stoned him from about 15 feet. I strung him and looked at my dive computer - 6 minutes bottom time. I continued down the ledge and almost immediately up swam a nice 10-15 pound red snapper; he turned, and I hit him with my freeshaft on the lateral line behind the gills, but the spear glanced off. I continued to work my way down the ledge picking up hogs, scamps and a small cubera. I crossed a section of hard bottom and came upon another rock pile. A large male hog swam past me. I turned and hit him in the head. Before I could get my hand on the shaft, the hog threw it and ran down the ledge and holed up. As I was making my way to the holed up hog, I came across another large hog which I quickly shafted and strung. Again making my way to the holed up fish, again another large hog presented himself in my path and again was shafted and strung. By the time that I finally got to my first fish I found him on his side with his head sticking out from under the ledge. Not wanting to lose him again, I shafted him a second time and strung him. I looked at my pressure gauge and realized that it was time to ascend. I was relieved that there were no more large hogs between myself and the surface to delay my ascent!

Rob had told me prior to my departure on Friday that he felt that there was a 75% probability that I would top my personal best 20 pound hog that I shot last weekend aboard the Jolly Rogers 2. He made good on that prediction on the first dive as my holed up hog weighed 21 pounds! I had a new fish to switch out at the taxidermist. I also shot hogs of 17, 16 and 11 pounds on that dive all of which had not completely converted to males yet. When I shot them, I assumed that they were all males just because of their bulk. It was probably the best dive of my life. Here’s a picture of my stringer. Please bear in mind that there is no bag limit on hogfish in South Carolina.

[kitefisherman]

Here a better view of my 21 pound hog

[slipknot]

Great job Kite! You don't get many day's like that one.

[Spearooo]

Dammmmmmm!!!!!!!!! You crushed'em..................
how'd the other guys do? how bout your other drops....

We can always cooun't on good reports from you
keep it up, i can't get enough looks at hogs like that, makes me wish it was me holding the SOD.

[Spearooo]

String of DEATH.......

[Mobile Diver]

Helluva dive!

[Charlestondivin]

Quit teasing em kite and show em the big fishes.

[eyyeball]

You think the man only did one dive?

As Paul Harvey says, "And now, the rest of the story"

[Spearooo]

Of course not he drove from Fl. I just know there is alot more to come........:D :D

[Spearooo]

I think kite has earned this one unless, slay came up with a 200lbs stringer or 3 20 pounders.......very possible...........

[kitefisherman]

OK, OK, OK. There's more.

On our second dive, Rob and I drop down on another ledge. After the first dive, the sub duck no longer calls to me. I am on my own. :D Which is fine because that first dive alone would have been worth the trip.

Anyway, Rob and I again go our separate ways. I shoot several hogs, a couple of gags and a scamp and then . . . And then the biggest hog that I have ever seen crosses my path, but he doesn’t leisurely mosey across my path like most hogs. This beast behaves more like a startled carbo. I wheeled around and took the only shot that I was going to get - 30 degree angle off the big male’s left flank. I was shooting for behind the eye, but my spear tip instead found the hog's shoulder and exited his gill plate. I was ready to give chase, but the big boy just drifted to the bottom. Confused, I quickly strung him before he woke up.

Back on the boat, a big smile came over Rob’s face. He told me that he thought that I might have topped my 21 pounder. Quite honestly I knew the hog was big, but these boys had shown me so many big hogs in such a short period of time that I had lost perspective. Sure enough, Rob weighs him and the scale reads 23 pounds - no shit! Three personal best hogs in 8 days, and two in one day! It could only happen in South Carolina!

About the stone shot - Eyyeball was sticking his finger in the entry wound. Worried that he might be messing up my new fish to switch out at the taxidermist, I ask him to please get his finger out of my fish. He then informs me that my shaft severed the spinal column. I wish that I could say that that was the shot that I intended, but even I wouldn’t believe me. Thanks for solving that mystery Eyyeball! :)

Here is the stringer. I was grateful to Rob and the rest of the crew for their patience and for taking so many pictures. But Rob is a perfectionist, and those fish get heavy. This is the best shot of the stringer but not of me. Take the damn picture already! :D

[kitefisherman]

Here is the beast and one of those jumbo South Carolina lobsters that I helped myself to. Please note that the lobster season is still open in South Carolina.

Rob and Les caught several of these. I'm not used to catching lobster by hand, but Rob this the master with these big bugs. He tells me that it is easier because they are so big. Maybe so, but I was only able to catch one of the 3 this size that I saw.

[kitefisherman]

For those of you that might think that there was only one hog and two stories. :D Note the entry wound on the 23 pounder's shoulder. Damn I was lucky! You can see how much milkier and paler the color of the bigger fish is after the point at which the spinal column was severed.

Also note also that both hogs are about the same length (36"). In fact the 21 pounder is actually longer because the upper tip of the tail is longer. The 20 pounder that I shot last week was also 36". Apparently, big hogs get fatter (27" girth on the 23# vs. 24" on the 20#) rather than longer.

[kitefisherman]

Rob is also very proficient at finding and catching these guys - which I hardly ever see unless they are moving or out in the open.

[kitefisherman]

Les and Rob:

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Thank you so much for sharing your home, boat, and some of your best spots with me. I can not think of a finer day that I have spent on the water.

Thank you for all the time that you guys spent in the preceding days readying the boat, rigging baits, getting fuel and ice and doing all those time consuming tasks that make a day like this a success.

Thanks most of all for your friendship and hospitality. I hope that one day that I can repay it. I just wish that I had a comparable fishing and spearfishing paradise of my own to share with you.

And finally, you guys in the Spearboard Open should be afraid - very afraid! If some guy like me who has been spearfishing for less than 3 years and who has never dove South Carolina before can come up there and shoot fish like these, Les and Rob operating on their own turf are forces to be reckoned with.


This is the Slay Ride - Les’s meticulously maintained 36' Bertram. It is a great fishing/diving boat. Les is the driving force is seeing that this boat stays well organized and spotless. Everything works because of the intense personal attention that he gives to everything. It is one lucky boat. Les and every single member of his crew could not have been any nicer or more friendly or more helpful. True Southern Hospitality!

[Marcus]

And now...the rest of the story.. :D

That's awesome Kite! Sounds like a great time.

Nice boat, Les!

[Slay Ride]

Great day on Slay Ride. I was a feeling the pressure when I heard Rob telling you about the 75% thing. 18 Mahi and an absolute pile of spearfishing. Fun times and good friends. That's what it's all about. See you at Spearboard Open. Les

[Reefrat]

Damn Rob & Les now they'll never stay below the state line!;)

[eyyeball]

Was a great day on the water and Kite is a super nice guy, thanks for coming up and enjoying the Carolina ocean with us John.

Oh yeah and I just got home from Les' house with my cooler full of filets and lemme tell y'all I've got an ass of fish to eat!!!

[greyface]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Way to go John!:cool:

[Screen Name]

Damb! Dem be sum fish!

I'll be up next weekend to help ya kill the rest of your spots! :D

[biggsy]

Wow great story kite! Congrats on some more trophie hogs! You didn't blow a hernia holding that stringer up did you? :)

Nice to see you getting out eyyeball!

[diligaf]

Kite- Awesome stringer!!! That must have been one heck of a trip!!!

[Charlestondivin]

Screen, I don't know how many times we have to invite. Your welcome any time pops. :) John, Glad you had a good time. It was good having someone in the pit who can fish when the Mahi fire drills start. We were like a well oiled dolphin machine by 11pm. Too bad charlie tuna never showed up.

I thought that first hog we saw was an alpha coming down the ledge when i called you with the sub duck. Just turned out to be one of the big females. Congrats on the Alphas.

If anyone wants to get on some of these big Hogs call SPEARIT in NC He is a spearboard open sponsor that can put you on the big snouters. SPEARIT DIVE CHARTERS 910-455-1116/305-586-4541

[Steel Shootin']

Originally posted by Spearooo
I think kite has earned this one unless, slay came up with a 200lbs stringer or 3 20 pounders.......very possible........... Definitely! Congratulations, Kite! I'll update the front page today.

Rob, my turn!! :D

[SPEARIT]

Rob
Thanks for the plug. Where did you find the Dorado? I tried some light-lining Sunday but no luck. Saw very little grass at 45mi. out. Need some more SE wind to push the weed lines in.
Tom

[Slay Ride]

Tom: 800 ft 50nm out. But other boats caught them good but smaller in 180 ft. Few weeds but some decent rips.

Scott: I've got to save a couple of those alpha's to bring down May 22, but serve up some good BBQ and we'll talk about an overnighter on Slay Ride.

It was a pleasure to shoot with you again John. You're welcome to come anytime. Just to let you know, you shot 2 state record fish in one day. State record is 19lb.

[Diverdave76]

HOLY CRAP!!! Rob when can I dive with you and Les?? With a stringer like that I would never head back to Fla. I'm SC born and bred anyway!

Dave

[deepstops]

Outstanding day Kite. Congrats.

I haven't been wet in a couple of weeks due to work and family obligations.......

[keyspearfisher]

The photo of Rob reminds me of the Star Trek episode "The trouble with Tribbles".

[Charlestondivin]

Dave, make it to some of the sc spearfishing club meetings. Lots of guys there with boats looking for riders. Check the message boards on CD.com too. Last weekend someone couldn't fill his boat for a spear trip.

[Larrod]

My first post on this site....just wanted to say again how much fun I had, and that it was a pleasure meeting you John.

[SLAYER]

HOLY SHIT JOHN THOSE ARE SOME COMMERCIAL STRINGERS ALMOST..CONGRATS ON THOSE FISH ..IF ITS POSSIBLE I MIGHT HAVE TO GO ON THE NEXT TRIP ..THAT IS IF THEY EVEN LET YOU COME BACK AFTER KILLING ALL THOSE FISH.

[kitefisherman]

Thanks guys for all the kind words! I’m sure that Les and Rob have done as well or better several times themselves, but their efforts to show me a good time made this my best day. You guys better be careful or I might try to piggyback one of the many invitations that you've already got floating out there. :D You may have to get unlisted phone numbers. :D

Larrod and Eyyeball: I enjoyed fishing and hunting with you. I forgot how much fun it was to troll ballyhoo. It was great to be back in the pit. It’s especially fun to work the cockpit with such a well oiled crew. Please express the same to Taylor. It was a pleasure to work in an environment that everyone automatically gravitated towards what needed to be done next. I have fished many boats, and can tell you that it is rare. I only wish that the yellowfins had shown up! Glad to see you here Larry. As I told you on the boat, this is a great place to learn a lot very quickly. I hope that Les gets you shooting before too long.

Greyface: I knew that you were coming down here last weekend. I hope that your trip went well. I hope that we can hunt together again soon before too long.

Screen: Thank you for the Riffe MT 3 enclosed track that I won in the Southern Open last year. It is my favorite gun ever . . . although I still haven’t really given the Wongs a fair chance. Nevertheless, Sheri was kind enough to send me up to South Carolina with 4 Wongs so that I could show the boys what they were missing. I’m still having so much fun with my Riffe that I must admit that I haven’t yet given the Wongs a true audition.

Kevin: You certainly have very dedicated customers! These South Carolina guys love their SS guns! Although I shoot a Riffe,I still espouse your style of shooting. I hope that someday that I can attend one of your seminars and learn more. ;)

Spearoo, Marcus and Biggsy: Can’t wait to finally meet you guys on the JR2 on our upcoming trips.

Freediveslayer: Someday, Brian maybe I’ll be good enough to shoot on your boat. :D Till then I’ll keep plugging away. Seriously though, thanks for the praise; I know that you aren’t easily impressed!

Scott: Thank you for Spearboard. Without it, I would have never met these guys and many others that I talk and hunt with regularly. It has truly changed my life. Still waiting for that picture of the week. . . :D

Please forgive me for posting one more picture of my 23 pound hog. I know that I sometimes have trouble differentiating the size of fish in pictures depending on how far that they were held out towards the camera. For those of you that dive with Cressi Gara HP 2000s, I think that this picture does the fish justice. Look at the meat along the back of this fish. It was a pig! Enough said.

[Charlestondivin]

Thanks for letting us look at the Wongs Sheri. They are quality pieces of gear and seemed exremely well made.

No more guests untill after the open dammit. Our ledges cant take the abuse!

[junior]

Alright everybody, let's all hit Carolina hard for the next couple of weeks:D

How far out do you guys have to go in order to get to those monstas?

NIce hogs:cool:

[Marcus]

Dayamn! That's a big ole Hog! I had to break out my Free diving fins for comparison. Saweetness!

[Slay Ride]

Hogs don't even come within 115 miles of our coast. LONG run. Big nasty seas. Stay away. Go to Texas and spear the rigs. Much more variety. :)

PS. Thanks to Sheri for letting me check out the wong's. I'm thinking of a reel gun for targetign some of the pelagics. Very nice equipment.

[Steel Shootin']

Originally posted by kitefisherman
[B]

Scott: Thank you for Spearboard. Without it, I would have never met these guys and many others that I talk and hunt with regularly. It has truly changed my life. Still waiting for that picture of the week. . . :D Finally got it done, late last night. Front page and center!

Please forgive me for posting one more picture of my 23 pound hog....

Hey, if you use the Shooter Dan counter, you are still allowed to post 78 more photos! :D

[biggsy]

Hey Kite...congrats on the picture of the week, you deserve it brother! Again, nice shooting and you are right, that fish is a pig compared to that fin...Unreal!

[biggsy]

Originally posted by Slay Ride
Hogs don't even come within 115 miles of our coast. LONG run. Big nasty seas. Stay away. Go to Texas and spear the rigs. Much more variety. :)


SBO has been cancelled to all those spearing in Carolina :) Your entry fees are however not returned, so thanks for playing! ;)

[Charlestondivin]

After all this smack talk I think we have assured ourselves an ass kicking. :) The pic on the front was of the smaller male.

[kitefisherman]

Scott: Thanks for the honor and yet another milestone!

Mad photocredit props to Charlestondivin!

[junior]

Maybe we'll get lucky and there will be a massive pile up on I-95 for the carolina guys:D

[Spear One]

Thanks Kite. Someday you will see the light! Its more about your state of mind, than the gun itself! Hope to see you at a seminar some day.

[Slay Ride]

mmmmmm.......Rummmmmmm......Captain Morgan's is filling the bill for now, but it aint CS ... Kite brought some really good Bourbon. I've almost finished the bottle. I usually don't drink Bourbon on the boat. Not a pretty site. That's saved for land duties.

[kitefisherman]

Well, it took 14 months, but I finally got my hogfish back from the taxidermist. I think that it was worth the wait. Mike Kirkhart at New Wave Taxidermy (http://www.newwavetaxidermy.com/)has been seriously backlogged, and it took him almost a year just to find a free day to mold my fish.

Note the four long dorsal fin spines. Most hogs have only three.

[kitefisherman]

Mike pays extraordinary attention to detail. He paints both sides of the fish. Even the inside of the mouth is molded, finished and painted. The fish was not molded flat, rather it was posed in a gently curved swimming position.

[kitefisherman]

My mount was the first one out of the mold. Accordingly, it will be the best cast that will ever be made. Look at the detail of the scales. You can even see the scale slightly out of place on the lateral line where I hit the fish. Mike also did a great job painting the gillplate designs. He does all the painting himself.

[kitefisherman]

Check out the detail on the tail and fins. Each scale, spine and vein still appears sharp and clear from the molding process.

[kitefisherman]

Here’s one more pic from the front quarter without so much glare. I can’t help but stop and admire it every time I walk past. I honestly think that it is the best hogfish mount that I have ever seen. Mike is in the process of producing mounts of my fish for customers who saw my mount and wanted one for themselves. Thanks Mike for another great mount!

[WreckDiver]

Outstanding Job!

[jfg]

Kite, that is an unbelievable mount. I had to go back and read all the posts about the trip again after seeing the mount. That had to be a fantastic trip. I hope to make that trip one of these days. Thanks for posting the pics.

[Mobile Diver]

Gorgeous mount, Kite. I know you love having it on your wall.

[Charlestondivin]

Good looking mount. Congrats. The taxidermists in the boca area need to start paying us some kickbacks!

Somone told me a while back that some taxidermist in Fl would mount a hogfish for free if it was like 28 or better just to get the mold, does anyone remember who it was?

[Steel Shootin']

Looks great, John. You can display that proudly for years to come.

[Charlestondivin]

Note the four long dorsal fin spines. Most hogs have only three.

Lots of them here have 4 spines

[ScottZeagle]

Very nice, John!!!

Glad to hear that you finally got it and are so happy with the results!!!

Scott

[kitefisherman]

Lots of them here have 4 spines

Rob the only reason that I said that was:

I wanted to commerorate my first trip to the grounds earlier this
summer in a real special way; I figured there was no better way than with a Burt Lancaster Gyotaku fish rubbing as I have been a huge fan of his since I saw my first rubbing of his at a local festival . . .

The second fish I shot; a 15# female. When Burt saw it though he flipped out! His eyes got wide and sparlky and he sat there with this huge grin; notice the four spines on the dorsal fin; he said that he has only seen this trait once before out of thousands of hogs that he has rubbed; making this fish the true Zoo Freak of the rubbing. That man really loves his work.

How many people out there have ever noticed a hog with four spines? Just curious to how rare these are.

From the thread http://www.spearboard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12039

Not saying that they are rare in SC, but I suppose that Burt sees more with 3 than 4. In any event, I love my hogfish mount!

[Slay Ride]

Awesome John. I went back and re-read the whole post as well. Great weekend. Hope to see you soon. Les