You are currently browsing the monthly archive for May, 2007.
That’s right. 200 pounds. James, Stefan, Kasey, Cristian, Jim, and Brian all got a piece of this one. Well, several pieces to be exact. But despite several hand-offs, the fight time was still just at an hour and a half, which isn’t bad at all for a fish this size. This is the second 200 pounder to hit the deck on the KRAKEN. What a brute. Now we’ve got nothing at all to complain about, but guess what was in this guy’s stomach? Nothing- not even the bait we caught him on. So while we were all pretty pumped, I sure wouldn’t have minded having a 5 gallon bucket of chum stuck in his belly. But I’ll forego that bucket to catch this size fish without another boat in sight. I guess I’m going to have to ditch my line about not catching big tunas in the spring.
Wayne Templet Jr. and family came down to Venice for a little bit of everything, and that’s what they got. The tuna bite the past week or so has been over by mid-morning, leaving plenty time during midday and early afternoon to scrape together a decent bottom catch. I think they’ve got just about every color in the fish world in this mixed bag.
Jon Riner teamed up with offshore near-pro Lane Foil for what seemed to be instant success. Our first pass at the first rig of the day resulted in a hammering strike and a blistering run that had the 50LRS hot to touch. Jon did a good job on the rod, but between the relentless fish and the steep chop, he had to call for back-up. Lane got on the rod with a knowing grin, imlpying that he would quickly see this affair to an end, an end that would no doubt be him smiling with a big tuna on the deck. I don’t think events went according to his plan. First of all, his pants ripped so we had to see part of his butt for the entire fight. Secondly, though Lane is experienced and usually comes prepared, he had traded his trusty deck-grippers for what must have been a cheap sale item in the women’s footwear department at Dollar General. Lane could barely turn the handle on the reel without slipping and falling, both on the deck and almost over the side. With Jon exhausted and Randy KOed with seasickness in the bow, calling for his friend “RALPH!,” I had to run the boat and hold Lane by his other grippers so he wouldn’t go over the side. An hour later, his knowing grin had been exchanged for frothy white spittle on his lip and full-body tremors. But he refused to hand over the rod. After a little fancy foot-work, we got a gaff in the tuna and wrestled him aboard. 159# is an awesome spring-time tuna. Lane’s new lucky hat is the “Black Samurai” one he’s wearing in the picture, but I wonder if he can handle the success it brings him.
Eric Johnson and crew came down from Meridian, MS for a day of bottom fishing aboard the KRAKEN. After we caught our limit of red snappers in about 30 seconds, it was time to tend to the species count. We ended the day with a mixed box of mangrove and red snappers, amberjack, scamp and gag groupers, triggerfish, white trout and we even added a few redfish on the way in. Here’s Mitch, Mitch’s dad, and Eric Sr. with a fine red snapper triple header.
Reverends Mike and Ed from north Alabama pose with Gary and their haul from day one of their two day trip. We had a nice tuna/snapper combo on day 1. After catching 3 yellowfins and some skipjack tunas, we managed to catch our snapper limit in under 20 minutes. One day 2, not only did the tunas disappear, but they took with them our lucky rig and our nice forecast. Nevertheless, we still caught a limit of snappers and some redfish on the way home. These guys had a great trip and from the sound of it, there’ll be extra fish at the church fish fry this weekend.
Who was it that said we never catch big tunas this time of year? Oh yeah… that was me. But I’ve never been happier to eat my own words. Steve Barnett brought a new crew over from Panama City, FL, but it was his son who was the hero this time. Jarrett battled this 189# yellowfin for right at 2 hours and never even hinted that he might give up the rod. I’m still waiting to hear how sore he was the next day. What an awesome solo catch for a 15 year old.
Crista and her co-workers from the New Orleans Aquarium of the Americas came down in mid-April just before the snapper opener with one thing in mind: being the first aquarium to display a live Warsaw grouper. They’ve caught Warsaws before, but always in deep water (300′ plus) where post-catch survival was poor. The challenge they put before me was not just to catch one, but to do it in shallower than 200′. Well, mission accomplished. We caught this 40# warsaw in about 180′. The picture was taken in the big livewell they put in the back of the boat. Despite their best efforts, this one didn’t make it either- unless you were thinking of the frying pan. In addition to the Warsaw, we added a nice cobia, several gag and scamp groupers, and a school of red snapper to the Aquarium’s current collection. Hopefully the aquarium crew will be back to try again.
