I am home from the Key's!! - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

macojoe · 02-04-2008, 10:00 PM

Arrived at Key West at 5 pm Thursday, After a 5 hour ride from Ft.L, made many stops and saw the local people, they were cute!!
O wait!! Here are a few now!!

This Female (I hope) took a likening to me!!

I think we were becoming the talk around town and decided to get out of there!!

Also stopped at the Wide World of Sports to get some tackle, which we did not need, Should have bought hooks!

So off we go and stopped at some restaurant that feed there own wild Tarpon!! There they sit just waiting for food, and they are great sizes!!

Off we went and ck'ed out the boat, then it was off to get something to eat!
Got down town and we were kind of in a rush as we didn't want to miss the boat. But I did at least see Sloppy Joes!!

We walked all over to see as much as we could before heading back to the boat

We decided to get a sandwich at a shop and get back to the boat, we would come for dinner when we got back in on Sunday. YEA RIGHT!

So we get on board get all are stuff toghter and settle in, then the Capt came on said it was windy an it was going to lay down in a whike and we would not leave till 2 am.

I say to my to buddy's Lets go!! Party Time!! They said no way, you be drunk and grabbing the local talent, then we all miss the boat!
I said she missed me and was cleaning up for a hot date as we spoke!!

So we stayed on the boat and went to sleep, 3 guys. no wives or kids, strip places all over and we are going to be d in the hold of a boat

So as the Cat said 2 am we off! the next morning was a bit wavy but just fine!

This is Mark on the left and Henry on the right

Here is Henry & I with a couple of Porgys

macojoe · 02-04-2008, 10:00 PM

Mark & Henry doing some night fishing

There were lots of fish, lots of Yellow Tails, Yellow eyes, red snapper, Porgy, Mutton. there were so many that I can't even remember them all!
And this was along the whole trip!!

One morning we saw a school of Bonito, it was huge and not time for the camera!
One night there were a school of ten or better Mahi Mahi they would take nothing offered and stayed away.

Then there were the Flying fish! I was sitting at one point and I here JOE!!!!! I looked and BAM, one flew right into the wall 3 inches from my head!! Funny stuff!!

Henry's on, gets a small Grouper

So I get up in the morning, catch the biggest Mutton of the trip comes to the top and there Hooks sucked!! Guy said thats easy 20 pounder!! Just as the mate goes to gaff it the hook lets go and the fish is just floating!
Mate grabs the 12 foot long gaff and if there was ever a time I wish I had 3 inches more this was it! Just could not reach it.
A guy comes over with a Buck Tail gig and cast right on top! Try to snag it and it wakes up and is gone!
Man I was POed!!

O well just 20 min later I got a few small hits, something was playing?? I got fed up with it thinking it was something small, locked the real and set the hook BAM I was on!

What a fight, I had all I could do to hang on! I was sure glad that Henry had brought a small pack of Gammy Hooks with him, cause I was mad about losing that other Mutton to a dull hook and he gave me a good one just before this!

We were using Penn 113, 50# Test, and 5/0 rods, heavy stuff!! and I was bent over hard!!

That thing had me from the side of the boat to the rear and back to the rear corner!!

Here she comes!

And here she is the winner of the pool and $240 to me!

35# Black Grouper, Nice fight!! Its the biggest Tog I ever caught.

I have a bunch more random shots I will try to post later!!

Goose · 02-04-2008, 10:04 PM

wow sweet fish

keeperreaper · 02-04-2008, 10:05 PM

Great pics and nice job winning the pool.

Slingah · 02-04-2008, 10:07 PM

looks like you guys had fun....

Willy G. · 02-04-2008, 11:12 PM

Beautiful black! Wouldn't have minded one those on my trip.

Glad to hear you had a good time and bummer about that mutton.

Raven · 02-05-2008, 06:56 AM

thanks for the post
....the great photography
and for telling a good story...

a little Ravenization happened heh heh

Andy D · 02-05-2008, 07:50 AM

Nice fish !!! Congrats on winning the pool.

Rick Ackley · 02-05-2008, 07:59 AM

Sounds like it was great trip, congrats.

fish4striper · 02-05-2008, 08:10 AM

Nice job Joe!

chris L · 02-05-2008, 08:13 AM

glad you enjoyed yourself . Nice fish Joe
Hey I drank in that bar and the rest of them too .

macojoe · 02-05-2008, 08:51 AM

Thanks everyone!!

Maybe next time Willy!!

Raven, I wanted to do just that!! You should see the other pic WOW!! I have PS but never figure out how to use lie some of you guys!!

ChrisL, Thats exactly why they would not go with me, They new we miss the boat or worse be in jail with no one to bail us out!

Raven · 02-05-2008, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macojoe

Raven, I wanted to do just that!! You should see the other pic WOW!!
I have PS but never figure out how to use like some of you guys!!

read your mind......................

RIROCKHOUND · 02-05-2008, 08:58 AM

Joe,
what was the bait? Looks like a whole Goggle eye in the gaff picture...
Nice fish! we got into some Grouper (~15ish lbs) trolling wire line a bunch of years ago in the Bahamas. They can pull when they get that broom tail moving down!

chris L · 02-05-2008, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macojoe

Thanks everyone!!

Maybe next time Willy!!

Raven, I wanted to do just that!! You should see the other pic WOW!! I have PS but never figure out how to use lie some of you guys!!

ChrisL, Thats exactly why they would not go with me, They new we miss the boat or worse be in jail with no one to bail us out!

thats a good thing . ya know they have the biggest jail I have ever seen and I have seen a couple .

Flaptail · 02-05-2008, 10:40 AM

Man I could go for a dose of that about now.

Thanks for posting the pics. There is hope!

EarnedStripes44 · 02-05-2008, 10:48 AM

I hope you saved one for the grill.

Swimmer · 02-05-2008, 11:49 AM

Thanx for the pix. Looks like a great trip. Glad you had so much fun.

macojoe · 02-05-2008, 12:34 PM

Quote:

RIROCKHOUND Joe,
what was the bait? Looks like a whole Goggle eye in the gaff picture...
Nice fish! we got into some Grouper (~15ish lbs) trolling wire line a bunch of years ago in the Bahamas. They can pull when they get that broom tail moving down!

We use all kinds of bait Squid, Google Eye, something else they had frozen, I forgot the name??
But this was caught on a small Yellow Tail, butter flyed This is what we caught most of are fish with, it worked great!

Quote:

EarnedStripes44 I hope you saved one for the grill.

Will be on the grill tonight!!

And from my other thread

Quote:

keeperreaper Macojoe,

To bring the fish back just put in a cooler with frozen little chickens as ice. They stay frozen for a long time, keep the fish cold and is legal.
thats how a lot of boys bring their tuna home from LA.

I took about 30 # of Grouper and put in Zip Locks, then went to the market and bought 4 small Cornish Hens, but in soft cooler, Was perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!
Put in cooler at 3pm in Key West and at 2 am here the hens were still rock solid!! That was the way to go!!! Thanks Keeper!!

luds · 02-05-2008, 02:01 PM

Way to represent s-b.

PI guy · 02-05-2008, 05:18 PM

I'm heading down there at the end of march, got any tips for lining up a charter?

macojoe · 02-05-2008, 05:36 PM

We went out on the Yankee Capt Boat, same boat that is up here in May.

The Crew were the best!! They were always there when you needed them and I can't say one bad thing!

The Boat has tight bunks! And I mean tight!! But you only go there to sleep and then fish!! I am 6'1" 320# and I was able to get in and sleep.

The food was all good for a boat, breakfast was $5 and up depending what you wanted, Lunch about the same, and dinner $9.
We had grilled pork chops, Alfredo pasta, chicken breast, salad, Ice Cream, ect ect was all good.

They give you leaders, swivels, and hooks free, but $2 a sinker, up to 10 oz egg sinkers.
The hooks suck and this is why I lost my 15+ pound Mutton!! We had a small stash of Gammys with us that saved the trip!!

Two flaws with the boat

1. they say there are showers and there is 1, and it sucks! Also after the 1st day they get pretty dirty. Capt more concerned with bleaching the deck then the bathroom.

2. the Capt has the personally of a rock! Thank god we did not have to see much of him!

What do you want to fish for?? We met a great guy on the boat that has his own Chatter out of Key Largo I think, he does Tarpon fishing on the flats, we will book with him next time.

Let me know if you need his info!

PI guy · 02-05-2008, 07:00 PM

I was thinking more along the lines of a backcountry flats trip. I would love to hook up w/ a tarpon. I sent an email to a guy out of Islamorada last week but have yet to get a reply. I considered bringing a setup but I'm pretty sure it's going to be more hassle than its worth, we're staying w/ the inlaws so I may just end up buying something there and having them drive it up in the summer. Shoot me a pm with any names of Tarpon guys down there if you can, it would be a big help. We will be on Big Pine for a couple days then down to Key West, but hell I'll drive anywhere down there if someone can put me on a Silver!

Hooper · 02-05-2008, 08:31 PM

What? Not one pic of anyone pukin' in a Duvall Street bar....are you sure youwere really in Key West??????

Thanks for the great shots! Looks like a great trip!

Raider Ronnie · 02-05-2008, 08:43 PM

Great pics,
Though kind of tough to look at while waiting for winter to be over!

StriperSurf27 · 02-05-2008, 08:57 PM

Nice pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ProfessorM · 02-05-2008, 09:14 PM

Nice stuff Joe. looks like you had a wonderful time

macojoe · 02-05-2008, 09:15 PM

PI I will send you the info of the guy we meet on board, he is a Alabama transplant and a hell of a fisherman! Never stopped he is Hard core.

Hooper we were not down town for more then a hour or two. a lot to take in for just a short time, Plan on doing another trip next year with the Tarpon guy and will have more time for fun!