05-18-2007, 11:33 PM
Tropical storm Andrea dissolved last week but the remains of it followed us from orlando to miami. I got out friday may 11 on the ocean before my trip to orlando. My son bruce landed a 8lb kingfish then my nephew landed a 9 lb king then my daughter sam landed a 9,10,and 12 lb kingfish and missed a huge one at the end. She got a little cocky since she was doing most of the catching! Mrs ocean got a one bite and it was a cutoff. She had bad luck on this trip. I mainly was coaching the family on bringing these fish in.On friday may18 i did a charter with Knot Nancy a fellow BFTer.We left the marina at 7am and got bait on our way out to the gulfstream.We started out dolphin fishing but the 3 foot swells were to much for my nephew so he started puking and we headed in for calmer waters and more kingfish and a shot at a sailfish .Sam got our first kingfish on the downrigger and it was about a 8lber.Then it was my nephew james turn he landed a bigger one then my other nephew got hit and his was even bigger.I finally got a hit on my rod and i was hoping it was even bigger than the last two but it wasnt.It wa sthe second biggest fish.Sam got another hit and this fish just tok line then decided to slow down enough for sam to battle it.She needed the belt this time because it was the biggest fish all day.She fought it for quite a while then when she finally started whooping it made a big run!! Then the line went limp but there was still weight on it.When she finally got it up half the fish was eaten and half the head was cut in half. We think it was a cuda juding from the precise cuts and scars.Sam was mad because after fighting a fish that big and then having only a 6lb piece to show for her hard work sucked. Each of my two nephews ended up with kings around the 10lb range. I let them catch most of the fish because i enjoyed seeing them fight something that was going to fight back!! We didnt see any sails show up today but that was alright becasue we all had a great time and Capt Dave was an awesome guide! If you ever come down to miami and want to have a great experience look him up on the florida board.I will post pics sunday evening when i get back to utah.Lake powell here i come memorial day weekend!! Well i got one more trip in the day before we left.I took out my 2 nephews that couldnt go before and had never been ocean fishing.Sam started out with the fist kingfish a nice 12lber again.My nephew brandon soon hooked into a nother king about 10lbs then i stated bottom fishing for something different.I hooked a ice bottom fish my guess would be a grouper around the 10-15 lb range.I was fishing in the 225 foot range so i got him off the bottom and half way up. Then i let my nephew fight him.He didnt have the technique to fight him even though i was coaching him and it was taking him forever to bring in any line.After abouta 15 minute tug of war with him losing most of it the tax collector came calling and took all of the fish.The line was frayed so i know it was a shark because of their skin .Thats what happens when you dont get your catch in fast enough.A little later the dolphin showed up and i hooked two and gave then to my nephew and he ended up losing both due to a lack of technique again.Sam gave up fishing cause she was wore out from fishing the day before she was very soar. My nephews had a couple more kingfish bites but they ended up getting cutoff again because of lack of tecnique again.But oh well we eneded up with 3 more kings that day and i am guesiing we caught close to 100 lbs of fish in 5 days of fishing .Wish i could have brought some home with me but to many restrictions on drry ice on planes and fees.
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] But my family didnt mind. [
] If you do go back and charter a boat try knot nancy Capt Dave is a great guy and he does his best to get you into fish. Not many guides will use downriggers and let you fish for what you want.Its usally what they want you to catch.