Monday, February 05, 2007
Current mood: satisfied
Category: Travel and Places
A friend of James' (Jim) has been going fishing with a charter captain (Capt'n Dave, his rig is called Sea Lover) out of Ponce Inlet (South Daytona Beach) for around 20 years. Jim planned a trip for this weekend and had a couple spots open so James and his dad (Warren) went too. On Friday Jim found out his brother was snowed-in in Colorado, so there was another spot open on the boat (there are a max of 6 spots) Jim made some calls but it was too short a notice for them. So after much thought I said I'd like to go, I have never been out on the ocean so I wasn't sure how I'd do and we knew the waters would be choppy.
We were looking forward to possibly catching red snapper and grouper, maybe a few amberjack. However we were hoping to go out 40 miles but because of the weather we went out 20, it was around 65 degrees on shore when we left, it rained on us a few times, but while we were out the temperature dropped 10-15 degrees. The spookiest part of the trip was being out there and seeing lightening a couple miles from us, it was only around one rain band and it didn't last but it was interesting.
We went 13 1/2 miles before stopping. The first part of the ride out was rough but I felt fine, when we stopped the first time though the boat rocked left to right then front to back (felt like a tilt a whirl) and my stomach rocked right on with it so I headed to the railing. As quick as that feeling came on though it went away and the rest of the day was great. (I did hesitate to eat much though so I was hungry at the end of the day.)
We fished at 4-5 different spots (super secret places I'd never try to find without Capt'n Dave) and caught; red snapper (50+ but only 3 were keepers/I caught my fair share of the ones that went back in), trigger fish (a few), sea bass (lost count {not as many as the snappers} there were quite a few and most were keepers), dog shark (I caught 4, 1 got away, total there were 8 caught and kept), silkey shark (just one I caught that too.) The red snapper were fun to catch they put up a decent fight, the sharks were fun to catch too they put up a good fight also. We didn't catch the large fish we thought we might because we didn't go to the gulf stream waters due to the weather, and I'd guess that's why we didn't see any grouper.
It was amazing out there, even though it was over cast it was beautiful, all that water. I can't wait to go back again! I would like to go on a sunny warm day though.
I uploaded a video to myspace page that James took with our camera, it shows just how rocky it was. When you look at it over my left shoulder is my father-in-law Warren, at the wheel is Capt'n Dave, at the front of the area I'm seated on is his Deck Hand Mike, then on the right side of the boat in the far corner barely visible is Jim's dad, then Jim, his sister Peggy and you can't see him but the vantage point is from where James' was sitting.
Side note about deep sea fishing on choppy waters, it's a great workout for the legs, abs, biceps and triceps. The legs and abs because you're trying to stay upright and stable so as not to fall over or overboard, the arms with setting the hook and reeling in. It isn't visible but I'm sure I have a bruise under my right arm where I had the butt end of the pole under my arm, but it was all worth it!
I called my dad yesterday to tell him about this, I wish it was something he could come do with me but with his back pain and knee troubles it just wouldn't be a good idea. I'm reasonably sure if he'd been on this trip standing at the rail at some point his balance would of likely given out and we'd be fishing to get my dad out of the Atlantic pronto. I also thought about my Grandpa T while I was fishing, I know he stuck to the rivers and streams in Idaho and the surrounding area but he loved to fish and he would of loved what I saw that day. Any time I go fishing though I think of him, I always felt fortunate to be close pals with my Grampa T. He didn't have much need for grand daughters along on fishing trips but my dad convinced him once when I was little (I think about 5 or 6) to let me tag along. He was sold on my joining in when I hauled in the first rainbow trout of the day. I'd spent days on end in the front yard of our house in Alameda California practicing casting across three front yards before that trip to visit my grandparents in Idaho. I'm not sure how the neighbors felt about my use of their yards but I was a happy girl when I had a fishing pole in hand.
Well gotta run see you later allig8tors.
Sea Lover Sportfishing web site http://www.sealoversportfishing.com/
Currently listening : Spirit By Jewel
