Due to the lock down states vary with the rules. In Florida fishing is essential but this time of the year weather is always an issue waiting for calm seas. We have enjoyed catching Kings and spanish, lane snappers and triggers. We have a cobia and we have caught far too many big red snappers. Last week I only took 2 pics but caught a dozen of the big reds and many were double the size of the ones pictured. Still no season for them in the Atlantic.
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Looking good captain!... good job!
Sal
I hate you !! ;D ;D
dang, looks like great way to spend the day, nice fish, nice boat and safe away from the people
That looks like some fun fishing, perfect size for sport and eating,nice way to spend the time.
What kind of handle is on your Newell? Shimano maybe?
Great fishin'! 8)
Nice pics captain, thanks for showing us, I went out from the West coast of Australia yesterday, almost to South Africa, could`nt get a nibble all day, then just on time to head home, I hooked a shark had him up to the boat several times, before he decided he needed the hook more than I, & away he went, you get them days, cheers Don.
Fabulous job man,,,,,, ;D
Thanks guys. We need to take more time for pics and I really need to show how the dummy rod that hangs off the bow flexes with a large fish. Sal's 9/0 with Tom's frame and Alan's handle has fought some whoppers. The battle is always short on that rod.
Looks like Friday may be the next day we get out. Just watching the forecast for now. Will add more pics after the next trip.
Dwight
That's the biggest snapper I've ever seen with its eyes in its head!
The Man
Those were the first two red snappers and we put the camera away. Caught some double that size at a different spot.
Dwight
Quote from: Donnyboat on April 27, 2020, 01:48:16 AM
Nice pics captain, thanks for showing us, I went out from the West coast of Australia yesterday, almost to South Africa, could`nt get a nibble all day, then just on time to head home, I hooked a shark had him up to the boat several times, before he decided he needed the hook more than I, & away he went, you get them days, cheers Don.
If you kept your distance and wore your mask, you could have come over for a beer!
Started on a very pretty morning out of Ponce Inlet. Larry and I went to some of our favorite spots but the fish just were not showing well. I got my thumb burned on my 338 by a huge king Mackerel and before I could get it close enough to see how big it was he threw the hook. Got a keeper on another spot and got a couple really big sharks on Sal's 9/0 that hangs off the bow. It got a couple red snappers too. I got a very large one on my Newell 636 and Hercules 50-100 rod on a live bait. Larry got a couple trigger fish and got his flat line bit off a couple times.
Not a great catch but a nice day to be out.
(https://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a526/dwebb49/May5_zpsayiasgs7.jpg) (https://s1282.photobucket.com/user/dwebb49/media/May5_zpsayiasgs7.jpg.html)
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Dwight, every one of your trip have great catches!
Does that 636 ha be an aluminum kit or is it stock?
I can't believe how light these reels are for their size.
Nice going buddy...and Larry as well,
How come he's never in the pics?🙂
That last photo belongs on a magazine... very nice👍
Thanks for keeping us entertained.
Sal
Sal,
The only aluminum frame you can get for a 600 series is the 646. I had sent a 631 to Tiburon to measure and had a deal working and at the last minute he upped the minimum order to 40 frames and I could not invest in that. All of my 600s are stock and very strong with seven stack drags. The factory 5 stack is plenty when upgraded to CFs.
Would be nice if Tom could make us some.
Dwight
That looks delicious Dwight.
Dwight. Fill in flash on the camera. Dominick
Quote from: steelfish on April 26, 2020, 09:13:39 PM
I hate you !! ;D ;D
dang, looks like great way to spend the day, nice fish, nice boat and safe away from the people
Love you too Alex. 8)
Always love the pics with your boat. Just a suggestion, if your able sometime, it would be great to get a video of a fight on the short rod with Sal's 9/0. How long is this rod ? What make ? ... Jeff
Yes, it would be nice to see that set up in action.
A short rod for big game would be a good choice.
Sal
Fabulous gear on fantastic fish great job man,,,,,,,, ;D
Those are really nice fish!!! The kind I dream about... and the kind of eating I dream about, too!
Quote from: Rivverrat on May 06, 2020, 07:57:12 PM
Always love the pics with your boat. Just a suggestion, if your able sometime, it would be great to get a video of a fight on the short rod with Sal's 9/0. How long is this rod ? What make ? ... Jeff
I have thought about it many times. That rod I built with a Rainshadow stub 80 and it is so short I only needed two rollers and a top and it is mounted in an alps bent butt. It hangs off the bow with a live bait and Larry and I are fishing in the back corners. When we here the clicker go off it shakes the boat and we drop everything and run to it and the last thought is a camera. It is the coolest set up and catches a lot of big fish and sharks. We are more concerned over gaffing something than taking pics or videos. It is a cool rod to look at all bowed up because you know it is something heavy to make it bend. Maybe next time we can get a video. Need a go pro but don't want to spend the money.
Dwight
Dwight, I dont want to spend the on a Go Pro myself. Believe me I understand its a hard thing with just two people... Jeff
We got out on my birthday today and Elly was along to get some pics and Larry is in them too. She made some videos but have no idea how to get them from phone to here.
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I'm glad you had a great day out there Dwight. Elly did a good job with the video camera.
It was Also nice to finally see your fishing partner, he's pretty good with the gaff.
Thanks for sharing buddy!
Sal
Looks like a great day, That's a big red fish, is it a snapper? Spending your birthday in style!
Those big red snappers are overprotected and have become a nuisance fish. They are eating machines.
Very nice Dwight. And Happy Birthday. You and Elly are looking good. Dominick
I dont know any better way to spend a birthday compadre
you're face said it all
Couldn't be better unless I won the lotto too. ;D
This is the same time of May the fishing started picking up last year. Planning to go back out Monday or Tuesday based on the current Sunday forecast. I know I am not getting weaker but a few times yesterday I got my butt kicked by some big critters on the bottom. About a 10 second or less knock out punch is not fun. Elly got hooked up several times and lost them all. She is really good with mangos but these things were bigger. Hope to give a good report next week.
Dwight
Happy birthday,,,, :D looks like it was a good one,,,,,,,,, ;D
We don't normally fish weekends but next week's forecast was poor so we decided to get out. We got out early before sunrise to beat the crowds but when we got back in it was amazing how many boats were in the intercoastal water. Managed to get loaded at the ramp quick and escaped with some fish. Our first mangos of the season were today and a couple crevalle jacks and vermilion snapper. The biggest mango was on the big rod and a big red snapper that we can't get away from. One of the jacks that I hooked was flying away from the boat fast and after it got tired I worked it back a ways and then it ran straight at the boat and rammed the engine bracket right between the engines and cut my line at the same time.
Dwight
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Nice looking fish and I see a new torque there,,,,,,,, ;D
The torque 7500 is a tough fast reel. 50" a turn and 50lb drag.
Never a bad trip on the stress free!
Very nice guys!... I always enjoy seeing these.
Sal
The fish are starting to gather so we are watching the weather closely for an opportunity to get out safely. June usually smooths out quite a bit for at least a couple trips a week.
Dwight
Quote from: Newell Nut on May 25, 2020, 10:25:48 AM
The torque 7500 is a tough fast reel. 50" a turn and 50lb drag.
That's a cool reel,,,,,,, ;D
Another episode of Stress Free Adventures. Since we got our own boat we have seen some amazing sights and it happened today. The fish in the pics are all mine but I always send some home with Larry if he strikes out. He had a rough day getting bit off or catching the nuisance red snappers.
There is supposed to be another mango in the pic but before Larry could get his reel secured and get the net a giant Goliath got my big mango just three feet from me. It was exciting to see such a huge dinosaur fish but he got my mango. That ain't all. We keep a big rod hanging off the bow with a live bait about 30 ft deep. Right after snapping my line and stealing my mango he spots my other bait and sucks that in. Now he has to fight for his life with Sal's 9/0. He got to the bottom and cut the leader off but he had to work for it. No more trouble after that except just a Larry gaffed my king mackerel a cuda got the tail.
One of those wild and crazy days aboard the Stress Free.
Dwight
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Dwight, it's strange to see Mangos that are red. Our Mangos in SE FL. are mostly gray. It must be because of a slightly different diet.
The change after you put them in the cooler. They grey coming out of the water. It is more of a dirty orange in the cooler instead of red like a red snapper.
The food chain in full effect
Yes indeed. We tied to catch that cuda with a live grunt and no luck on a free line and then I had the king and he had to have a piece. I had a chance to free gaff it once when it stuck its nose to the chum bag. Glad it did not try to eat the chum bag. There is always a bigger fish wanting to eat smaller fish.
Dwight
Never a bad day on the stress free!
I need to see those Goliath Groupers up close, so I'm putting together a reel for you that should be able to help.
Benni was able to bring one close to the boat with a 9/0 I assembled for him, I wonder what kind of line he used on his.
Nevertheless, I'm sending you a little larger reel.
Keep it going buddy!
Sal
Getting excited Sal. Last year we landed a 400 lb one on your 9/0 using 130 momoi main line and 100 lb fluorocarbon leader. The one I saw yesterday dwarfed the one last year. Last week or the week before I hooked another giant that I was afraid my rod was going to snap on. If I go more drag then I need to build a heavier rod. They make a stub 130 but they have not opened a season on them but it is being discussed. I think they have been protected for nearly 30 years now. If we could keep one I could not get it in the boat. I don't have a tuna door on the boat to slide it in. I have numbers where some big ones live just to hook one and play.
I wish you could see one up close. It is exciting and intimidating at the same time. Before we got our boat we fished on a friend's boat. Larry hooked some huge and fought it and it suddenly got slack. He pulled in about a 12 lb snapper that was mashed flat and scaled so a goliath that was not large enough to swallow it just let go after crushing it.
Dwight
Another great trip,,,,,,, ;D