7-25-09 Stormy Day

The boys I train cancelled on a trip outside of Elliot Key. Howie called and asked to go out with him and Ron D. out of Port Everglades. So off we go, ocean looked flat in the morning didn't get above 1 ft all day. Numerous storms showed up later morning and early afternoon. We tried to dodge most of them. First stop shallow reef just outside the cut I was using a 100cm Aimrite Venom. Just breathing up and opening the lungs. Saw a legal school master , but lost him in a deep cave. Next we headed to third reef. Water was so-so on viz. I changed to my 120cm Super Venom, a quick change on the reel. Then me and Ron are in droppping 45' to the reef. Ron got out then I was joined by Howie. We both were buddy watching and getting about 1min to 1min and 15 secs. Not great but will have to do till I get in better shape. I saw a nice mutton but he eluded me. Howie got a small mack then we headed north away from the storms. I talked them into dropping on the last bouy in the PE channel. It sits in about 105-112 ft depending on tides. I jumped in with Ron , Ron had a flasher line off the back of his gun that the bait fish were interested in. He popped a rainbow runner, I dropped down around 30-40 and did not entice any larger fish. After trading places with Howie. Howie had a run at it with the same luck.

Next spot wasn't that far away in 45 ft of water a ledge. First drop missed the ledge second drop I was drifting with Howie and he pointed that he saw the ledge and there was a black down there. I dropped and found the black but it appeared to be only around 18-20 inches. So we repositioned and again drifted over the ledge. The currents all day were going every which way but north? This time I dropped down just above the ledge, meeting me at the ledge was a fat mutton, I wasn't about to let this one get away he turned and dropped below the ledge, I followed cautiously, waiting for when the moment was right, left turn, right turn, ready, left turn fire. I pulled the trigger on my 100cm Venom, the shaft flew out true and straight it hit him 1/3 back on the left side high the shaft penetrated forward passed through his brain then exited just below his right eye. Howie heard Ron say the fish finder was hitting fish, Howie looked down and saw me aiming, then I disappeared over the ledge and he never heard the shot, but he did see me coming up with a large yellow tail below me.

After the fish was secured we couldn't decide where to go next, but the weather helped it had completely surrounded us. So we decided to call it a day. Ron took a picture of the mutton it was 25" long and been eating good.

On Sunday I filleted him, 1/3 of him went to Ceviche, ummm ummm good, another 1/3 to dinner. the last third is in the freeze from another dinner this week.