JD7.62

With no wind and calm seas I had to get back out there.

The conditions were perfect for chumming. I arrive at my spot only to look down and see the snapper already just a few feet below the surface.

I put a personal 24" min on ARS for myself at the beginning of my trips. I quickly landed several in the 22" range but let them go to get bigger.

I finally got this nice fish at 27" but the bite seemed to slow and time was running out on my short trip so for the last twenty minutes or so I decided to go ahead and and keep a smaller fish but alas I was too greedy and didnt land another snapper. Funny how that works.

The bonita were every where. On the troll back in I got a hit as I was marking schools of something BIG. I had been marking bonita all day but these returns showed much bigger fish then all of the bonita I had busting around me while I was snapper fishing.

What ever this fish was, he was heavy. I dont think he ever knew he was hooked. I got him close to the boat, didnt see him but he finally realized he was hooked and he shot off like a rocket. I could feel some head shake so maybe it was a big bonito or maybe a BFT. Who knows because my twelve pound test didnt last long after he took his first blistering run.

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JD7.62

On a related note, Ive noticed these close in fish are MUCH fatter then the fish Ive caught offshore this year. Check out the shoulders on my fish above and look at how more streamlined the fish we caught offshore were. Perhaps its because the close in fish have less competition for food. Any one else notice this?

PAWGhunter

Again, Nice fishes!

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2011 Hobie Outback

Ginzu

You da man! Nice going. Don't forget the tarpon are around now, so add another mystery fish to the list when something big takes you on a run and you never see him.

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