Some friends of mine flew in Wednesday to film their annual salt water fishing trip for their hunting and fishing show.  We left Destin pass about 5 AM on Wednesday morning for the Spur to drag some baits.  They had put in an order for Marlin.  Hit the spur around 8 AM and set up the spread.  The Water was blue but very hazy.  At about nine o’clock something hit out mold craft on the long rigger.  I thought it was a dolphin but no one saw it hit.  While my son was starting to clear lines they were setting up their cameras.  Every thing was fine until Wham our left teaser started screaming.  We decided to put hooks on the teasers just hoping to catch anything. (Mistake 1)  Now my son has something on the port teaser the Host has something on the port long and I’m driving the boat.  I tell the underwater camera guy to real in the short rigger.  He looks at me and asking what a rigger is.  After giving detailed instruction I settle on explaining that it would be helpful if he would reel any of the 7 remaining lines in. He begins his retrieve at one turn per minute.  No problem I’ll just reel them in myself. As I start to reel in the port short my son lets me know that he is going to be spooled on the little reel we have the teaser on.  It’s time to turn or stop.  We idle back and land two monster black fins. (Mistake 2)  Six lines are in a tangled mess. We quickly boat the fish and slam them in the box. (Mistake 3)  We were supposed to slowly bring the fish in so they could film them in the water, and talk about these fish.  We will do better next time.

Trolled down the east side of the canyon the water stayed cloudy.  Turned toward the steps about 20 miles south of the spur and trolled another 10 miles until we found a lot of scatter weeds.  After clearing the lines himself for an hour my son informed me it was time to take some lines out of the spread. We pulled two lines out of the spread. We trolled south another ten miles hoping the weeds would form up somewhere.  No weed lines, cloudy water and NO MORE FISH.  By now the entire crew is asleep on the bow of the boat and getting a little agitated since the waves are a lot higher than the one foot prediction on Reefcast.  Waves keep breaking over the bow and getting them wet as they rest.   

Time to eat something!  I had the great idea to stow the dry food in the live well. (Mistake 4)  I wait in anticipation of the nutter butters I’m about to receive, only to find the live well is FULL OF WATER.  Everyone is having fun now.

Decide since our guest are unhappy and they think it's too rough.  We will pull the lines and head to the spur. We'll try for an evening sword bite.  After our guest had an hour of sleep while we put out the squid, they LET US KNOW they were ready to head back.  Back in at 11:00 PM.

At Waffle house they communicated that they need to catch lots of fish so they would have plenty of video to edit.  No problem! We will bottom fish tomorrow.  I know where a lot of 27” Amberjack and no one needs to see us release them

7:00 AM Thursday

I’m at Half Hitch.  It’s sabiki time.  They don't wake up until 11:30 ready for breakfast. At 3:30 PM they film the boat leaving and coming back.  We clear the pass about 4:30 and load up on Blue Runners and Hard Tails.  It’s finally going our way.  The wind is starting to blow and they want me to stay close so we settle on the Liberty Ship.  Troll for Kings and Wham FISH ON.  Only one problem, the camera man is chunking over the side.  Then he gets the hiccups.  A few more kings are lost waiting to get the camera set right.  They do get good footage of a 36” Barracuda.  Head in once it gets dark.

6:00 AM Friday

We are going to get it Right today!  BUT,  The camera man is tired, the waves are going to be high, its hot out there…etc.  We’re awake and we’re going fishing, camera man or not.  They let us take the underwater camera.  6 Kings just outside the inlet.  Great underwater footage but no audio or out of water footage, and we had the host back in time for a 12:00 flight.

This is not Crappie Fishing and sure as hell not Costa Rica!  If they get a show out of this I will be amazed.

I'll post some video once they send it to me.

   Sir Reel

         Angler formerly known as VS200B.  

The Secret to a stress-free life... JUST ADD WATER!

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Campbell Fishing Team "Outta Here"

"CELTIC"

Frank Hoskins

   Sir Reel