Offshore Fishing: May 2004

THE ADVENTURES NEVER CEASE WHEN DOUG, MYSELF AND JAKE GO FISHING. LAST SATURDAY WAS THE INAUGURAL TRIP AND WE MADE IT A DOOZY. A 50 MILE+ TRIP TO THE GULF STREAM TO FISH WHAT IS CALLED THE BLACKJACK HOLE. WE HAD ONLY PICKED UP THE BOAT THE DAY BEFORE. WEATHER FORECAST WAS EXCELLENT. 2-3 FT. SEAS AND 85 DEGREES. AFTER SOME MESSING WITH THE GPS AND GETTING SOME COORDINATES PUNCHED IN AND WE ARE ON OUR WAY FOR A 2 1/2 HOUR TRIP TO THE BLUE WATER. WE GET THERE AND THERE ARE ALREADY ABOUT 20 BOATS IN THE AREA. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT CONDITIONS EXCEPT FOR WATER TEMPS. 78 DEGREES. TOO HOT AND THERE IS NO BITE HAPPENING. EVERYDAY THE WEEK BEFORE AND THE FISH HAD BEEN KILLING EVERYTHING. WE FISHED UNTIL ABOUT 1 AND DECIDED TO HEAD TO THE FRYING PAN TOWER WHERE WE WERE HEARING ON THE RADIO THAT THEY WERE KILLING KINGS. WE PULLED OUR LINES IN AND HEADED OVER. THE OCEAN WAS GLASSY SMOOTH AND IT TOOK JUST OVER AN HOUR TO GET THERE. QUITE A FEW BOATS THERE TOO. WE SET OUT OUR LINES AND ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AGAIN. DID A LITTLE BOTTOM FISHING WITH CUT BAIT AND CAUGHT SOME SEA BASS AND SNAPPER BUT NOT WHAT WE WERE THERE FOR. OH WELL. ABOUT 5 WE HEADED HOME. MADE A BEE-LINE FOR THE KNUCKLE BOUY AND FROM THERE WE HEADED TO THE R4 BOUY AT SOUTHPORT. SMOOTH AND FUN RIDE IN. THE NEXT DAY WE WERE PUTTING IN AGAIN AND WERE TALKING TO THE OWNER OF SOUTHPORT BAIT AND TACKLE. HE TOLD US THE REPORTS WERE THAT THE BITE TURNED ON AT THE BLACKJACK HOLE AT 3. WE LEFT AT 1. THE BITE TURNED OFF AT 2 AT FRYING PAN TOWER. WE GOT THERE AT 2:15. WE DID OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T WHERE THE FISH WERE ALL DAY. LIVE AND LEARN. WE WERE TOLD NEVER TO LEAVE THE BLACKJACK ONCE YOU ARE THERE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE FISH TURN ON. IT MAKES SENSE. AN UNBELIEVABLE AMOUNT OF WATER IS FLOWING THROUGH THAT AREA. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN A NEW AND COOLER FLOW IS COMING THAT WILL TURN ON THE FISH. LIVE AND LEARN. I GUESS WE ARE PAYING OUR DUES.