Jigman13
03-28-2022, 10:49 PM
Booked a flight this past Thursday and landed friday night. My grandfather's 94th bday celebration. It was awesome.
Snuck out today at zero dark 30 with my dad and brother to the south side of the skyway bridge pier. Shrimp and white bait yielded little aside from pinfish, small sheepshead and small mangrove snappers.
Around 1030/11 my brother fell asleep on the pier while my dad jigged bait. I cut my rig off and went heavy on the fluoro and a 5/0 xh circle hook. Slipped on a pinfish and launched that SOB out into the current free lined, finger feeding as it swam. Few mins later, BAM! Got walloped and I'm in. High sticking and back peddling I managed to keep a 21" gag outta the reef and landed it.
About 45 min later, same deal. Live lined pinfish. Thing gets absolutely crushed. Too much oomphf for my ballistic 4000 and the tsunami saltX rod 8'6. I'm 90 degrees and back peddling, cranking down but the fish is dumping line. Sure enough, it reefed me up pretty good.
Open the bail and let the line go limp. My brother walks over and I go "I'm on, but rocked up". He laughs and doesnt believe me. About 7 min later the fish takes off and I start doubling back, 90 degrees, highsticking and cranking hard with the drag almost locked down. I get the fish out and next to the pier. Crazy.
He drops a hook down and we hoist it up. A gorgeous 26" gag grouper. Biggest I've ever caught in my limited outings down in FL. They're out of season so it was painfully released. Snapped a great pic though. I love FL.
I was told by many it was 28 degrees and snowing in NJ. I'm glad I'm here lol. Heres the gag grouper...
Snuck out today at zero dark 30 with my dad and brother to the south side of the skyway bridge pier. Shrimp and white bait yielded little aside from pinfish, small sheepshead and small mangrove snappers.
Around 1030/11 my brother fell asleep on the pier while my dad jigged bait. I cut my rig off and went heavy on the fluoro and a 5/0 xh circle hook. Slipped on a pinfish and launched that SOB out into the current free lined, finger feeding as it swam. Few mins later, BAM! Got walloped and I'm in. High sticking and back peddling I managed to keep a 21" gag outta the reef and landed it.
About 45 min later, same deal. Live lined pinfish. Thing gets absolutely crushed. Too much oomphf for my ballistic 4000 and the tsunami saltX rod 8'6. I'm 90 degrees and back peddling, cranking down but the fish is dumping line. Sure enough, it reefed me up pretty good.
Open the bail and let the line go limp. My brother walks over and I go "I'm on, but rocked up". He laughs and doesnt believe me. About 7 min later the fish takes off and I start doubling back, 90 degrees, highsticking and cranking hard with the drag almost locked down. I get the fish out and next to the pier. Crazy.
He drops a hook down and we hoist it up. A gorgeous 26" gag grouper. Biggest I've ever caught in my limited outings down in FL. They're out of season so it was painfully released. Snapped a great pic though. I love FL.
I was told by many it was 28 degrees and snowing in NJ. I'm glad I'm here lol. Heres the gag grouper...