Keys fishin' report

[FiveAlive]

We slept in 'till about 9:30 today and headed to Bahia Honda to do some TARPOOOOON fishing. Got some live pinfish, shrimp, and a block of chum along the way. Got launched and got situated under the bridge. It's really nice under the bridges cause you don't get baked in the sun. We had bottom rods for Grouper, dad had a regular spinning rod and shrimp for yellowtails and other small snapper, and then we had the 'Poon rods. Dad gets hooked up right off with something on his Groupa Digger rod.....and it takes him in the bridge piling. Dad put the reel in freespool for 5 minutes hoping the fish would swim out......NOPE! Cut and re-rig. I caught an eel on my grouper rod. Then we started catching a few nice little keeper yellowtails. Dad caught one of those and a couple other different species of Snapper. THEN.....THEN......THEN......TARPOOOON SCHOOLS! The water is clear green under the bridges, we look down and see schools of 20-30 'Poons coming through. I got one hit on mine, but didn't even get to set up on it. Then the move out. Dad's Grouper rod starts going off and he's busy dealing with Snapper so I said "Lemme git it Dad" so I reel down and start going at it. Get it up to the side of the boat and it's a nice Cubera Snapper (didn't know that till I got it in the boat)....but as I get the fish to the side of the boat.....here comes a huge SHHHHHAAAAAARRRRKKK! after my snapper. NAH AH! Aint happenin', so the bass fisherman in me kicks in and I boat flip the fish, and the hook pops out and gits Dad in the hand. He gives me a "Good job sun" and we get our rigs back out. Then the Tarpon run through again. My bottom rod starts SCREEEEAAAAMMMMING off line. Dad says "It's the Shark let me get it" He grabs the rod, clicks it over, and reels down, ain't no Shark.....IT'S A POON! It jumps on the other side of the boat and throws the hook. That was exhilerating. After that it kind of slowed down, we caught a few other keeper snapper, nothing huge, but keepers. I also learned a lesson today, I'm not very good with a fillet knife, but I will learn. Here's some pics....they should work. "No shirt, no shoes, no problems"

This is me after a fish hung me up on my Groupa Digga

Me with a small nonkeeper snapper...

My Snappa....

Snappa and Snappa....

Hooked up...

[Creel Limit Zero]

Nice work Five.  Looks like a great day with Dad.     Sure would have loved to be there to see that tarpon jump, that has got to get the blood pumping.   

[FiveAlive]

Yeah it was, we decided we're going to go Sunday morning and not tomorrow. We're going to go to Bass Pro Shops in Islamorada, and then Key West tomorrow night. If we jump a Tarpon I'll get pics

[spetro]

On your way back home.....wanna do Okee? If so let me know......a guided tour is yours for the asking for you and the family..


Enjoy the Keys.....I've done so for 45 years (I'm 48..until June 1st )

[spetro]

See this pic.....a bit of history is in order........five is just north of Big pine Key.....Where key deer rule


The pic in this post is special.  Back in the early 1900's a train was your only lands mean of transportation into the keys.  As cars came into being.....a strip/road was added to the train trestle.  If ya look hard...you'll see the train track on the pilings.....and the road on top of the trestle.  This was the mode of transportation until the new bridge was built ( Five is fishing under) .

As a kid I remember driving with my Dad on the top trestle.  Semi's would have to close their side mirrors...If not they would hit each other as they passed

[spetro]

One last thing five....go into Big Pine just as the sun is setting.  Find some back roads....Just before day turns into night......Key deer will come out.  They are about the size of a big german shepard.  You'll love it 

[topcat]

nice pics FiveAlive.....looks like you all are having a ball....one day I am going Tarpon fishing..........

Spetro......thanks for the history lesson....I enjoyed it you could have keep going I love History..........

Topcat

[FiveAlive]

Thanks Spetro, you really know your stuff. It was cool, on our way to Bahia Honda on the 7 mile bridge, I could look at the other small bridge off to the right, the old bridge, and I could see the Tarpon near the bridge pilings.

Steve, as much as I would love to take you up on the Big O offer, I'll have to take a raincheck on that. We are leaving here Monday and I have to be back at school on Tuesday (I'm taking Monday off). I really wish I could dude, that would be sweet.

[spetro]

no problem....hey check out the old seven mile bridge again.....talk about cost savings....When they did away with the train and went to cars....they used the old train tracks as guard rails

[FiveAlive]

That's for sure....and blew up part of it in a movie too