Fishtails

A very very sad day indeed My sincere condolences to Shirley and the family. You will be sorely missed by the many you have touched Joe.

I didn't know that you should connect the radio and plotter....Interesting! I am going to have to look Into that. I have an Auto Pilot ordered from Kevin Jerge and I will tie that Into the chartplotter (both Raymarine), but that's all I planned on doing. Is there any real advantage of connecting the radar to the plotter, given the fact that my radar Is Furuno and Gps Is Raymarine ?

Would you dive In....free dive down to 50 ft over 250 fow and catch a king using your own bare hands?? Me niether I had to dive In once though a few years back when a buddy dropped his "very first ever" salmon In the drink. It started sinking fast, so I didn't have much time to think about It. I didn't wanna have to listen to him whine like a little girl about how he lost his first Salmon

Thanks for sharing your expierence Jeff. That was my thinking on keeping the strands to a minimum and not making them very full. Did you tune the spoons at all? I'd think a slight tune would correct that but I think the tail on the NBK might be to full? I expect the rattles would slow the action too so I don't plan on using them, but I'm gonna try one just to find out? These will be my guinnea pig spoons and we'll see how they stack up against stock spoons. Won't be long......

Good one...Fishtails It Is then! Now that I've made more, I got the hang of the production "skirt" tool I bought to make these and they are coming out really nice. Directions on how to use It would have been helpful. I'm not sure how full I should make them? I'm trying not to overdue It and make them to full. I definitley bought to much product....I could make 1000 of these things with all I have Billy, Siggs makes a really nice product. I couldn't find exactly what I wanted though, thus the reason I choose to make my own. I wanted to stay with natural tones and leave the color to the spoon. I'll do some brighter colors later after testing these. I went with silicone skirting instead of flashabou because Imo, the silicone won't go limp when It gets wet and should have better action behind a spoon. The silicone will also absorb and hold a scent better. I also wanted the option to use my own hooks. The fact that It covers the split ring Is a plus too. The sleeves I'm using have rattle ears and will accept small glass rattles like the ones we use on our Tournament fly rigs. I'm not sure If I'll use rattles yet? The option Is there and I'm just gonna wait to see how they field test and see If the rattle will be a hindrance, or effect the action of the spoon. Here Is one with a rattle.

I began the arduous task of changing out all the hooks on my spoons, so I decided to play around with adding skirts (aka "Fishtails" to some of them. I think I like It...these are the first ones I did, but I think I'll be doing more. Now....will the fish like them ??

I guess I didn't finish my thought....I figured you guys could read my mind I guess I was Just wondering who will be fishing what division & how many would now be considering the open division? That's the poll I was referring to. Guess I should have said that

I'm thinking a poll might be In order here ? Pete, like Rich said, you can leave port and start fishing anytime. . My interpretation as the rule reads Is that you could leave port anytime during the night or morning, I'm guessing a 12:01 am departure would technically be legal. You could definitely have more fishing time than the Am division, which now has to be back by 1pm, but can't start fishing till 5:30am.

Concerning the new "open division" Based on past talks with some of the committee, I'm guessing that Saturday and Sunday are two separate events. This Is what was being discussed a few months ago. I'm not affiliated with the Pro Am committee In any way, so I guess we will have to wait on a more official word. My understanding on the reasoning for the open division was to get more teams Involved. There Is now a division for everyone. Some teams may not be able to do both days.....but could do one. It also gives teams who may have had an off day a clean slate on day two. You will have a chance to go from last to first , something that Is not very likely In the Am or Pro divisions. Our Initial concern was the Am division could loose to many teams that decide to jump down to the open division. My suggestion to minimize that was prize structure, but I don't know what the committee's decision on that Is/ was? I think this third division Is a good Idea. Hopefully they follow through with the prize structure suggestions. Our discussion last year on Lou helped the committee In developing this Idea as they listened intently to what we all had to say. It's based on the Friday pre fish events of last year. My interpretation of the rules for the open division are No observer...culling allowed. Essentially It's a limited/no rules one day derby taking place on two consecutive days. For us who fish Am division, It looks like we lost a half hour + fishing time? We only have 15 min from the time we leave the dock till we can start fishing. Some ports require 10- 15 min just to get out to the lake. We also now have to be back by 1 instead of 2. I'm not sure how I feel about that? Gonna be a full throttle Chinese fire drill In the morning!! I understand It's designed to speed up the Weigh In process, but It may limit how far we can travel from the port. Still no culling In the Am but at least our limit was raised to 9 fish

But of course I'm messing with you....I know you would't have It any other way Ray !!

I think a couple things are being overlooked on Ray's calculations. First and most obvious are that Ray failed to include the number of coors lights consumed on the day these observations were made . Secondly, don't forget that when Ray hit bottom In 17 fow.....that's where his boat was, but the leadcore was 100 yards+ behind the boat. Tuff to say what the depth was exactly when It hit bottom, but It's unlikely that the water depth was exactly the same as It was under the boat where the reading was made. If he was trolling Inshore then the actual flasher/fly was probably deeper.

Tom, You think they just got the gills & bass mixed together....very different tasting fish. The larger gill may have tasted a lil fishier than the average ones also? When I go salt fishing and catch different species for a fish fry I find It hard/Impossible not to get them confused once the cooking begins. Who knows, just a theory? Definitely remove the lateral line after skinning the fillet along with the belly meat on any fish and then soak the fillet In saltwater....will make any fish much milder In flavor. :

I agree with Eric. Spring at the bar followed by summer king fishing are what I am looking forward to the most!!

Very nice Jekyll. Congrats on a beautiful fish. That was a quick turnaround also, I'm still waiting on one from last July and I really don't expect to see It before summer. Now....do you have wall space left for when you top that one

From one artisan to another.....WOW Paul, fantastic job!!

I hear Sanibel Is really nice Duane. I have not had the opportunity to get there yet. I did not keep the groupers. We caught all of them on the last day, and I wasn't going to have time to clean or cook them so they were released. I only kept a few fish the whole trip actually, 2 yellowtail and a hog fish. Both are favorites, but I'd really like to try some fresh grouper one of these days. Could be a porgy Bob, but I think the eyes are kinda close to the mouth and the mouth was a little small for the porgy family. Doesn't mean It's not though. I caught some Bermuda chubs this trip Skipper and they do look very similar In the body shape but they have yellow stripes and are lighter. We have a book we carry with us but I swear half the fish we catch are not In there.

These are some of the fish we caught on our last day In Key Largo. Don't know what this Is? Check out the fish behind the boat Justin had a field day, but they were mostly smaller fish. A yellow Jack....great fighters! A rock hind Some groupers Justin's small Mackeral

Thanks guys. The fishing really picked up the toward the back end of the trip. We got In one last day and It was flat enough to get 6-7 miles out to the big reef and just beyond It. I forgot to put the rod holders on the boat before we left or we coulda fished for the big fellas out there .....way to go nimrod We had huge king Mackerel all around us for about a half hour...tried everything I had but only produced one king strike on a ballyhoo and Justin caught a small one on a gulp shrimp (I have lots left If ya wanna try It Ray). We had a fun morning bottom fishing though....caught some really cool groupers. I'll post the pictures In the pic section. Anyone thinking about going down should definitely do It. I'm hoping to get a few of us together some day and have a "serious" fishing adventure In the Keys I'm way ready to get out there on the big pond now. April can't get here soon enough!

Well guys, we head home tomorrow and I have come to the conclusion that I have GOT to come back down here to John Pennekamp In Key Largo on a manly fishing trip. The family thing Is awesome and I wouldn't trade It for anything but getting any serious fishing In Is tuff!! The weather has been 80's and calm the past two days so my fishing days turned Into family snorkel days. We fished early and did really good, though nothing was huge. I'll post some fishing pics when I get home In a few days. The afternoons were so nice the family wanted to hit the reef and snorkel, which was a blast! If/ when you get down here....do It !! The reefs here are just gorgeous! I highly recommend John Pennekamp If your coming down with a boat. The fishing and snorkeling Is outstanding!! It's not a great place to fish without a boat though. Here are a few shots of the reef fish from the boat. You really don't even have to go In the water to see them. I threw In some chum to pull more fish If and It wasn't long before a shark and some cuda's showed up. We were all out of the water by then, so I was just having a lil fun. Don't know If you can make It out, but this pic Is of the shark.

Did I start this thread Ray....I can't remember? I'm staying out of It!! Knowing what was originally proposed, and what the committee finally came up with says to me they listened very closely to what we said as a collective group. They are not going to please everyone, but I think they tried pretty darn hard! Thanks for sticking your neck out and speaking up Paul, the committee needs a voice. Looking forward to a great season!!

Finally....the fish are biting Spent an hour or two fishing on the Florida bay side of Key Largo yesterday and the water has really warmed up. We had a bite from the moment we arrived, albeit they were all small fish, but I was just happy to get Justin In some action. Heading back out today to look for some size. We fished the mangrove creeks between the islands. Hoping the winds will allow us on the Ocean reef by tomorrow? Justin's first Mangrove snapper of the trip. Stop laughing, I know It's small, but look at that smile!! Check out the Iguana hanging out behind our RV In the Mangroves.....It's huge!!

Happy B-day Melissa. Bob, buy her something nice. You owe her BIG

Hey Everyone, Figured I'd let you know we are still alive and down here In the Keys. 7 days so far And I only got out fishing twice . Luckily we have 6 day left so I'm hoping to get In a lot this week. Our trip to Long Key was good, but the weather wasn't great except for the first day. We decided to do Key West and tourist things due to the winds and cold fronts.The flats were void of fish thanks to the cold fronts. After four days at Long Key State Park we moved to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. I actually like It here a lot, except Florida bay was only 57 degrees the last time I was out and the fish had shut down (at least that's what I'm telling myself).....5 hrs fishing = 1 large stingray . This week looks promising, as they are calling for 80's all week. Windy for the next couple days, but then It's supposed to subside and we should be able to get a few days out on the reef. I put In my family time when the weather wasn't so good....now I can go fishing this week So....no fish stink In the boat yet, but that's about to change Hopefully I'll have a good fishing report In the next couple days. For now the only pics I got are of the family. Fish pics hopefully still to come..... The better half and the kids In Key West The kids on the flats In front of Long Key

Hey Bob, congrats on making another trip around the sun !! Welcome to #44, same age as me . Have a good one!