# 5th annual get together out of Dauphin Island



## BonitaEaters (Sep 7, 2009)

After hiding in the shadows for a few years I thought I would finally post up! Thank you to all, for all the great info that is posted on this site. Mike B and Istarted our trip 8/27 with the drive down with boat in tow from N. Atl . Stop by Mobile airport to pick up the two Dave's who flew in from upstate NY. We usaully do our annual trip out of destin, but were looking for something diiferent this year. We had 5 days of fishing and wanted to target Tuna at least one day. After reading all the action at the nipple and elbow we decided to head towards the yellow gravel and elbow the first day . On day one we put lines in at the gravel and about a mile before the elbow Mike is hooked up to a nice fish after 30 min we boated our bigest WAHOO 65.5" 63lbs . It was caught on a catchy tackle pink with a bally, way the hell back line. We trolled for couple morehours p/u one small dolphin after a ton of short strikes and one nice fish came undone we ran in, to bottom bump. All we caught on public #s wherethe endangeredred snapper . :banghead Day two ranout to the gravel while setting up to troll wemarked some good bottom to dropon , trolled for couple hoursuntil we found a start of aweed line and DaveL is hooked up with another HOO 48" 25lbs.Caught on a catchy tackle pink and blue on the flat line. Aftertrolling the line a while we headed tothe gravel Mikeb picked up a nice25lb AJ, we heard on the radio that a charter pu a 80lb AJ on the gravel area .....:clap Day 3 the whether kept us in Mobile Bay to fish the rigs, DaveS picked up a nice red drum . Spanish and catfish were the hot bite of the day, we arenot good at inshore fishing..Day 4 tuna is on the menu but thePetronious is cover up in storms, we managed to get 35 mile out in 120' of water . Caught one nice king and could of sunk the boat with the endangered red snapper. We caught nothing to speak of on the shallow water rigs. On the run to the hill the seas flatten outto slick smooth. Here is were the story takes a turn. We get back to the dock clean the boat, king , shower and head todinner . While eating dinner and having a few adult bevs., we decide to man up and head to the petronious. The marina is closed so off to the store to buy 3 five gal cans and after 3 trips to the gas station 2 hours later we top off fuel tank. I checked xm whether no storms and the bouys are saying 1 foot seas, so off we go at 12:30 am after fishing all day (dumb move). The wind started to pick up and seas were1-2 all night we managed 22 mph with radar on and riding thewaves.At 3:30am we were 65 miles out 10 short of the petronious. Time to get some sleep RIGHT :sleeping, I put out a sword line down Dave S puts out a live bait on a balloon and throw the sea anchor out . It felt like being in a washing machine trying to sleep in the cabin, it was the first time my stomach felt alittle iffy. Nobody puked but morale was a little low till the sun came up. With no sleep 10 miles to go off to petronious as we get close out go the lines and Mike spots tuna jumping. Like flipping a switch we are back at it..First loop around and we hook up a nice 23 lb bull dolphin . After that we couldnt keep the damn cudas off the lines . So after 15 more loops around we backed up to the rig and tried chumming nothing but sharks and cudas. We did see 2 bill fish one was behind the boat follow a line coming in the other was jumping after bait . There is definitely fish out there, just wish I had my game face on . The seas were still building 2-3's so we started our long run in to a head sea, 5 hours later we hit the dock. What a trip , I had a great time ..... Craig Oh yeh the bull was caught on catchy pink and blue w/ bally on the flat line. The catchy have out fished the Islanders this year anyone else dragging them????


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## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

Welcome. 

Nice first post.


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## Ultralite (Oct 1, 2007)

> *Garbo (9/7/2009)*Welcome.
> 
> 
> 
> Nice first post.




+1...good report and keep em' coming...nice hoo and that slap on the counter looks awesome!


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## BonitaEaters (Sep 7, 2009)

Thank you for the warm welcome , hopefully next trip we will have a tuna report. Living north of Atlanta makes the trip to the rigs kind oftuff .Tight lines Craig


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## scottd (Jun 1, 2009)

Great post. I have never fished with Catchy Tacke. Sounds like they do some damage to the hoos.... Whatmodel where you fishing with? Thanks,


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## BonitaEaters (Sep 7, 2009)

I bought these at BassPro years ago I forgot what model (size) they are..










We caught 2 50lbs + wahoo back in March fishing out of St Augustine using these with a bally. July we fished the Marquartz Marina tournament in Mexico Beach and won the wahoo division with a 39 lb hoo. The one on top with the torn pink skirt, we fish it down the center way back .. They have done well for us this year. Thanks Craig


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## user6993 (Feb 15, 2009)

Good post and read. Sounds like yall did more then just give it a try. Way to go back out for round two. We also fish St Augistine in March. Look for us next year we will be there for the Wahoo run. Gene Team Recess


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## BonitaEaters (Sep 7, 2009)

We play the whether game in March running out of St. Aug. I'll try to post if and when we make the trip PURPLE HAZE its always a pleasure to hook up with folks that have the same illness. The group that introduced me to St. Aug usually run out with 2-3 boats..Thanks Craig


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