# Middle Grounds..A great battle to be won!



## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

There is a great battle to be won!
For the last three weekends the Florida Fisherman, Hubbard's Marina, has been fishing the Elbow. This Friday it's time to hit the Middle Grounds again. Captain Garett Hubbard leads the charge. It's three P.M., Let's go, we are ready and very hungry. Tammy's Philly cheese steak sandwiches are just what the doctor ordered. What a meal! 
Decision time. Do we troll, eat some more, or snooze. Dave decided to troll. He likes his comfort. Dave caught five nice mackerel on the way out. 
















Cards or bunks? Most hit the bunks. After all, we will be battling the monsters of the Middle Grounds for twenty straight hours. Hold on! What is that I smell. Joe is showing Tammy a new pork dish. That bunk will just have to wait. 








Talk about being good, talk about being full! Thanks Joe. Finally, bunk time.
Twelve thirty, Captain Garett Hubbard sounds the alarm. To your stations. There is a battle to be won. 
Amanda strikes! The fish do not have a chance against this blond, this fisher-woman:
















Amanda did not catch this black tip. But she sure was interested:








Dan & co. help Amanda out. After all, we can't expect this fisher-girl to do it all on her own:








































You are not going to believe this, but we are hungry again. Chef Tammy to our rescue:








Amanda sure is getting plenty of help:
























Jon, FWC biologist, had his hands full. On the water, real data, is so important. Jon studies, vents, & tags fish. Catch you later:
































Early into Saturday morning we already have a good catch. Here comes that old sun doing it's thing. Hope the fish do not go to bed. 








Well, guess what? We are hungry again. That's no ordinary breakfast sandwich. That's a meal:








Time to go to work. Here comes Dave:








Amanda and gang are in the fight:
















Wish those darn ARS would leave us alone. We just can't get away from them. Look at that tag. This one has been caught at least once before. See you next year:








Lunch time, Tammy beer batter dipped fish time. No chance of loosing a pound out here. Man! That fresh cold slaw is something else:








Those darn AJ's think they are stronger, smarter, than us. Little do they know that we have 'Tammy power' going for us:

































Loud screams of excitement. What the heck is going on? What is Will battling? Could it be? Yes! A big mahi ! What a fight. Over & over again this tropical wonder-fish leaps, shakes his head, and twist his great body. I capture several jumps on video. Be sure to take a look.
















How about a late afternoon red grouper? Oh no! Not in the jackpot:








Will, Joe, & Jon, our trusty mates, demand that our fish be kept ice cold:








Sun down over the Grounds. Stunning!








How about a piece of cake before we hit the bunks. Really glad I brought a cover. It's cold in here!








Way to go Will, Way to go!
















Now that's a nice catch. Problem is...we were completely over-powered on a very regular basis. Still! "There is a great battle to be won!" The Florida has one more trip, 9/7, before dry-dock. We are going to win the great battle this weekend. 
















Now there is a jack pot winner:










Check out the action packed video of our trip. See the mighty leaps, and Amanda and crew at work:


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## Cracker (May 15, 2012)

Nice report and great pics. Don't forget to report on that last trip of the year.


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Thanks! Will try to report on every 39 hour trip. I know I will miss one for my HS homecoming game & A private chatrer I am scheduled to go on. 
The Florida Fisherman will be on dry dock for about three weeks. 9/28 will be our next trip after dry dock. 
The Florida is scheduled to sail every weekend during October. After that, only on full moon weekends until Spring.


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