# Thanksgiving Week at Bob Sikes



## covertfisherman (Jul 4, 2009)

Had the in-laws and my best friends family come from out of town to my house for the 5-day weekend. Father-in-Law (Cliff), my best friend (Ryan), and I went out to Sikes all night Wednesday night. Not a single bite all night except pigfish.

Called Ray up and went out again the next night. Cliff stayed home, and I was really getting ancy to try and get Ryan onto some fish. Last time he visited me here, someone on the forum took us out on a boat, tried to kill us, and couldn't even find undersized red snapper to hook. I was afraid Thanksgiving night was going to be just as slow as Wednesday, but that was thankfully not the case. I let Ryan take all the fish on the big rods for most of the evening. He started off with... well, a non-target species.










Thankfully, things went uphill from there. A big sailcat was on immediately after the bait hit the water, anda decent bluefish only seconds after the bait went out again.



















After that, it was all bull reds. His first one bit through my 40-lb. mono leaderat the surface, but he hooked up again only moments later. Ryan was in "shock and awe" mode when he hooked up on this nice 40" bull.










Ray finally got out there around 8:30, just in time to get a run and let Ryan take it. Anothergoodfish at37".










Ray got two more reds inshort order, both in the 37-39" range.



















About that time, I was on-fire catching sailcats :banghead and was having flashbacks to the past few years (only 5 reds to that point in the last 3 years of fishing for them........) and was getting annoyed. Ray hooked up on another bull, but he got broken off. Finally, I got a good run and brought in a good 37" red. A couple minutes later, I brought in a 39.5" red.



















Ryan got hooked up on another good bull that took him under the bridge and broke off. There was probably not a 15 minute stretch that whole night when one of us was not hooked up on something (redfish or sailcats).

Friday night saw Ray, Ryan, and me out there again, but Steven and Wes also met us out there. A nearby fisherman already had a slot red in the cooler when we got there, so hopes were high. Ryan got hooked up on a red, but we realized it wasn't one of the normal 37-40" fish. Saw it and was hopeful that it was slot, but came in at 30".










A little bit later, Ray brought up this 26.5" SLOT redfish, which he so kindly donated to my fish fry (was only 2 bluefish at that point lol). Thanks again Ray!










As Ray, Ryan, and I were packing up, everyone started getting runs. Steven got owned twice by reds :clap :clap , but Wes brought in this 30" fish right as I was about to leave.










Guessing, some more fish were caught that night, but I had to leave. Good times all!

Final Tallies:

-Wednesday: A bunch of pigfish :boo

-Thursday: 6 bull reds (9 hooked), 1 bluefish, 1 white trout, a few sailcats, and a bunch of pigfish.

-Friday: 3 reds (5 hooked), 1 bluefish, and a few pigfish.


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

I was glad to see Ryan get a couple decent reds. Kinda crazy that two of them on Thursday night had messed up tails. I hope you guys enoyed that red!


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## surfstryker (Sep 28, 2007)

You guys tore em up. Good work fellas.


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## Twig (Nov 30, 2009)

Was definitely a great time and yes, thanks for the fish, Ray. it was real good. phil, you forgot to mention that almost no fish were caught until after petting sawyer. the sawyer mojo was the secret.


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## Team Bloody Waters (Feb 24, 2009)

were you guys just tusing cut bait?

Thanks for the report and nice job!


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## User6882 (Feb 4, 2009)

great job guys, just as soon as i get over this flu ill be giving one of yall a call to meet up


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

All fish were caught on cut bait.


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## Snatch it (Feb 17, 2009)

Good job men! Finally Ray caught some dinner!


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## liam (Oct 7, 2007)

You guys did great ,It would be nice if they let you keep one oversize.I think they do in Alabama.I usually throw them back myself anyway,unless someone around wants it.


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## Redfish (Nov 9, 2007)

Glad to See You Guy's had a Good Time and Got Some fish,Thought about Going Thursday Myself But Didn't Think Anyone Would Be There,Nice Job Guys!!!


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

More than likely I'll be going this Friday. See you guys there.


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