# Whats the coolest/weirdest thing youve seen in our waters?



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Its cold and windy. I havnt fished in almost a week so humor me. What is the coolest thing youve seen or weirdest thing that has happened to you fishing locally? 

Not only do I personally enjoy fishing, but I like seeing all of the wildlife in our area. My favorites so far have been two whale sharks, one I swam with. Some big leatherbacks, one that was HUGE, maybe 1500lbs, Im talking seriously like a VW bug with flippers!

One of these days I want to go on an over nighter and while we are drifting for swords I want to drop a sabiki tipped with squid down like 400ft and let it soak awhile just to see what comes up! Oh, and once while fishing in the sound I caught a pair of sunglasses!

So, share your story and pics would be nice!

Here is me grabbing the tail of the whale shark!


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

15 foot wide manta ray









F4U corsair
















Spearfishing in the shade because of all the bait fish


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## Snoozer (Apr 14, 2014)




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## Pier#r (Oct 2, 2007)

A 30 foot humpback whale (juvenile?) from the Pensacola Beach Fishing Pier in May 2004


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

SORRY!


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## SHatten (Sep 30, 2007)

Hobiecat sailboat 20 miles offshore in the Gulf at 2 am with 2 souls onboard. No wind and no lights. Happened back in the 80's while in the USCG. We were enroute to another vessel in distress and just happened upon them. They were happy to see us.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

I too have seen a couple mantas, never one that big. Had one about 5ft come in on my yak this year and had a big spotted eagle ray as well.

A whale would be COOL to see, especially off the pier! I heard about 4 or 5 years ago some sei whales came close in and cruised the beaches for a bit.


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## Five Prongs Of Fury (Apr 15, 2008)

Aquatic, is that F4 in the northern gulf?


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## southern yakker (Jun 25, 2012)

I was at the pier and someone snagged a sunfish, made a few, very impressive jumps and they broke it off. I didn't think we had them around here and to see something that size get out the water is awesome. It's cool watching the manta rays off the beach jump 8 feet out the water.


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

Try'n...... nasty.


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## Stoker1 (Feb 17, 2014)

A body in Escambia river.

*edited version*
July '96 was out skiing in the lower Escambia River with a couple of friends. We had found a nice little area just south of 90 that we could make our turns and not bother fishermen but still keep us protected from wind/waves. 

We'd had our 'racetrack' setup and had made probably a dozen or so passes when I noticed something over in the reeds. Thought nothing of it other than an old pig that may have drowned and washed downstream. A couple of hours later, my bud just happened to fall near the area causing me to get in close to whip around. So I came in just above an idle, looked over at the 'pig' and realized there were arms, legs and a head attached but mainly underwater.

About crapped myself-! Hollered at Mikey to get in the boat now that we've got a floater. He climbed in and my girlfriend passed the (new then) Motorola flip phone w/pull out antenna and dialed 911.
.


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

This...


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

weirdest? Definitely a sea robin... Those things creep me out!

Coolest? Kayaking fishing amongst a pod of 100+ dolphins. A REALLY old one that was all scarred up surfaced right next to me on it's back and we just looked at each other for a minute or so. At a distance of about 5ft. I'm not a dolphin lover or anything, but it was cool

Also had the same thing happen once with a HUGE sea turtle. That thing would not have fit in the back of my truck. The head was as big as a basketball. He surface near me and just strared. There was alot of wisdom in those eyes. He had to have been 100 years old.


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## southern yakker (Jun 25, 2012)

NoMoSurf said:


> weirdest? Definitely a sea robin... Those things creep me out!
> 
> Coolest? Kayaking fishing amongst a pod of 100+ dolphins. A REALLY old one that was all scarred up surfaced right next to me on it's back and we just looked at each other for a minute or so. At a distance of about 5ft. I'm not a dolphin lover or anything, but it was cool
> 
> Also had the same thing happen once with a HUGE sea turtle. That thing would not have fit in the back of my truck. The head was as big as a basketball. He surface near me and just strared. There was alot of wisdom in those eyes. He had to have been 100 years old.


I had a similar experience with a pod of dolphins circlimg me while wade fishing last year. It was insane, about 20 dolpins circling withing about 5-8 ft all around. I knew they were dolphin but it was almost completely dark which made it a little creepy.


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## jmunoz (Jan 11, 2012)

Try'n Hard said:


> SORRY!


Lol i think this dude fished the gckfa tourny this year


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

A woman's white butt diving off a dock about midnight. I now call her "Dear". It as weird at the time, butt worked out alright


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## jmunoz (Jan 11, 2012)

O and my weirdest was deff the kayaker i found dead last year during the gckfa tourny.


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## sureicanfish (Sep 30, 2007)

Fishing off the beach on a calm, clear day when a huge pod of dolphins were suddenly everywhere. I could hear their echos which was super cool. I figured I'd play sea world and feed one a cigar minnow I had. I chucked it overboard and one of the dolphins immediately peeled out of the pod upside down like a blue angle at an airshow, came nose to nose with the sinking dead cig, paused, then must have said pshaww in dolphin and went right back to the pod and my cig sank out of sight. Some of those dolphins are HUGE!


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I've been fortunate enough to see a ton of different marine animals. Different whales, many species of Dolphins, whale Sharks, sunfish....

The coolest couple things though? I saw a species of Beaked Whale several years ago but we never got close enough to get ID on which species. 

Fighting a possible grander Blue Marlin on standup gear after it swallowed my 55-60lb yellowfin I was fighting.

Watching a pod of Risso's Dolphins trying to kill each other for over an hour south of the spur.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

*Winner!*



Chris V said:


> I've been fortunate enough to see a ton of different marine animals. Different whales, many species of Dolphins, whale Sharks, sunfish....
> 
> The coolest couple things though? I saw a species of Beaked Whale several years ago but we never got close enough to get ID on which species.
> 
> ...


A gamefish swallowing a gamefish - 50 lbs of gamefish. Wow..


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## Too Tall 2 (Aug 26, 2009)

A dolphin swimming up next to my brothers boat in the Gulf with the letter F on it's back.


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## tiderider (Oct 1, 2007)

In 1992 or maybe 93 while stationed at CG Station Pensacola we helped to remove a 48 ft Right Whale that had grounded on the shoal of Admiral Island. Around 1998, while floundering, at Ft. Pickens, we saw a bear swim across the bay and come ashore. Once saw a bullfrog swimming along the beach at Navarre....now that was weird.


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## Buckyt (Oct 1, 2007)

20 years ago a 10' hammerhead swam up to our bass boat and looked at us. It then swam off deciding we probably wouldn't taste very good with our pants full of crap. That baby was about 3' away at one point.


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## stauty trout (Jul 19, 2012)

I've been fortunate enough to a couple different species of whales out around the floating rigs south of AL... probably the most cool thing I've seen though was spearfishing a couple years ago at the trysler grounds and having a huge pod of cow nose rays swim up above us... there were so many it was blocking out the light... swam up to get a video on the go pro and saw about a 8' hammerhead cruising with them and a few cobia... the cobia made the trip back with us


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

*Fun!!*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6DQEcyTeYE&list=UUVexYbj2OoA9r864GgJULJw

*Unusual
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A-SvfTyQ2Q&list=UUVexYbj2OoA9r864GgJULJw

*Funniest*, not on video, was watching my long time friend fly off of the boat in rough seas.... Although scary when it happened, everyone laughed our butts off later!

*Weird*, many, many years ago, having a 5 ft mako get tail tied in our shrimp "Try Net". His jaws would be on my wall if he hadn't got loose!


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

*Surf and Turf*


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

Weirdest/funniest...a 6' barracuda on my line terrorizing every boat on the Russian Freighter. This thing was PISSED! It charged several boats while jumping frantically and making everyone hit the deck, including myself and my dad.

Also...a buddy and I got struck by lightening while beached and taking cover under his bimini. We both walked away without a scratch...except for the scar on my arm from where it hit me. No pain. No electrical boat problems. Just ringing ear drums and shorts full of shit.


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## Kenton (Nov 16, 2007)

I have seen many cool and weird things, but the night that stands out the most is this one.

This happened about 6 1/2 years ago. We used to fish the three mile bridge for bull reds almost every other night. We fished from an old run down pontoon boat, looked like a Captain Ron rig. We would launch from the Bayou Texar area and follow the channel out to the bay. 

On this night I had a crew of about 6 people. Myself, my new girlfriend, and about 4 friends from work (Olive Garden at the time). Setting out down the channel, as we turn the big bend west, we hear the train lock it's brakes and come to a screaming halt. Shortly after, before we hit the trusses we see spot lights beaming down through the water with policemen shouting. As we approached, the closest officer to us kept yelling, asking if we could see anyone in the water. To which we answer "no" and begin to help searching with our spotlight. 

Once we crossed under the trusses we are summoned over to the 17th St. launch by the local PFD and PPD. The boat is slammed into high gear as we approach the beach and land with all of my buddies scrambling off the boat and 5-7 fire and rescue support members jump on. Slam the boat into reverse, whip it around, and high tail it to the other side of the channel. Once we arrive to the rocks a few of the fireman jump off and disappear into the dark lead by flashlights. After a few short minutes and some radio chatter the men show back up with a somewhat heavy set younger gentleman who is stark white. 

At this point, I had no idea of what had happened. I thought he had a fishing injury or possibly a health issue. What I didn't know is that while he was crossing the bridge, he had timed it wrong, and got smacked by the train. This resulted in him getting thrown into the water and forced to swim to shore back to his friends. Which is about the time we turned the bend of the channel earlier.

The gentleman, escorted by the two rescue personnel, walk onto the boat and turns towards the bow and has a seat, directly in front of me. Immediately I reverse the boat to head back to the launch. At first heard a gargling, raspy, deep gasping sound while looking behind me. Once I turned around I saw what I was hearing. The poor guy had been smacked by the train on his back dead center of his rib cage. It had punched clean through to the hollow part of his lungs. It had then folded back out and was hanging, skin, fat, and lung material, off his back. If I had not been so focused on getting this guy back to the beach I probably would have either puked or passed out. 

We got him back and everyone jumped off. A couple reporters asked a few questions, and a few handshakes were given. A bucket of water to clean the pool of blood and we loaded my crew back up and we were on our way to 3 mile bridge.

That night of fishing was probably one of our best. We must have caught and released nearly 40 or more redfish and we each got a slot to take home.

I did some research on the night afterwards, and I guess the guy eventually got better some time later after months in the hospital.


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## coastie83 (Apr 20, 2014)

Had an alligator swim up from Choctaw Bay at Meigs beach in Shalimar years ago. It had one eye and was lethargic. Wildlife officers said it was dying when they showed up. Guess everyone was less offended in the 90s because they shot it in the head. Otters are fun to see. Also, saw Manatees at Oriole Beach last year. And all the freaks at Crab Island or Bowlegs.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

I was kayak fishing, in Escambia bay, a couple of springs ago. My back was toward the beach but I could hear a very distinct sound. I looked around and a hen turkey walked on to the beach, looked at me and just kept walking the beach, flew across a creek and just kept going. Fishing when I should have been turkey hunting.


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## purple haze (Sep 2, 2013)

Don't know what we really seen.... This year fishing the Pensacola International we were around 100 hundred miles from the pass. We were running along around 35 or maybe a little faster the sun was about to come up in 30 minutes or so. Tim, Rob, Cliff and Tim G were manning the look outs. I was in my normal place a bean bag. I hear some one say WHAT IS IT a sub. The object was showing a glowing greenest light heading to us at a fast pace. This all happen with in 30 seconds. The object past us going the opposite direction and the made a quick turn after passing us. It then over took us on our port side while we were still going around 35. When it had past us a few feet it drove down and continue to show the bright green light until it disappeared completely under water. Were we drunk NO smoking NO Excited to catch a marlin YES. It kind of got us all thinking to this day what was it. I don't think we are really ever alone out there....


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## PaulBoydenCustoms (Dec 3, 2008)

kanaka said:


> This...



Is that a sub?


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## florabamaboy (Nov 18, 2011)

Saw a manatee cross under the 12th ave bridge just where Bayou Texar meets what I consider to be Carpenters Creek. Standing on the rail with my brother(both of us sober) looking for mullet and the big guy swims right under us headed back into Texar. Very few people believe what we saw and had I not had a witness to verify what I thought it was, I'd have called me a liar too.


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

florabamaboy said:


> Saw a manatee cross under the 12th ave bridge just where Bayou Texar meets what I consider to be Carpenters Creek. Standing on the rail with my brother(both of us sober) looking for mullet and the big guy swims right under us headed back into Texar. Very few people believe what we saw and had I not had a witness to verify what I thought it was, I'd have called me a liar too.


You might be surprised at how common that sight is around here...but hush hush. I've personally seen a dozen or so, from Escambia River to Big Lagoon, over the past couple decades


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

Five Prongs Of Fury said:


> Aquatic, is that F4 in the northern gulf?



Yeah, it's out of the Pensacola Pass. Cap't Redman took us out to it.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Man some crazy stories guys! Keep them coming!

And Im sorry for the guys that have had some unfortunate run ins with dead/severely hurt people.

Purple Haze, THAT is crazy! It was either the Russians or Martians. Ive seen the plankton that lights up real thick before in St. Joe Bay. When something like a mullet would swim through them it would look just like a glowing fish. Pretty wild.


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

some stuff I cant explain or understand, more to see out there than just water,.... I think you can see more out there than you can on land or in the woods....


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## Stoker1 (Feb 17, 2014)

Realtor said:


> some stuff I cant explain or understand, more to see out there than just water,.... I think you can see more out there than you can on land or in the woods....


Sperm whale?


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

Stoker1 said:


> Sperm whale?


 yes, that the pictures from a couple weeks ago. other things I have seen, I cant explain, but to much to type.....


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## kanaka (Oct 3, 2007)

PaulBoydenCustoms said:


> Is that a sub?


Yep, there was debate that it was a ex cartel homebuild and there was another at the Shalimar Yacht Basin. Someone posted pics of it on land but I didn't copy em. And sorry me didn't get a better shot of it when it chugged past us outside the E Pass about 50' off our stern.

Purple Haze, like this????


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## KingCrab (Apr 29, 2012)

I've heard of some things Capn's won't discuss that they've seen out there at night. Me, Nothing that interesting. Things that was UFO maybe. Unidentified Fishy objects.


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## Ragon210 (Jul 11, 2013)

Kenton said:


> I have seen many cool and weird things, but the night that stands out the most is this one.
> 
> This happened about 6 1/2 years ago. We used to fish the three mile bridge for bull reds almost every other night. We fished from an old run down pontoon boat, looked like a Captain Ron rig. We would launch from the Bayou Texar area and follow the channel out to the bay.
> 
> ...


 
I work for the fire department but this happened before I got hired there, but surprisingly I hear this story told by people at work every few months.


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## 153 Large fish (Nov 30, 2013)

I was night fishing 2 weeks ago and saw Big Foot in a Kyak drinking a pina colada...but i didnt have my camera ready!...lol


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## scott44 (Aug 17, 2013)

153 Large fish said:


> I was night fishing 2 weeks ago and saw Big Foot in a Kyak drinking a pina colada...but i didnt have my camera ready!...lol


Was he blurry? All the ones I ever seen was blurry even in the picture......


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## The Pitt (Apr 7, 2012)

A friend and I were in the Everglades and he hooked into a 16-18' sawfish. We had it on and chasing it with the boat for about an hour before the line broke.


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## KingCrab (Apr 29, 2012)

The Pitt said:


> A friend and I were in the Everglades and he hooked into a 16-18' sawfish. We had it on and chasing it with the boat for about an hour before the line broke.


That's a big one !


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

JD7.62 said:


> Man some crazy stories guys! Keep them coming!
> 
> And Im sorry for the guys that have had some unfortunate run ins with dead/severely hurt people.
> 
> Purple Haze, THAT is crazy! It was either the Russians or Martians. Ive seen the plankton that lights up real thick before in St. Joe Bay. When something like a mullet would swim through them it would look just like a glowing fish. Pretty wild.


I've seen that as well. We often shark fish after dark there. When the shark comes along side the boat and runs, it looks surreal! You can make it glow by just moving your hand in the water or splashing about.


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## SWAngler (Sep 13, 2014)

Latest was last week in Pcola pass. Saw a porpoise launch a jack crevalle airborne with it's tail. Then another one launched it right back. They were playing with it just like killer whales do when playing with a seal. Never seen porpoises do anything like that.


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## tiderider (Oct 1, 2007)

SWAngler said:


> Latest was last week in Pcola pass. Saw a porpoise launch a jack crevalle airborne with it's tail. Then another one launched it right back. They were playing with it just like killer whales do when playing with a seal. Never seen porpoises do anything like that.


Witnessed this activity a few times as well. First time was while fishing the jetty at East Pass in the 70's.


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

Had a porpoise play with us while reeling up a red snapper. He took it half way up, made a bunch of runs, then come slowly back to the boat, finally once alongside he released the snapper.

It was still whole, but scaled and complete mush.

Jim


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

*Roger McNew of Perdido Key*


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## Kenton (Nov 16, 2007)

Tom, that guy was awesome. He has since passed hasnt he?


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## chad403 (Apr 20, 2008)

That was a homeland security sub


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

Kenton said:


> Tom, that guy was awesome. He has since passed hasnt he?


Yes, Roger passed sometime ago


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## Inn Deep (Oct 3, 2007)

I use to do a lot of night time fishing. I've seen some very weird lights in the sky 3 different times. ( sober with witness")

Spinner sharks, about 100+ all start skying all around the boat 1-2 miles off shore.

Huge Freaking Mako grabbed a free floater at the edge and jumped 5 times completely clearing the water each jump

Sitting at the edge at sunset when probably 50+ kings started skying all around us.

Those crazy Asian jellies about 12 years ago that invaded the area with 20'+ tentacles 

A shark beach itself chasing a bluefish I was pulling in. He was stuck there till another big enough wave took him out.

There's many more if I think about it long enough.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

All these submarine sightings are probably legitimate. Every Billionaire in the world has one now. Can't hold their head up if they only have a helicopter on board their boat.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Kenton said:


> Tom, that guy was awesome. He has since passed hasnt he?


Roger had to be a Vietnam vet?


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## Gator McKlusky (Oct 8, 2013)

panhandleslim said:


> Roger had to be a Vietnam vet?


negative. he was always a bit touched at least from childhood on ...
http://www.johnhillphotography.com/...-Legend/9102792_CMcwwK#!i=609521636&k=wNsK5HK


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## NoSlack (Sep 25, 2014)

Every time we go we see something amazing. I once saw a black 5 gallon bucket floating. I drove over to pull it out, but as I approached it became the head of a huge leatherback. I don't know how much he weighed, but he was wider than the 9.5' beam of the boat.

The coolest though was as a kid. Each summer we would spend a week at a house on the bay. I would spend from sun up to midnight at the end of the dock catching anything that liked my bait. A lone mullet making a few sideways flops was a common site. However, one afternoon an entire school came rushing at me, all jumping out of the water. It was like a wave of mullet 25 yards wide and 15 ft front to back. Just as suddenly they went under. Then one mullet jumps backwards some 50 ft in the air. I couldn't believe it. It finally all made sense when the dolphin came up under him, tailwalked backwards, caught the mullet in the air and dove back into the water.


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## 20simmons sea skiff (Aug 20, 2010)

Ive seen a sunfish, 8 ft ray jumping high out of water, ray was spotted


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

Seen a few things over the years. A few of the more memorable ones.

Had a pod of 5 dolphin hanging under the bow of the boat easing out one night. As I was at low rpm, I could hear the occasional big splash off to either side of the bow. I got a handheld spotlight and went forward to see what was going on. As flying fish would get up and fly off to either side, the dolphins would pursue just under the surface. The instant the flyer touched the water, they were caught. They would bring them back to the bow to eat em'. They were playing with them alot too. Watched them for close to an hour. 

Have seen several different species of whales. From pilot whales, sperm whales, false killer whales, humpback (skying at that). The false killers circled up a school of yellowfin and slaughtered some of them. Only seen them once. Was between Horn Mt and NaKikka. 

Seen wahoo sky as high as 30 feet easily. Saw one recently pounce on one of our lures off a 20ish foot breach and miss the lure. 

I remember the big jellies a few years back too. Huge things.

Had a guy on his first overnighter call me out on the deck of Off Route a few years back to look at a funny looking cloud. It was the Milky Way on a clear calm night. He didn't know what it was. Never had been out to where no background light was around. Went all the way to the water. Beautiful sight. 

While fishing the ECBC outta Sandestin, on the run out, had another boat a mile behind me around midnight. (The Enterprise) Saw him kick all his lights and a spotlight on. He hailed us on the radio. There was a wooden hull snapper boat anchored off. Neither he or I marked it on radar. Never figured out how we didn't. Ot was blacked out and abandoned. Can't remember the name. He and I were on the same bearing. COuldn't have missed it by much. That gave me a start. 

Fishing with Dave DiSanto one day and found a huge tree trunk loaded with fairly good sized dolphin. After two passes, not one would respond to the spread. While making the turn around on the second pass, all the dolphin skied at once. Hell of a sight. Out comes a 200#ish blue to the spread. We caught it too. Still, I've seen small dolphin scatter and skitter, but a big school of nice sized ones is awesome. Saw a huge blue devouring yellowfin near the Spur too. That was a sight. Seen bluefin skying a couple times also. That's neat too.

Lots more stuff over the years. Military stuff, neat oilfield stuff etc...


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

You guys that get to go way out often sure are lucky. Ive only been out like that a few times but each time its an experience to remember!

Which reminds me of another crazy moment. We were coming back from the rigs one night. It got really rough on us so we were just taking it slow. Three of us were on board. Myself and the owner of the boat were trying to catch some Zzzs while the third was on watch.

Suddenly we were woken by a big loud thud. NOT something you want to hear at like 0300 in that no mans land between the pass and the rigs! Guy on watch said he was watching some dolphins in the lights and one just ran into the outboards. lol


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## k-p (Oct 7, 2009)

I've seen some cool things diving and went for a ride on a whale shark once but I will always remember diving with a giant sting-ray. It was on the Empire Mica about 20 years ago and I saw him laying off to the side of it. This wasn't a normal sting-ray but a huge one. The spines on his tail looked like big pencils sticking out. The thing no kidding was at least 12' feet long and at least 10' across. I never knew sting-rays could get so big but this one was huge. He let me get right next to him but that's as far as I wanted to go and kept my distance. I wish I could have taken a picture of him and documented it.


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## KingCrab (Apr 29, 2012)

k-p said:


> I've seen some cool things diving and went for a ride on a whale shark once but I will always remember diving with a giant sting-ray. It was on the Empire Mica about 20 years ago and I saw him laying off to the side of it. This wasn't a normal sting-ray but a huge one. The spines on his tail looked like big pencils sticking out. The thing no kidding was at least 12' feet long and at least 10' across. I never knew sting-rays could get so big but this one was huge. He let me get right next to him but that's as far as I wanted to go and kept my distance. I wish I could have taken a picture of him and documented it.


Seen one at Nas once, It was as big as your stating. Didnt believe what I was seeing. It was 10' accross with say 6 ling with it. As big as they get.:notworthy: I wouldnt swim with it.


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## grumpy old man (Dec 20, 2009)

saw an inbound submarine many years ago. they surfaced about ten miles out and we followed them in to the number one bouy, where offloaded a guy in shackles to a navy launch, then they left real quick.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Gator McKlusky said:


> negative. he was always a bit touched at least from childhood on ...
> http://www.johnhillphotography.com/...-Legend/9102792_CMcwwK#!i=609521636&k=wNsK5HK


A very neat collection of photos. Heck, you used to have to be a character like that to live on The Point. 

I wondered about Vietnam because he rowing method is definately Southeast Asian. Standing up facing forward and rowing forward with the oars on stanchions.


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## Magic236 (Oct 1, 2007)

Sitting on the dock of the bay two things stand out: 
1) Porpoise and how they will corral bait even into very shallow water, 
2) 5 years or so, a handful of baby Bull Sharks would swim by at dusk

At sea:
1) Shooting Stars, Meteors and the Milky Way
2) all the life that comes up behind the boat at night with the underwater lights on, the coolest was a handful of 6-7" Sailfish, wow they were aggressive, plus a Sea Horse
3) Spinner Dolphin
4) A Blue Marlin feeding on school dolphin in 90' of gorgeous water just south of Destin

Like many of us, I've seen a lot of cool stuff at sea, without a doubt the Shooting Stars and Meteors stand out the most as it helps me sense God and ponder what man must have thought many years ago as they gazed at the heavens.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

The Pitt said:


> A friend and I were in the Everglades and he hooked into a 16-18' sawfish. We had it on and chasing it with the boat for about an hour before the line broke.


All Sawfish are 'Endangered' or 'Critically Endangered'. Largest recorded as 23 feet. One report of one 5,412 pounds. Not sure how that really crosses with 23 ft. though. Live to be 50 years old.


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## a (Oct 2, 2007)

Once i saw

1. two dolphin tail walking backwards while tossing a sheepshead back and forth.

2. a half dozen carsized manta rays feeding on plankton...each with several cobia

3. a guy kill 3 15 lb grouper at chicken bone beach, with a sharpened wood survey stake! from shore!


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## Shutupandfish (Jul 10, 2008)

Lets see, 
A seal on a buoy in the Mobile ship channel just past the light house. That was over 50 years ago while fishing with my Dad. (Sure ain't the same) --acres of fish feeding, spanish, blues, bonito,etc., was common.
A Brown Pelican when I was about 16 years old. The first I'd ever seen. Now they're everywhere.
Also an Osprey. Now common also. Got a little nostalgic here.

A mullet once jumped over the boat. Perfect jump between my sister and I, both standing , casting for bass.
While diving saw an eel about 8' long .
Caught a porpoise in a 16' shrimp net in Wolff Bay. 
Got hit in the chest a few times by mullet running at night w/spotlight.
Probably more my old head can't remember at the time.


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## Shutupandfish (Jul 10, 2008)

Opps, one more.

While diving w/my brother, a large remora swam up and tried to tear off his earlobe.. 
he wasn't much on diving after that.lol


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

That seal is interesting. There use to be a seal in the Gulf/Caribbean called a Caribbean Monk Seal. I dont think its been seen since the '50s and was declared extinct in 2008. I wonder if you were one of the last ones to ever see one alive...

I remember another story for me. I was fishing solo in my kayak offshore and I had a squid jump from one side of the kayak up and over my lap just about at perfect eye level and land on the other side. It was like in slo-mo and very odd seeing a squid "fly" in the air so close to my face!


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## Shutupandfish (Jul 10, 2008)

Could have been. Thats interesting, I always figured it was one who was WAY lost! There was a mention in the Press-Register about this one back then.


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## southern yakker (Jun 25, 2012)

One of the funniestate things I've seen was riding in my Jon boat with my friend and my brother. Me and my brother were both facing forward while my friend was at the front of the boat looking back. We were cruising at about 15mph and we seen a solid 3 or 4 pound huge mullet sky out the water and scrape the back of my friends neck. My friend started freaking out wondering what just hit him and his reaction was funnier than the mullet about knocking him out.

I've seen beavers out in the bay and a dead one at ft pickens. Didn't have a clue they could handle saltwater.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

^^^ sounds like an aquarium lost a seal


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Chris V said:


> ^^^ sounds like an aquarium lost a seal


Most likely, but would be cool to think it was a Caribbean Monk Seal even though the chances are extremely small.


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## KingCrab (Apr 29, 2012)

Shutupandfish said:


> Lets see,
> A seal on a buoy in the Mobile ship channel just past the light house. That was over 50 years ago while fishing with my Dad. (Sure ain't the same) --acres of fish feeding, spanish, blues, bonito,etc., was common.
> A Brown Pelican when I was about 16 years old. The first I'd ever seen. Now they're everywhere.
> Also an Osprey. Now common also. Got a little nostalgic here.
> ...


Saw a seal at Okaloosa Pier that just obviously just escaped from sea world.:shifty: Saw a Hammer Head as long as the end of Old Navarre pier . Head Was as wide as 8'? Saw a something on P-cola pier one day that I'm still not sure what it was. Seen 12" hammer heads attacking baits. Seen Black Fins swarming At P bch pier on December 20 th. Seen more crap than the law allows. There's more, I just gotta remember.:no:


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## Worn Out (May 10, 2008)

*Among other things,,,,*

I remember seeing a group of porpoise playing what appeared to be volleyball w/ a 12# (+/-) Jack Crevalle in the Pass...


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## pierboy01 (Jun 2, 2010)

I was lucky enough to be on Gulf Shores Pier a few years ago when a 25-30ft Whale Shark swam under the pier that was loaded with Cobia.


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## KingCrab (Apr 29, 2012)

pierboy01 said:


> I was lucky enough to be on Gulf Shores Pier a few years ago when a 25-30ft Whale Shark swam under the pier that was loaded with Cobia.


Now that I havent seen !:notworthy:


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## djbradley (Jun 16, 2009)

Was out with a friend in August and found a whale shark 2 miles out. I followed it for over 15 minutes flipping baits alongside it and playing keep away from the small cobia (easily 20 4-5lb cobia on it). Each of us caught a 21-22lb cobia, and we left the rest for another day. Interestingly enough, this was only the second whale shark I've seen here. The first was the week prior out to the west of the Nipple. 



I've seen several and hooked a couple nice sized sharks off of my pier (north Ono). One night I had a small sea turtle swim under the lights which was neat. Never seen one in the bay before or since. Also, a few weeks ago I was casually throwing around a Bomber minnow and three 20-30lb jacks appeared out of the murk about 8 feet off of the pier. Needless to say I was not expecting that. Thankfully they just eyed the lure as I would have never seen it again. 



One of the more startling happened several years ago about 2 miles out. I was reeling in the last of the trolling lines (a daisy chain in this case), and I had it just past the props when all of a sudden the whole thing shot out of the water straight at me followed by a 4-5lb king. Thankfully he landed on the engine bracket instead of me.


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## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

The coolest thing I've ever seen happened in the early 60's when I was 6 or 7 y.o. My dad & his friend took us camping & fishing somewhere near Cape Canaveral. The next morning I woke up & a submarine was going by. I don't know if they were Scottish or what but the crew members were on deck dressed in kilts & playing the bagpipes. Only time I've ever seen a submarine.


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## Mark Collins (Dec 27, 2012)

Try'n Hard said:


> SORRY!


You aint right lmao


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

Thanks, I can not un-see that image.


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## samoajoe (Dec 28, 2010)

Five Prongs Of Fury said:


> Aquatic, is that F4 in the northern gulf?


 
That does look like a Corsair.


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## JVT (Jun 5, 2009)

Giant manta ray jumping VERY close to the boat (thought he was coming in).

A very large bottle-nose dolphin that had accidentally taken my hook greyhound across the Gulf dumping my reel in 5 seconds. 

Some guy fishing with us on the Lady-D a few years ago who stayed drunk for 2 1/2 straight days and ate a whole NY strip steak raw, ate chum out of a 5 gallon bucket while we were chunking for tuna, took a few bites of nasty raw squid meant for bait, and continuously filled his glass with ice from the fish box.


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