# Hargreaves no-show thanks to dad



## daddytime (Oct 1, 2007)

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Seems like once a year, I have to come on here and talk about a major screw up on my part. Last year, it was the mis-handling of a 100 pound plus swordfish at the boat followed by bad gaffing of the biggest mahi I?ve ever seen. <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">We left the pass 1:30 PM Friday. I had the triplets, Tristan, Trey, and Taryn along with Will and my wife Rachel. All were entered anglers in the Hargreaves Tournament. We bottom bumped our way out hitting different spots with nothing to show until we ended up on some rocks about 25 miles SW of the pass. It wasn?t long before Rach put 24? snapper in the boat. That was followed by 4 or 5 more shorter, but legal snapper the kids put on ice. Then, all of a sudden, Trey was hooked up with something that was not budging. In the past, Bob and I had rigged up bottom gear, baited up, sent them down, and put them in a rod holder. Hook ups where battled by the kids without assistance. But on this trip, Trey took a little Okuma 20 I had bought for kid offshore trolling, slipped on 8 oz. of lead, tied on a swivel, tied on an 80# mono leader, and tied on a circle hook. He was fishing with a dead cig and whammo. The fish took a little drag, and I thought it was over. But Trey just straddled the end of the rod and kept the pressure on. After a couple of minutes, he started winning the battle and then the fish gave up. A couple of minutes later, the prettiest 11 pound gag grouper was in the boat. Trey was going to the scales.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">We pulled the anchor about 11:00 pm and I started south at about 10 knots. I felt like I would find some blue water somewhere close to the SW corner of the Dumping Grounds. About 2:30, I put out the hydro-glow and some sword baits in some dirty looking water and plopped into a bean bag. Everybody else was cutting Z?s in the cabin. Rach woke me up about 5: 00 am and went back to sleep. I set up my spread and got Will up to drive. 5:45 and we are trolling. 6:00 and I got grass on every bait. Frustrated, I look up at Will and he points east. There to my chagrin is the prettiest weed line and water color change I?ve seen in a while. Clean off the grass and now I?m excited. 6:35 and the starboard corner goes off. Seems like the man in the blue stripe suit could not resist a black and pink wide range and in 5 minutes Will has a 33 lb Wahoo slinging blood all over the cockpit. The ruckus woke up the fam and now I got a boat load of fired up anglers. <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">About 7:30 I spot a small billfish swatting at the little pink and purple wide range on the port side short rigger. Line never popped out of the clip. The next few hours consisted of each triplet and Rach putting small cow mahi?s on ice, none over 10 pounds. Somewhere mid-morning we got in dirty blue-green water while skirting a storm. We ended up heading west and I could see the Petronius in the distance. We hit a water color change and scattered grass about 12 miles east of the rig. Some very deep cobalt blue water. BEAUTIFUL.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Things were still slow until about 5 miles east of the rig, another Wahoo ate one of them mini-pink and white islanders fronting a small ballyhoo on the starboard long rigger. Fish ended up chewing through the mono before we could get a visual. Arrived at the rig and did a couple of circles and stopped to jig. Tristan put a 3 lb hardtail on ice to weigh in. The Rachel saw some yft jumping, so we put out 3 cedar plugs and hooked up inside 30 seconds. The fish gave will a good battle but succumbed to the cold steel. <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Now we got plenty of fish to weigh, so we start running in. Stopped at 255 rig to try for an AJ on a couple of mingo and ruby lips we still had in the well. All got ate and cut off in the rig. Barracuda was an eligible species, but the water was so clear, they wouldn?t eat anything with wire and we could not keep their teeth outside the eye of a circle hook so no joy. <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o></o><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Started our run in and about 45 miles south of the pass, Tristan was driving with me beside him and?.I RAN THE SADDLE TANKS DRY. Switched to the main tank, primed the filters and could not get the starboard engine to start. Changed the racor and?nothing. Limped in on port engine until we ran totally out in the pass. Boat US member thank GOD and we were pulled to the dock arriving about 1:30 AM in the lightning storm I?m guessing burnt the oarhouse down. Wife went through several iterations of what the heck to not your fault to never fishing again to mad about Will missing his first tournament win chance to not my fault to not interested in fishing offshore to?.get the picture. Kids took it well. I remember pumping out the holding tank last week <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace w:st="on">Bahia</st1lace> Mar and Keith (TCAT) asking me if I was going to top them off. I got plenty I said. What an idiot I can be?enjoy the pics courtesy of Tristan, Taryn, and Rach.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







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## tailfisher (Oct 7, 2007)

man that is a great story and awesome pics,sorry you had such bad luck this time.Atleast you get to eat some fresh tuna.


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## mpmorr (Oct 3, 2007)

Great report Tom, sorry hear about not making it but at least you have some good eating and a great time with the family.:bowdown


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## RiverGulfFshr (Oct 2, 2007)

Great read Tom, sorry for the Tourny. Sounds like you and the family had a trip that will not soon be forgoten. Fuel, fuel, fuel...it takes it to make it...:banghead. Keep em coming there TH and good luck and be safe. Great pics by the way!


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## Tuna Man (Oct 2, 2007)

Great story and pictures...You will learn from the past TWO years going into next year.......All was not lost...Enjoy the fish.:clap


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## DISANTO (Oct 1, 2007)

nice mess o' fish Tom. Once you run that boat for a bit, you'll know exactly how much fuel you burn....I'm sure you won't make that mistake again.

Congrats on a great trip w/ the family.

dave


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## fisherick (Oct 2, 2007)

You gotta be more careful with the fuel, bucktooth.....but at least you made it back ok. Great pics and a good lookin crew. Looks like some CALM water out there.


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## cobe killer (Apr 13, 2008)

thanks for sharing your story.congrats to everyone for their nice fish. :clap sorry that you missed the scales. :banghead


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## timman (Oct 3, 2007)

Hey Tom,

Tim McLarty here (Tim and Rachel, remember?). Rachel and I were at GLYC Saturday night - Rachel was working the weigh-in as she has the past couple of years - and I asked her if she had seen you guys, yet. (I knew you had registered because I picked up the rodeo tickets at Outcast and saw the kids names on a few of them.) Anyway, 9:00 PM came and went and we were all getting worried about you guys. Rachel (my Rachel)talked to someone who evidently called one of you guys that night and they told us what happened. We were glad to hear that you were safe, but sad that you didn't make it in. Man, you guys would have racked up! 

In the "for what it's worth" category, sounds like you guys had a great trip out and that the new ride is working out for you. Can't wait to see it! Oh, and Chuck Haskell (GLYC Commodore and Rodeo Chairman) wanted me to pass on to you that if he had known what happened before the presentation on Sunday, you would have won the "Sardine" award, hands down!!! 

Anyway, let's get together and drop a line (or a beer) sometime! :letsdrink


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Good story man, and at least you were out witht the kids!


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## Xiphius (Oct 10, 2007)

You got into them good... Nice bunch of fish. You picked up the offshore slam.Congrats on the catch.


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## gottafish (Oct 6, 2007)

At least you made it back safe and sound.

Kreg


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## curtpcol (Sep 29, 2007)

Tom & Family

Sorry to hear about your bad luck was waiting around until 9:00 am Sat. night waiting for you to come in and no Tom . I knew there had to be something wrong and then Keith told me what had happened. Darn it Man ! Keep your head up 

Curt


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## Heller High Water (Nov 1, 2007)

Hands down :bowdown:bowdown:bowdown:bowdown. That is one awesome post. WOW what a day with the family. You can only hope for days like that for the kids. The will never forget it. Thanks a lot for posting.


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## Ultralite (Oct 1, 2007)

thanks for the report and pictures tom...sounds like a good time spent with your family and a box of fish to boot...congrats to all of you...hate to hear about the missed weigh-in...next time man...


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## whatcon (Oct 3, 2007)

What can I add ? A great day fishing for you and all. Rach will remember the smiles on the faces more than anything else.


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## WW2 (Sep 28, 2007)

Wow, when you got to the part about how the wife was jumping from no big deal to epic failure I started to get tears in my eyes it reminded me so much of my own wife....


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