# Rig report 2/8 2/9



## Corpsman

<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">We met at the dock at 12:00. Mark (The captain) Jeff and I got busy loading the boat, picking up food, bait and ice. The other two members of our crew, Jerry and Tim were soon there and we pulled out from Harbor view about 3:00 Friday afternoon. The seas were cooperative on the way out, Mostly 1-2 with the occasional 3 footer thrown in. The closer we got to the rigs, smoother it got. I watched a beautiful sunset bundled up in the beanbag. When we reached the first rig the black fin were busting up the water pretty good. <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Our hopes were high for the elusive YFT. In short order, I landed my first black fin on a jig that Jeff bought in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace w:st="on"><st1laceName w:st="on">Orange</st1laceName> <st1laceType w:st="on">Beach</st1laceType></st1lace>. It looked like a standard diamond jig, but it was green, and the black fin LOVED it. I know it was just a black fin, but none the less, it was my first tuna and I was pumped about it. <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">We chunked, chunked, then chunked some more at a few different rigs, but the YFT were just not biting. About midnight, we decided to try for a swordfish. We hauled butt over to the steps and proceeded rig for a monster. Jeff is a fanatic about sword fishing. He expertly rigged a squid the size of my forearm. We dropped two squid down with lights, one to 250ft and the other to 500ft.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Everyone settled down for some shut eye, except for our intrepid captain Mark. I layed in the beanbag on the front deck of this beautiful 30 foot center console. It was cold, but not freezing. I was bundled up against the weather with the hood of my jacked pulled up around my face. I was warm, dry and content. Unless you have been offshore on a clear night, there is really no way to describe what it?s like. It?s like trying to tell someone how it feels to kiss a girl. The things you see are amazing. Strange fish swimming up in the lights, the luminescence in the water stirred up by the props all astonishing. Nothing, however can describe to you the wonder of looking up into the night sky. The stars are simply breathtaking. With no light pollution, everything just pops into vivid detail. I fell asleep with the waves gently rocking and shooting stars everywhere. <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">At 3:30 in the morning the Penn 50 starts screaming. Swordfish on! Mark strapped in to his fighting harness and got himself ready for the long battle ahead.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Spirits are high as the big fish comes close to the surface the first time. We see the eerie glow of the light on the leader as he gets closer and closer. He spots the boat and immediately dives striping line from the Penn as he goes. Mark fights the fish for a hour and a half before the is able to gain more ground and get the him to the boat. Jeff gloves up and expertly bills the fish. Jerry and Tim each get a gaff in and over the side he comes. <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">He was pretty much spent and did not protest as Tim slipped his knife behind the gill to bleed him out. During the fight, he somehow spit the hook but had gotten tied up in the leader. He were very fortunate to get the fish on board. We got him in the fish box and set our lines out again. No more bites, but we were soon treated to a magnificent sunrise on the gulf.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> We decided to do a little trolling. Jerry and Tim work together to set up the spread very quickly. It?s always fun to watch a crew that has fished together many times. They are proficient and efficient without a lot of wasted movement. <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">We knew our chances for a winter wahoo were slim, but trolling made for a nice leisurely way to travel to the shallow water rig that was our destination. We made it to the rig and proceeded to drop for some grouper. Mark quickly hooks up with a nice grouper. During the fight his rod broke about 1/3 down from the tip, and the grouper made it to a hole and dug in.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Mark was soon broken off. BAM! Tim has a monster grouper on. He fights the fish to the surfaceand Mark goes for the gaff.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Well it turns out that Tim?s 28lb copper belly had Marks hook, another hook with a whole mullet and Tim?s hook in his mouth. The fish broke mark off, swam over and immediately went for Tim?s bait. All this with a dead mullet hung in his mouth! We end up catching 2 large gags, a snowy grouper and 3 scamp.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Also landed some big keeper jacks and several nice snapper that were vented and released. It was a great trip, with a great crew. I hope we get a chance to do it again very soon.<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">







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## countryjwh

reports like these nearly brings tears to my eyes becasue i was not out there. i keep telling myself just a feew moer weeks and i will be posting reports.GREAT REPORT along with some fine fish!


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## 82whaler

Great report and pics .....glad you guys had a great trip.


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## mack_attack2

thats a nice winter catch, nice job on the sword:usaflag


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## mpmorr

Man that was terrific report, I really enjoyed reading that. Congrats on the sword and a very nice fish box.:bowdown


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## ironman172

Wow, that was a great report and pic's!!!!...it made me feel like I was there too. Thanks for the post!!!:bowdown:clap


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## David Ridenour

Congratulations on a great trip! Thanks for posting the report and pictures.


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## Lil' Scout

CONGRATS!!! I'll take a Sword over a YF anyday. Thanx for the great report. :toast


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## Hookd Up

wat rigs were yall fishing?


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## Reel Rowdy

Outstanding Report!!!!! Thanks for sharing. What kind of boat are you fishing out of????


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## FLYBOY

Thats one of the best reports i've read, simply awesome, wish I had a bigger boat!


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## BlueWater2

That was a great report,, !! Thanks for the time spent making it. Swordfishing is tops.


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## parrothead

Great report !!!!!!!!!!!! :clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap Sounds like you guys had a great time. Thats what this forum should be about. FISHING !! Thanks!!

Scott


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## zoomin-newman

I Just wanted to thank my crew this trip, They acted like a professional sports team out there and I'd be glad to have them again any time. Gaff Em


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## zoomin-newman

It's a 2005 Pro Sport cc 31 ft 11 ft beam with a forward & aft berth under the cc, Powered by 2 twin 225 yamaha 4 strokes. We went to the Petronius, Marlin and the Ram


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## Captain Woody Woods

slim chances for a wahoo? says who? we spanked em' a couple of weekends ago, not any further than 15 miles from where yall were, from what it sounds





Oh and congrats on the sword. that's badass. love killin those things


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## Frenchy

Great report , thank you, saw you guys going through the pass on friday. Congrats on the swordfish !!!!

:clap


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## $EA $ICKNE$$

High fives on the sword! :bowdown:bowdown:bowdown


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## Clay-Doh

Thats sweet JOdy! Congrasts on yer first tuna, and even more so on a sword!!!

You guys did awsome with that big haul of fish!


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## Realtor

Awsome report.

Thanks,

Jim


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## seacapt

GREAT report! One of these days I hope to do one of those trips myself. With 30 years in the Navy (as of yesterday) I will say your description of being on the seas at night was about as good as I've heard.


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## LITECATCH

Great report and pictures!! just wondering if that was a penn tuna stick that broke. WayneO's broke in the same spot. i am waiting for the day mine breaks. they should do a recall on those things. its not a cheap rod! i do like the tuna stick though, i just hope mine keeps on trucking!!


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## daddytime

Awesome report and congrats on the sword.:bowdown:clap


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## DISANTO

Great trip gentlemen! Tim, you should be home with the new grand baby, and let me go fishing with those guys instead.

congrats all around!


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## Captain Woody Woods

is that petronius?


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## captbuckhall

Mark,

Good report. I got your message and was dead tiredand would have been incoherent to talk to. We headed out about 11pm Friday and hit Petronius first...nothing but blackfins and sharks. As sun came up we hitBeer Canand quickly chunked up a 68lb yellowfin. Blackfins everywhere, but only one big bite. We started trolling and picked up 25lb yellow at Marlin, then had a screaming bite, he showed himself as a nice, fat wahoo just before he pulled hooks. Dammit man. The HammerTime (35 Cabo) out of Orange beach was there and about 20 minutes later theyboated a 'hoo that "must be 100lbs"...I think they caught our wahoo  We stopped and grabbed a few bottom fish on the way in and had a good trip. Apparently not going to the lump was the right call...it was dead over there. Anytime you can scratch out a bluewater bite in Feb is awesome. 

Good job on the swordie...those things are fun!

buck


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## macala

Great reporting Jody,:clap

Just reading your report, I felt like I did the trip twice. It was so nice to fish with complete new strangers and come away with great friends. A cooler full of fish wasn't bad as well. Hey, my boat will be ready with the new M260 transducer by next week. Next weather window, we'll go out on my boat this time. By the way, if anyone wants to catch a big Grouper, take Tim with you. He's the best grouper pimp I've ever met.

Jeff


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## Team Triple X

very nice, at least someone is getting to go fishing.


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## Corpsman

Buck, 

The TN40 you sold me served me well on this trip! Thanks again. Congrats on the YFT. We saw Hammertime out there as well.


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## Team PinFish

That was a great post. :usaflag:clap


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## true-king

By far the best report in a long time! It was such a nice weekend, I'm glad you guys got out there! 

:clap:clap:clap


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## Stressless

> *Corpsman (2/11/2008)*Buck,
> 
> 
> 
> The TN40 you sold me served me well on this trip! Thanks again. Congrats on the YFT. We saw Hammertime out there as well.




Great post and those TN40's are teh HEAT. I killed a 125 and 80 # on mine in Nov on Mark's boat - He loves'em and will toss those anvil like penns over one day.



CONGRATS on the sword! That's the next fish on my must catch.



:mmmbeer

Stressless


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## Xiphius

Nice Fish both to the Sword and the YFT... so much for the couch jockeys suggesting the salinity's wrong for yellowfins


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## REEL STAMAS

Nice report...If you guys that didn't get to fish are sick, then imagine how we feel...We pulled a 27' Contender from PCB to Grand Isle and fished the "S"LUMPon Fri & Sat& our total catch was 4 blackfins 20-25#s & a dozen B'liners...Could have towed the damn boat to P'cola & run to the rigs for 1/2 the $$ & 1/2 the hassle...oh well, maybe next time we will guess right...that's fish'n:banghead


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## GONU

Kick Butt report. nice fish.:bowdown:bowdown


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## Rastaman

thanks, i needed that.


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## OBsession

Great report Jody, I knew it would be. Thanks for the props from you and Jeff..."grouper pimp" ??? Great pictures and it is always a pleasure to fish with guys who can appreciate the beauty of the blue water. The fish are a bonus, what could be better?

By now you have your wallet and cam corder back and are feasting on...swordfish, grouped, amberjack, amaco jack, snowy grouper. gag grouper, black fin, and scamp filleted by an expert.

Thanks to Zooomin Newman as always, and to the guy who asked where we were (I told you they would) we could tel you but we wouldhave to.....you know the rest.


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## obrien

Nice post Jody!! Awesome pictures!!

Enjoyed fishing with you and Jeff, and anytime you want to fish, give Mark a call. We really have landed a ton of fish on his boat. Appreciate the props you and Jeff gave Tim(Grouper pimp!)and myself. It does help to have a great crew.

Jeff, let me know when your ready to fish on your boat, for the crew of Zoomin-Neuman will be ready. Jerry O'Brien(888)226-9604.

Mark, great trip once again, but still say we'd have found yellowfin at the Horn!!!!!!!


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## whatcon

What a great post! Congrats


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## jackedup

:bowdown:clap


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## Hammertime

Awsome report and pics. We were out there with you. (33' Pursuit Offshore Express w/ Marlin tower) Awsome swordie. We wern't fortunate enough on the sword drop, wedropped around the Marlin around 2 AM and never heard a thing. We did manage 20 BF, 5 YF and one nice hoo. The stars were truley amazing and we had blessed seas. Good seeing you guys out there and congrats on your bounty.


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## captbuckhall

Capt Mike...how big was that 'hoo? Nice fish for sure...how could you want to live anywhere else...bluewater fishing in Feb!

buck


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## Hammertime

Nice YF Capt Buck! Yeah that hoo was hungry, hecut aballyhoo on a a blue/white islander in half







before we got a solid hookup


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## fishmasterseven

definately a kick ass report and a job well done for that crew:toast:clap


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## Brant Peacher

Great report guys!

Which rig did you hang the sword on? 500ft or 250ft? 

Brant Peacher

Tackle rep


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## Corpsman

Brant, the sword was caught at the steps on the rig set at 250.

Capt Mike, You have a FINE boat. Congrats on the big hooter. I hope to see you out there again soon.


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