# Big, Bad, & Ready for a Fight (Part 1 of 2)



## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

As the axis of the earth is oriented away from the sun we begin our Winter season. During this coldest time of the year will the fish of the world famous Florida Middle Grounds be 'Big, Bad, & Ready for a Fight?' Only one way to fine out, let's go see together. Three PM Friday afternoon, the Florida Fisherman ll, Hubbard's Marina is ready and so are we. Captain Bryon calls for the opening of John's Pass bridge and punches in the numbers for the Grounds. We are out of here:


Our chef, Tammy, is not feeling well. She decided to take the day off. Please say a little prayer for her. Steve is filling in for her. Larry, have a burger. Thank you Steve. What a way to begin our adventure. Mister Miller hopes to win the jack pot. Energy will be the key. 

Florida regular, Richie, lines up jack pot hopefuls. Good luck guys:

Let's hit the bunks. Captain Bryon awakens us from a sound sleep. "Guys, it's midnight, man your battle stations!" The fishing is pretty slow, but we now have a precise anchor reading. Let's move! Still slow; hole on! What's all the excitement coming from the middle of the starboard side? Mister Jason Smith, Orlando, Florida, has hooked a monster. On & on goes the great battle. We are all pulling for Jason. Finally, we see color, the color of a huge goliath grouper. Will, quick the gaff. Our first mate to the rescue. The Florida is working with the FWC in the study of the this great fish. Both Will & Jason participated in an FWC sponsored class in the proper handling of the goliath grouper. Without this class it is against the law to take a goliath out of the water:

The huge fish is suffering from barotrauma. Will immediately vents and takes measurements. Richard inserts a tag before releasing the large grouper. In an instant Jason's trophy is headed back to his rocky home. Proper venting saved this fishes life:


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

*Big, Bad, & Ready for a Fight (part 2 of 2)*

As the sun makes it's daily appearance we can't help but wonder will the big boys be ready for a fight? Mister Justin Perlow is finding out. Look at the size of that wave:


Looks like the monsters of the Florida Middle Grounds are in a fighting mood:

Tyson, good show; good show indeed:

Mister Smith, first a goliath & now this. Sir, you are a fighter:

Man! These brutes are not playing games. They are serious, but so are we:


Justin, sir you are putting on a real show for us. We are glad you are on our side:


The Florida Middle Grounds is a vast, fish rich, area. Properly managed, without the greed of catch shares, there is plenty for all. Sharing our great sport is what sportsmanship is all about:

Alan, it's nice to see the mangrove snapper are hungry during the day time hours. That's a beauty sir:

Nice, very nice:

Our own Richie welcomes, from NY, his friend Jason. Hope this man of the North can catch our Southern fish:

Way to go Jason, way to go sir. Jason used a very lively pin fish to entice this nice gag grouper:

Jason will be leaving for New York, snow, and freezing temperatures in a few days. Let's give the people back home something to dream about:

Sundown over the Florida Middle Grounds: Priceless!

Steve, we are hungry. What's for dinner? Let's start with a very fresh all you can eat garden salad followed by the most tender chicken breast smothered in my own special gravy, and served with vegetables on the side. Great food, real sportsmen/women, and plenty of fish. Who could ask for anything more? Well! Let's top off our boxes with a few more mangrove snapper:

Eight PM Saturday evening, what a day; what a trip. We are still almost one hundred miles from Madeira Beach. We are stuffed and wore-out. Our bunks are calling us. See you early Sunday morning. 
Now that's a catch to be proud of:

Justin, you are going to need a bigger, much bigger, fish box:

Even Gabby is so proud of you:


Wow! That jack pot winning AJ hits the scale at 80 pounds:

Larry, it's a good thing Steve fed you so well. After helping us win the great AJ battle, you caught the jack pot winning snapper. Way to go. We are so proud to have you on our side:

Can this man of the North catch our Southern fish? How about the jack pot winning grouper?

During this coldest time of the year will the fish of the world famous Florida Middle Grounds be, 'Big, Bad, and ready to fight?' Just ask Mister Kevin Sachs, Seminole, Florida. Mister Sachs caught his trophy on a large grunt. What a fight; what a trophy:


catch the excitement on this short, action packed, video. (Click on the link)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2AhJNjmO3U
Bob Harbison Florida Outdoor Writers Association


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## MoganMan (Feb 24, 2013)

Caught some real hogs this trip!! That Aj is huge! And that's awesome seeing that Goliath out of water like that, never seen that before.


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

*Monster Amber Jacks*

:thumbup: 
Look at the AJ's around that wreck:

We call this the twin peaks. It's AJ city:


We caught numerous 50-60 pound AJ's. That 80 ponder was indeed huge
The Florida Fisherman ll record holds @ 110 pounds. We will beat it:

The Florida Fisherman, along with Florida's FWC, are conducting a study of the goliath grouper. DNA samples are taken, the fish is tagged for future study, vented & released. Fish caught from Middle Grounds depth often suffer from what is known as 'barotrauma.' Their air bags blow up & push their stomachs out of their mouth. Venting releases the gases and allows the fish to go back home. Had this goliath not been properly vented his chances of survival would have been slim to none. When we released him, he immediately headed for his rocky home.


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## Sea-r-cy (Oct 3, 2007)

"Big, Bad, & Ready for a Fight" For a moment, Bob, I thought you were talking about yourself. :whistling:
Looks like you had a great trip, and as usual, a good report! Keep them coming. :thumbsup:


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

*Not so ready for a fight*

:thumbup: 
I am so glad you like my reports. I am having the time of my life doing them. 
Guess my, 'Big, Bad, and ready for a fight' days are long over. At 72 I am much more into diplomacy! Man! But those huge AJ's were sure in a fighting mood. I sat back & took pictures. They are just too much for this old man.


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## PJIII (Oct 29, 2011)

Always love reading your reports!


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Thank you sir! You are the reason I do them.


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## delta dooler (Mar 6, 2008)

great pics and report Harbison ! enjoyed every minute of it !


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## Instant Karma (Oct 9, 2007)

Keep writing! Good read.


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

*Thank!*

Thank you sir. I am so glad that you like my reports. Check out my latest, 'Offshore Florida in December.'


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## DAWGONIT (Jan 16, 2009)

Thanks Sir. Always a treat to read your report and view the pics.

Keep 'em coming & catch 'em up.

From Pensacola!!


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

I am so happy to share my adventures with the sportsmen/women of Northern Florida. 
Very best to one & all. Bob & Dee


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