# Big Amberjack Catch And A lot more



## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

:thumbup: Big Florida Amberjack Catch And A Lot More
August is hot in Florida in more ways than one, the fishing can be on fire. A typical August catch on the Florida Fisherman ll often defies the imagination:

Welcome on board as together we take a closer look as to why Florida deserves the title, 'Fishing Capital of the World'.
August 3, 2018, Florida Middle Grounds & vicinity here we come:

*Watch long time First Mate, Will, in action, 1:33 minutes into the video at the end of this pictorial, as he goes for the gold in what has become known as, 'The Great Line Toss'!
*

We are out of here:

The warm, crystal clear, tropical waters of Madeira Beach, Florida are hard to leave:

But leave we must, after all, we are on a* mission, a mission to have a great time while catching a, 'Big Florida Amberjack Catch And A Lot More.'
This is our Florida! The fights sure to come will challenge even the strongest of both men and women. We simply must be at our best, that means, 'Tammy Time'!


Our 'Jersey Girl' makes sure I am always wearing a bib. Sounds like she is trying to tell me something:

Trolling on the way out can be very productive.
Mr. Joe May:

Helping Joe is Mr. Omar Castillo:



Omar, a personal friend, has been fishing with Hubbard's since the mid sixties. His trip of choice, fishing with the master himself, Captain Wilson Hubbard, on the Miss Pass-A-Grille ll:

Omar, different from today, fished only 1/2 day trips:

"1/2 day was all I needed to catch strings of grouper too heavy to lift"!
Omar, after all these years, is still a 'Regular' with Hubbard's. He now fishes many extended over-night trips. This man of the sea is an expert at catching not only Gags and Red grouper, but also the prized deep-water Snowy:

Once you pass the 100 fathom mark the fish are a lot different. That's what makes going really deep so interesting. August, 16, 2018,* welcomes another 63 hour deep-drop trip on the Florida Fisherman ll. Ever see Snowy grouper, Yellowedge grouper, Barrel fish, Longtail bass, or Queen snapper? You will!
On these extended trips our bunks are out best friends, we take full advantage:

Late Friday night: We are well fed, rested, and ready to challenge anything the Grounds & vicinity has to offer.
Let the fights begin:

To talk about a fight is to talk about the Jack Crevalle.
The Jack Crevalle ranges from the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Uruguay in the West Atlantic, and Portugal to Angola in the East Atlantic, including the Mediterranean Sea, as well as our own Gulf of Mexico. However, they are rare on the Florida Middle Grounds. Leave it to the ladies to catch the unusual:

Nothing unusual about the gags and snapper, they are on fire:


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Mr. Craig Hammock, like Omar, is a long time Florida regular. Watch Craig in action 5:40 minute into the video:

Like Omar Craig also excels at catching deep-drop grouper:

To talk about 'excels' is to talk about Daytona Beach's own Patty Bergen. This woman, this anglerette, has mastered the art of catching Gag grouper, wonder if she could catch the mighty Amberjack?

The Gags are absolutely on fire. Come cooler weather they are going to tear us apart, or at least try to! After all, this is Florida, Florida where fishing is a 24/7 twelve months out of the year way of life:
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Let's ice-down the night's catch and get ready for Amberjack-City:


Mr. John Martin, fishing coach on the Florida Fisherman ll, not only tells us how, he shows us!

Nice Trigger fish. The season is now open:

No matter how hard we try, we simply cannot get away from the 'endangered' American red snapper:
*
Nice Red grouper:

Guys, Girls, these are far from just burgers, these are Tammy burgers:

This is the only boat we saw he entire trip. Can't help but wonder where they are going:

The American reds are everywhere. Think the season thinned them out? Think again!

Glad we can keep Triggers:


OK! The time has come. Time for Amberjack City:


Can Patty catch Amberjack? You had better believe it:


They never give-up. But neither do we!






Think Craig can only catch Snowy grouper? Think again!


On a deep-drop trip I watched Mr. Joe May battle a Swordfish for over an hour. It finally cut 200 pound est leader. Glad he caught this one:


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## Harbison (Apr 18, 2012)

Snowy grouper to Amberjack and now a monster Porgy. Craig, you are the best:

Saturday evening, we are fished-out tired. Jersey-Girl Tammy time. By popular demand, the very best, seasoned to perfection, chili over Jasmine rice:


Let's enjoy a hot shower and hit our air conditioned bunks for the long ride home.
See You back at the Dock:

What an honor having this real woman with us. Hope to see you again soon and often:

The in the money jackpot winning Snapper hit the scales at 6.5 pounds, Amberjack 36.4 pounds, and Grouper 13.5 pounds:

Be sure to 'Catch' the action in this short, action packed, video:
* **




What an honor sharing our Florida with you.
*Bob Harbison
Florida Outdoor Writers Association


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