# Offshore Report 12/22/2018



## jjam (Dec 9, 2007)

Hello fellow PFF anglers!
*Intro:*
I posted in "need a ride section" and met an awesome member here, Chumbuster (Rob) from AK. A little history on a Rob, 100K licensed capt. splitting his time working in AK in the summer months and calls home here during the winter months. He's an Iraqi veteran that I am very honored to call him my newest fishing buddy and good friend. Again, the PFF came through. My nieces boyfriend (Kai) traveling from school in south Florida destined for Texas was scheduled for a stop over (fishing trip) that rounded out the crew.
*Day before Trip:*
Well, the moon was big and the wind was kicking up 7' seas and I was a bit uneasy as I have been away for 3+ years and expectations were high by all.
*Here We Go*:
1st stop - bridge rubble for bait and to get rigged up for the edge. Looking good and heading south after several red snapper releases and a few baits in the live well.
Hit the edge by 0945 and met with a slow bite as expected with a big full moon. I was anxious to explore some of my old honey holes to the west.

After lunch, we arrive at old stomping grounds to the west and the bite turned on @ 2:30. The screen was lit up with amberjack in the column and what else suspended from 180' to 225' bottom. Kai requested to battle a big fish and his request was met with amberjack and eventually got sharked. Rob consistently filled the box with good grade mingo. Rob and Kai each landed a couple lane snapper too. 

*FWC CHECK: *Probably the most exciting part of our trip, not the normal boarding I've experience in the past. Started off with the usual announcement "coming aboard and clear poles" approaching port side. I'm also ordered to kill my motor, I never turn my motor off while 35 miles off shore and I said okay, but didn't comply. FWC Capt. officer pulls away and circles a safe distance away while the boarding officer begins an aggressive questioning (interrogation). Repeating several times "is this all the fish you have onboard?" referring to my 150 qt fish box. Each time I answered "yes sir" he searched every compartment on deck as if he expected to find a hidden treasure. He then, proceeded into my cabin continuing his search. Never had this happen before but okay, nothing to hide. Once out of the cabin, he asked, "who is the acting captain of this vessel today" in a demeaning tone , I replied, "I am" he requested my name and birthdate, gave a thumbs up to circling FWC Capt and jumped back onto the returning FWC vessel. 
Special a note: I have the upmost respect for our FWC officers and appreciate what they may encounter while at sea. This officer and FWC Capt. were very professional and very much at the ready for any type of encounter while doing there job. I did thank the officer onboard my vessel for his services but he seemed unimpressed. Oh well!


The seas were perfect and flat, we ran WOT on the way home and ended our day with great memories and split up a nice box of meat! 

I didn't take many photos but captured a few for Kia returning to Texas to share back home.


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

dang, with calm seas like that, who cares if you catch any fish.

strange the fwc acted like that?


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## jaster (Oct 7, 2007)

Great report!


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## Bluecape (Sep 29, 2016)

Thanks for the report. Sounds like a great trip!


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

You gotta love catching it that flat out there !


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

All LEOs go to some BS conferences where they are taught to try to intimidate subjects into spilling the beans. Sometimes it works, most of the times not. Nice day ya'll had, can't wait for a flat day like that when I'm not working. Merry Christmas everybody!


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## bcahn (Jan 10, 2013)

What a beautiful day out, thanks for sharing!


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## iJabo (Jul 6, 2013)

From the one time I was boarded, I had a near identical experience. Officer was cordial and professional, but searched extremely thoroughly for any hidden fish. 

They undoubtedly find illegal fish very often, so the best thing to do is to remain compliant and polite.


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