# Jan 4 offshore



## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

we left sherman cove at 9am and it was windy and COOLLD!! we had ice in the bait bucket when we left...it was a very bumpy and frigid ride out to spme bridge rubble but the 2ft seas and wind died down and we ended up in our tshirts again in January!! this winter weather has been nuts! first jig down got an aj to the boat but he got ripped apart by at least 6 sharks which was cool to watch...we got one keeper in the boat and then some stud snapper! when we threw the snapper overboard a barracuda shot after him...we put the biggest ruby red we had for the cuda and he went nuts after it...the ruby red got chomped in half by the 60lb cuda but that came and grabbed the half with the hook...he was barley keeper so we put him back and free lined another ruby..this time the biggest spinner shark i have ever seen ate him..we fought him for 40 min and got him to the boat on our spinning gear but the rod broke when he decided to charge under the boat







he was a good 9ft from nose to tail...we drifted pretty far from our marks while fighting the shark and had a 20-30lb mahi come up to the boat!! we threw him a ruby but he wouldnt 
eat...that would have been nice in the fish box! with flat seas we decided to run the the chevron for and the Big O for bigger ajs but there was nothing but giant snapper at the chevron...we couldnt pick up any bait at chevron so we were just going to jig at the oriskany but a mile away our engine started making funny noises so we decided to turn back...you feel small being out there in a 19ft palm beach with a 90hp







we ran in and hit some live bottom in 100ft and got a couple scamp and another keeper aj after weeding out about 15 undersized ones. We decided to call it a day after that and were able to cruise in on a flat gulf. Turned out to be a great trip after it warmed up, but my favorite part was the way we caught our Ajs...we got tired of losing $$$ on butterfly jigs getting broke off on previous trips so today we tried something new!! We were using hand crafted "butterknife" jigs







a little cheaper cuz a 6 set of crappy butterknives cost $3 at target! they fall a little slower than the $13 butterfly jigs, but if you bend the blade a little it gives a great action to them! the fish dont seam to mind the lack of money spent on them too!







pm me and ill tell you how we made them


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## osborne311 (Aug 1, 2011)

Love those jigs. Now that is smert!


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## EODangler (Apr 7, 2011)

Holy Snapper!! Great report!


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## sandman770 (Nov 23, 2010)

Kicking myself for not thinking of that butterknife jig, that's a great idea!


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## grey ghost (Jul 24, 2011)

cool jig!!


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Spoons will work too and look great when retrieved!

Nice report.


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## Trophyhusband (Nov 30, 2011)

I love your jigs. Your day sounds very similar to mine. Tons of huge snapper, lots of sharks, and a crap load of undersized AJ's. We also got a stud gag grouper as well as landing an AJ on a fly rod. Video of that to come.


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## devndeb (Mar 16, 2008)

Used the home made spoon spoons up in NJ for the BIG blues up there...they didn't mind them AT ALL...the place to hit for knives and spoons are yard sales!!!!


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## still flippen (Oct 6, 2007)

That is such a great idea for deep dropping "butter/knife" jigs!! Just a thought, have you tried drilling a hole in the thinner knife end instead of the handle. Seems like it would be more streamline and sink faster. You could still put a little bend in the blade. Just an idea, think I will give it a try.

Congrats on a great day on the water! Wish you guys could have boated that Mahi.


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## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

yup...we have em drilled both ways...that was the only one i had left to get a picture of though...they do fall faster


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## asago (Nov 11, 2008)

Love the idea for the jigs. I'm definitely going to try that!


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## loadtoad1a7 (Oct 29, 2011)

You can buy big packs of knives and spoons at Sam's club back in the section with all the restaurant stuff. Just an idea.


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## Island24 (May 12, 2008)

Nice report and a good idea. Thanks for tip.


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