# Sykes - 11/3 (Can't Be Stopped...)



## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Nathan & I decided that we'd head out to Sykes last night to see if we could continue our legacy from last week. Got there around 10:30. What can I say, the water was rougher than its been in a while & it was windy as hell! Wasn't too cold though, so that was nice. There were only a couple other groups of people there, but no one was catching anything. We decided our secret red candy might do the trick though, & it sure did. They were ON FIRE last night. Couldn't have a bait in the water without having a run. That being said, I have never pulled the hooks on so many bulls before. For whatever reason I had one hell of a time staying hooked up for the first couple hours, save for one fat 38.5'' bull that I got after an hour or so. Around midnight the whole bridge was cleared out (Smarty may have left a bit after this, but I can't remember), so we had the whole place to ourselves. Had a short period where the bite turned off, but around 2:45 it turned on in a heartbeat. I hooked up with a hawg 40'' bull & missed a couple others. About this time I was starting to feel like Nathan deserved a fish (even though he slayed my personal record last week with his 42.75'' 37 pounder). So the next run on my 7k was handed off to him, but he pulled the hook after a minute & a half of fighting. I re-baited it with some red candy, threw it back in the same spot, & 45 seconds later she started singing a beautiful chorus to us again. I hooked up, passed the rod off, & ran for the dropnet, cause I knew he wasn't losing this one! Six or seven minutes later we had Nathan's first bull of the night on the bridge. At 39.5'' & colored in one of the prettiest hues of orange I'd ever seen in a bull red, this was truly a beautiful fish. Congrats Nathan! A bit later, things started to get a bit sketchy. I hooked up on my Raw II, & a couple minutes into the fight I hear my 7k from 30 yards away singing her familiar chorus. I told Nathan to go for it! He got there, let it scream a few seconds longer, & engaged the reel. I hear him yell "Hooked up! Dude we got a double!" Trying to contain our excitement, we realized that we had a problem. With no one else out on the bridge one of us would have to net our own fish. Mine came in quicker, so I tried holding the rod & dropping the net down to get her. Problem was that there were 25+ mph gusts & the current was ripping, so it was pretty difficult to get the fish lined up with the net when I had to do both by myself. Anyways, got her up & then sprinted over to Nathan. He still had a good fight ahead of him, so I waited patiently ready to net his second fish of the night. After a couple of heart-dropping runs towards the pilings, he got it to the bridge. Got her up & measured & photographed them both. Mine was 35.5'', a dink by the bull standards out on Sykes, & his was 39.75''. My camera died, so we had to resort to Nathan's camera, which unfortunately isn't of the best quality. At least we still got pictures though, so can't complain too much! Packed it in around 5 & headed home to get some sleep before classes. The night was filled with misfortunes - got ran into pilings a couple times, Nathan dropped my camera case over the bridge (sorry man, had to add it. Haha), got broke off by a shark, lost a half a dozen reds between the two of us - but it was still one of the funnest nights I've had in a while & it was nice to just go out there with a really good friend & do some no-nonsense fishing for once. 

*Tally for the night*: 

*Nathan*: 39.5'' bull, 39.75'' bull, big butterfly ray, & some trout
*Me*: 35.5'' bull, 38.5'' bull, 40'' bull, small flounder, a bluefish, & some fat trout

Tight lines everyone.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

Here's a couple more photos. I think the one of Nathan w/ the sailcat really shows off his best side. Don't you? :thumbup:


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## CrazedFisher (Mar 11, 2013)

Some nice fish guys! Wish I was back! Keep catchin' em!


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

CrazedFisher said:


> Some nice fish guys! Wish I was back! Keep catchin' em!


Dude we ALL wish you were back!  Get back over here & do some fishing again Andrew! We all miss seeing you get spooled by bull reds (& herons) on that 3k Okuma Avenger.


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## CrazedFisher (Mar 11, 2013)

ThaFish said:


> Dude we ALL wish you were back!  Get back over here & do some fishing again Andrew! We all miss seeing you get spooled by bull reds (& herons) on that 3k Okuma Avenger.


Hey now, Lexi is a great reel! She has been through it all and was a good investment! After all, I did catch my only 2 reds on her! The Sabalos will have to wait until I'm in Mississippi to do some serious fishing! That damn heron was after me, I swear.


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## orbiting headquarters (Oct 30, 2013)

Nice job!


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## MoganMan (Feb 24, 2013)

Great report man! Couldn't have said it better myself! That Sailcat photo is beyond flattering!!


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

orbiting headquarters said:


> Nice job!


Thanks John! Too bad you couldn't have been out there killing it with us! Next time. :thumbup:


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

MoganMan said:


> Great report man! Couldn't have said it better myself! That Sailcat photo is beyond flattering!!


Thanks dawg, glad you liked it! & dude that photo is the definition of flattering!


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## southern yakker (Jun 25, 2012)

Nice fish man!


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

southern yakker said:


> Nice fish man!


Thanks. Appreciate it man.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

CrazedFisher said:


> Hey now, Lexi is a great reel! She has been through it all and was a good investment! After all, I did catch my only 2 reds on her! The Sabalos will have to wait until I'm in Mississippi to do some serious fishing! That damn heron was after me, I swear.


Oh I know she is! She served me well for quite a while & has done the same for you! WAIT, do you still have her?!?! & bruv I never fixed the dodgy AR on that Sabalos for you before you left! & yeah, that heron had a bullet with your name on it fo sho. Haha.


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## orbiting headquarters (Oct 30, 2013)

Thought I would throw this up there. Friday night.
:thumbup:


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## lowprofile (Jan 6, 2013)

i think i might join you guys one night to try for rays. i fished the surf tonight and got about 50 hardheads.


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

orbiting headquarters said:


> Thought I would throw this up there. Friday night.
> :thumbup:


Nice red there John, somebody must have done a great job with the drop net to land that one. :thumbup:


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## ThaFish (Feb 27, 2013)

lowprofile said:


> i think i might join you guys one night to try for rays. i fished the surf tonight and got about 50 hardheads.


You're more than welcome to Chris! I'll even show you the secret bait that the rays out at Sykes can't get enough of. & dang, lot of hardheads right there. Gotta love catching those… Haha.


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## MoganMan (Feb 24, 2013)

lowprofile said:


> i think i might join you guys one night to try for rays. i fished the surf tonight and got about 50 hardheads.


Fine with us! Bring a snagging set up as well, normally see a few schools of cownose right under the surface.


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## Kenton (Nov 16, 2007)

You guys are making me miss the old Gulf Breeze rubble by three mile. We used to slay the reds there. Thanks for the pics!


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## CrazedFisher (Mar 11, 2013)

ThaFish said:


> Oh I know she is! She served me well for quite a while & has done the same for you! WAIT, do you still have her?!?! & bruv I never fixed the dodgy AR on that Sabalos for you before you left! & yeah, that heron had a bullet with your name on it fo sho. Haha.


Of course I have her still! I'm actually about to replace the drag washer (I think that's it, you said something about it) and she'll start clicking again when the line is going out!


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

Nice fish, great report. Thanks for sharing


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## lowprofile (Jan 6, 2013)

MoganMan said:


> Fine with us! Bring a snagging set up as well, normally see a few schools of cownose right under the surface.


cool. i plan on friday since thursday ill be busy. ill try to drag don out too.


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## MoganMan (Feb 24, 2013)

lowprofile said:


> cool. i plan on friday since thursday ill be busy. ill try to drag don out too.


Sounds good!


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## Donnie24 (Jan 12, 2013)

Great report man! Me an my buddy were out there last night an got 1 each an lost 3 or 4 we left around 930 cause it got windy as hell out there! Btw what were yall using as bait?


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## Brandon_SPC (Nov 2, 2013)

Do yall target these reds on incoming or outgoing tide?


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## orbiting headquarters (Oct 30, 2013)

probably head out to sikes friday night also. 
Who's going?


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## ric hamm (Mar 21, 2013)

Good work gents! Now i hope you dont mind me asking but, what is this "red candy" you speak of lol


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## MoganMan (Feb 24, 2013)

ric hamm said:


> Good work gents! Now i hope you dont mind me asking but, what is this "red candy" you speak of lol


Called it red candy for a reason.... If we wanted everyone to know we would have told yall what it was! 

Heading out again later tonight.


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## ric hamm (Mar 21, 2013)

Lol.. copy that


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## MoganMan (Feb 24, 2013)

ric hamm said:


> Lol.. copy that


Just use cut menhanden and you will be fine.


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## Hot Reels (Oct 3, 2007)

I need to take my little girl out there one night, she would love it.
Thanks
Sky


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## Flguy32514 (Sep 16, 2012)

MoganMan said:


> Just use cut menhanden and you will be fine.


Yall on Sykes?


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