After a productive and educating trip on the Mojo last week, I was kinda bummed out with all of the fronts, tropical storms, and weather windows. Then, I remembered I’ve got a Pioneer 197SF. 4 x 6 with widecaps, pffttt, [:0]. So, with a window of weather opportunity, I called up Northchucky and Mattie Ice (he’s Mattie Ice ‘cause this boy can’t get rattled!). We left the landing around 6:30am and put a few friskie baits in the livewell, some a little bigger than normal. Eased out, yep, nasty! Cruising at 22mph, we worked our way offshore little by little as the ocean tolerated us. As I approached the cobia grounds, the crew decided to push out in search of golden dreams rather than brownie goodness. 5 lines in around 11am (My Marshtacky riggers would have been handy today for sure!) and by noon we were down to only running 3 lines as we had found the fish. I cannot recall everything that transpired over the next three hours, but for a novice like me, it was a dream fulfilled. Singles, doubles, triples, livebait, waxwingz, Jigskinz poppers (I only say this because the fish wouldn’t hit my bright poppers, but Northchucky’s sardine popper gettin’ blown up…really, I am 100% sure that those fish saw the difference, 100%!). Boat bloodied, crew beat up, fish boxes full, and out of ballyhoo (only carried 3 packs, , around 3pm. It took us an hour or so to re-group and hydrate, but we somehow managed, inspired by the free-jumping dolphin still around us. Cruised back in around 25mph with a little spray on the Pioneer as the sun was setting. Thanks again D and Matt for the trip and all of the work that it took on this trip and previous trips to make it happen today. Time to go clean the boat, re-rig, and sharpen knives…Saturday awaits, .
Highlights of the day:
D getting a bull around 40lbs on a Jigskinz covered popper only to lose it 30ft from the boat with a dolphin jump of 10ft in the air…Epic memory!
Me getting tailwhipped by the same dolphin, first in my moneymakers, then a Tyson shot
Just an awesome day. Got2Go and I have been plotting a dolphin trip like this it seems like for 3 years now, glad it finally came to fruition
Can’t describe the feeling watching that huge bull demolish that jigskinz popper. Wowza! Adrenaline rush for sure! Watching him free jump with the plug in his mouth for the next 10 minutes was entertaining as well
Squid chain was getting destroyed today btw…
I think Andy is working on his patent for the shower curtain gull wing, no one steal it LOL!
Mark
Pioneer 222 Sportfish Yamaha F300
Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn’t go so far as to call a dog filthy but they’re definitely dirty. But, a dog’s got personality. Personality goes a long way.
“Life’s tough…It’s even tougher if you’re stupid” John Wayne
What depth? Area? Temperature break? Any weed lines? I’m looking to go out on Saturday.
Seafox 246 w 300 Yamaha
3 degree temp break with a good weed line…lines in @ 220ft…and, I live in Hanahan. Not to mention the speed I ran in the snotty ocean. Lots of good clues, but you gotta think about it a little.
great day. Derek’s popper got stolen from him from that dang fish, and then it did some free jumping to show off trying to throw the hook. Such an emotional swing from the induced take to the unplanned release! Holy cow. Still awesome to see-
I am def not the superstar, I was pooped and D-rock was still filling the freezers all day. He caught them with 10 lbs of weedline, a box fan, and a tree on the line. The man is an inspiration.
We all had some probs with hook breakage early on for some reason? Bendy ones and some just snapped at the curve. Thankfully, most after the fish was landed. Not cheapy hooks mind you- these were supposed to be good ones.
Other cool stuff - had a slinger jump off only to have a much better fish grab the lure as soon as it hit the water. Super secret rig homemade from neighborman got 6-7 hits! Ended up losing the rig though =(
, around 3pm. It took us an hour or so to re-group and hydrate, but we somehow managed, inspired by the free-jumping dolphin still around us. Cruised back in around 25mph with a little spray on the Pioneer as the sun was setting. Thanks again D and Matt for the trip and all of the work that it took on this trip and previous trips to make it happen today. Time to go clean the boat, re-rig, and sharpen knives…Saturday awaits, 
.
