Got out for a little nature cruising on Sunday. I had a couple crabs so I set up to intercept bonnets cruising the oyster bank. The water was muddy and choppy so I moved after about 30 minutes with no bites or sightings. Anchored in about 18" of water in a good looking spot and baited up. Saw one thrashing mullet about 100 feet away and lofted my bait right to him. Nothin doin. Sat for about 15 minutes and reached for my rod to put on a fresh crab chunk. Cork goes under and it’s on. That joker stripped most of my line on the first run much to the amazement of my girl. I finally turned him and wore him down in about 15 minutes. He about wore me out too. About 4’+. I wonder how much a bonnet that size weighs? Now the bad part. He was give out! I wasn’t prepared to bleed gut and ice him so he went back in like usual. He or she sat on the bottom right near the boat for a while motionless. I watched for a while to ensure that it was going to live or else I would have coolered it. If it was an overslot red, the dolphins would have had their way. Seems crazy, but I don’t like catching oversized reds and big bonnets with reasonable sized inshore gear because it stresses them so bad. I guess I need to rig up my Penn and ugly stick for the sake of the fish. The shark did eventually swim off.
Good luck, O.C.
Summer time water and long fights will wear a red out.Hook them get them in and revive them.
Stonoman