It has been a while since I have posted here, been a long time since I have been in the salt. Forecast was all over the place, chose to believe the good ones (like that ever happens when I fish Charleston). Ran (limped?) out to 70ft and dropped some lines for trolling, but no luck even when we reached 85ft. I normally pick up a king or 2 or even Mahi in this range, but picked up a remora on the troll. Never had this before, so at least it was entertaining. Picked up and trolled Comanche, but only a 'cuda cut off.
Decided to bottom bump and hit a great patch of the biggest Vermillions I have seen. Caught a bunch, some pushing 20" (fat and shaped like footballs), average over 16". Bait did not seem to matter to these fish, but large dead shrimp produced the biggest, followed by squid, with cigar minnows in dead last place. Battled a few reef donkeys and 'cuda and headed back in when the swells made it real uncomfortable. LONG, slow, wet ride back in, but that is what you expect when Comanche (heck the ocean period) has no one on it (one boat after we were almost done).
My daughter is a chef and made the best ceviche I have had, ever. I cooked the catch (I use charcoal after years of gas and worth it) on the half shell with grilled broccoli and asparagus (Chef Megan supervised). Awesome and a welcome end to what ended up being a good day.
ColumbiaDawgfan
Sea Hunt Triton 220