[ksong]

Yes, I am.

I went on the 44 hour trip on the Viking Superstar out of Tarpon Spring, Fl on 12-01/03.
When I arrived at the dock directly from Tampa airport, I found only 20 guys signed up. As previous fishing reports were good and weather forecast was great, I had a great expectation to catch groupers on jigs. But when I opened a food bag which my wife prepared for me as the Viking Superstar cruised out of Tarpon Spring harbor, I found a banana !!!
I was really curious to see how banana could spoil my trip, but banana found ways to spoil my trip indeed as usual.

First of all, we had good grouper fishing by catching 41 keeper gag grouper excluding numerous red grouper and scampi. However grouper didn't like jigs at all for the whole trip.
Capt Richie suggested me to use baits as he saw me struggling on jigs but I determined to stay on jigs to the end.
Finally I had a nice grouper, but I had to give it to a dolphin which was cruising around the boat for a free meal.
After releasing several small, gag grouper, red grouper and scampi, I got another nice grouper on my jig, but a big barracuda took it except head part !
While other guys enjoying catching grouper on baits, I made countless cast. Finally my hard work paid off. I hooked up with a nice grouper on my jig. Judging from how the fish fought, I knew immediately this is the fish I was looking for. But I dropped !!! As soon as I drop my jig back to the bottom, I got the immediate monster hit again, but then I dropped the fish again !!!
When I checked my jig, I found the Gamakatsu Siwash hook got broken in half !!! I had a few instances before the Siwash hook got bent, but I've never experienced the hook got broken.

At the end of trip I had 2 keeper red grouper and one nice scampi and I caught and released about dozen groupers on jigs. It was not a bad trip by any standard, but I knew it could be a fantastic trip if banana didn't spoil my trip.

 

[SkeeterRonnie]

i am afraid of bananananananas. I will eat them on land, but never will they go onto a body of water with me. Had one in the boat while bass fisihing- No bites all morning- so I threw out my carolina rig and set the rod down. I ate the bananna, and as soon as I was taking the LAST bite, my rod started moving.... I set the hook, and had my keeper fish. This was this year on Lake Fork for the Skeeter Owners Tourney. I started catching fish after that, and it lasted until we weighed in. No prize, but I got to walk the stage.

 

[ksong]

i am afraid of bananananananas. I will eat them on land, but never will they go onto a body of water with me. Had one in the boat while bass fisihing- No bites all morning- so I threw out my carolina rig and set the rod down. I ate the bananna, and as soon as I was taking the LAST bite, my rod started moving.... I set the hook, and had my keeper fish. This was this year on Lake Fork for the Skeeter Owners Tourney. I started catching fish after that, and it lasted until we weighed in. No prize, but I got to walk the stage.
A friend of mine trolled banana with a hooks on a panga in Mexico and had lots of bites. It is a good way to throw banana out of a boat.

 

[SkeeterRonnie]

maybe you could pin up a piece in a sandball and get it down to some snapper.... never know what you would catch if you could get it past the baitfish.

 

[Uncle Russ]

Ksong and Skeeter: I never thought too much fishing could get to a guy, but I think you two need to step back from the rail, put away your jigs for a moment, and consider seeking the help of a good psychologist.

 

[bighead]

Yup, I'm a believer!!! Never was until this year. Fishing with my buddy Russ on a Monday late in October it happened. We were staying at the LaSquinta in Lake Jackson trying to get on the water early. As we were leaving for the boat he said "I'm going to grab some fruit". I assumed he meant apples/oranges from the continental breakfast. Everything goes as planned; get several miles offshore when it occurs to me what might have happened. I ask and Russ confirms that there are bananas on the boat. After a quick stop to ask King Neptune for forgiveness the boat was banana free again. Get out and have a pleasant day of catching, nothing big but steady action at several stops. Make it out about 50 miles and it's getting late. Punch in the #'s for the jetties and head for home. About 10 minutes into the ride, listening to cool tunes on the Sirius we have a major power outage. The VHF, stereo, GPS, etc all die at the same time. Shut down the throttles and start to take a quick look at the fuses and breakers on the batteries. All ok. I've got a tool kit along with a meter so start checking power inside the console. We have voltage on the 12v buss. All fuses to components are ok but nothing will power up. Decide to save time and get out the backup GPS. It powers up but can't get a signal for some reason. Just about to start cussing and out of the blue all the power comes back on. We get back to shore ok and reflect on what’s lacking in our safety plan. Next trip to the coast was for boat work and after three hours find a bad crimp connection inside one of the batteries Perko switch. Seem it would show 12v under no load but would pull down if anything was turned on.

 

[Snagged]

Yes!
Only times I've been skunked have involved boats with them on it.

 

[lite-liner]

Allright, let's put this banana thing in perspective. what follows is a trip
I took out out of San Quintin, Baja, last summer. if it's too long tuff ****
call it artistic liscense. regardless, I swear on my soul it's 100% true.....

06/14/05 0530 hrs.
wake up, wake up dad & bro, go get coffee, eat, load boat. etc
girl brings out lunches for everyone.(VERY hospitable country!)
head out to San Martin Is. troll all morning for Yellows-NADA!
All this while we watch Kelly Catian's boat just slaying them!
1030 hrs- Hungry; open a lunch bag & THERE IT IS! a %@#$^@#
BANANA! so I eat mine in about 2 bites & convince everyone else to
toss thiers over the side(total 3 bananas in the drink). No sh**,
We double hookup in less than 3 min's, mine comes off, but bro boats a nice
15#'er. Damn fine gaff job by his older brother, if I do say, BTW!
Anyway, the plot thickens. about an hour goes by, it's gettin late, clouds burnin off, etc. (sloooooow).
One of Pedro's buddies (who's been kicking our asses all morning) comes on the radio & sez they hooked a BANANA on the troll. we get a good laugh.
haha, right?
Well,later that night at the bar, this guy comes up & sez the bite quit as
soon as the fruit hit the deck, & they went dry the rest of the day.
True story.
-Brian

 

[Pope]

Friggin bananas. Those are hilarious stories. I like San Quintin too. I was also wondering how the grouper trip turned out.

 

[TeamOso]

my first offshore 12hr trip, my dad makes me eat a banana and milkf before we left. Came back me and my dad with nothing but sunburn. Everyone else caught SOMEthing.