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We wrangled one of those mid-winter doldrums "specials" with DSH so 15 of us had the Pelican chartered for Monday morning. However, Captain Marvin Horner apparently passed out shortly after waking up at 4:00 AM and had to be rushed to the hospital. A last minute replacement would be the Gulf Eagle and Captain Keith Schoolcraft. We got a late start with all the last minute captain and crew changes but heading out the sea were pretty friendly. But when we got some 35 - 40 miles out it got ugly fast. It was windy and seas were easily 6' - 7' with 8s rolling through. The saving grace was that they were pretty spread out so we weren't getting beat to death. The current was ripping. I don't know much about gauging current speeds but I'd say it was running 5 or 6 knots. Between wind, waves and current this was one of those days when it would be impossible to anchor over structure. It wasn't for Keith not trying. By noon we had only spent maybe 15 - 20 minutes with bait in the water because of continuous repositioning. We had one 20ish AJ to show for it.
The current was so strong I was using a 420 gram Jitterbell and it was being taken straight out....
After lunch and another move the vessel had a belt problem that took us down for about another hour and a half to two hours. We were ready to write this trip off so we headed in with one AJ in the box. Keith spotted three shrimpers tied together a few of miles away and decided to detour by them. The Blackfins were home .... Not FWO mind you but steady. Over the next hour to hour and a half we would boat 21 of them. It was a day saver for us for sure.
Everyone got at least one and some guys got 2 or 3. I got one on the spinner I was using and it was fun. I missed three or four other pickups.
I didn't have my camera to take pics but you guys know what 21 dead Blackfins and one AJ look like.
Bobby
The current was so strong I was using a 420 gram Jitterbell and it was being taken straight out....
After lunch and another move the vessel had a belt problem that took us down for about another hour and a half to two hours. We were ready to write this trip off so we headed in with one AJ in the box. Keith spotted three shrimpers tied together a few of miles away and decided to detour by them. The Blackfins were home .... Not FWO mind you but steady. Over the next hour to hour and a half we would boat 21 of them. It was a day saver for us for sure.
Everyone got at least one and some guys got 2 or 3. I got one on the spinner I was using and it was fun. I missed three or four other pickups.
I didn't have my camera to take pics but you guys know what 21 dead Blackfins and one AJ look like.
Bobby
