Jupiter Swordin 8/16 & 8/17

[JupiterSailfish]

Sorry for being so late.

8/16
Broke out the inlet about 6:30 p.m. I'd say with GTSR, GT Fish, golfcane, Capt.Tater, and myself. Started at our uber secret usual spot and began our drift before sunset. Drifted for awhile in 1400ft range. Starting to lose hope as we only have two slashed baits to show for our efforts so far. Thinking about re-setting cause we haven't hooked or caught a fish in the area we were in when the short jug rod starts to scream. Something happened!

Mark gets tight on the fish as I'm letting the long and middle jugs out with Jeff reeling in the tip rods. Get Pat harnessed up and fighting the fish. Fish doesn't put up much of a fight (I believe he was saving it for when he saw the boat). Weight fell off from the fish cause it wasn't where it should of been on the line and now we see light. Wind to the light that should of broke off, but it decided to make things interesting. Realizing the snap swivel of the light is caught in the roller tip not letting line in or out I grab the wind-on and go Old Man and the Sea on its azz and handline 30+ft of line.

A few times I thought it pulled off cause the line went completely slack and then it was still there. Almost had to ditch the line, but with the line stuck in the tip I couldn't just let go of the line without risking someone getting pulled into the water. Fish comes onto the surface whacking its tail and throwing water at us. It appeared to be foul hooked I think and then from my pressure of not being able to give it any line the hook pulls. Technically it was a caught fish cause I had the leader in my hand for a few minutes. It looked like it might of been a legal fish. So that was one cherry down.

We reset a bit south and get the spread out. Set the lines out and I'm playing with the deep tip. As I'm explaining what a creeper is, the 80W creeper slowly starts to pull more line out and then it is screaming for attention. I let it eat and then slam the reel to strike. Fish didn't like that and comes straight up. I reel like hell for a little bit and finally get tight on it. I put Mark on the rod and now we are fishing. I was surprised that the fish pulled some drag. Got the fish up and it is a small fish (I thought it was going to be decent from the pull). Take some quick pics and tag & release him. Second cherry gone tonight. Drift for a little bit longer and call it at 12.

It was a really fun night out there with some fish thrown in there. Jeff got some good pics I think. I know, it's weird that I didn't take any.


8/17
Went out Palm Beach Inlet around 7 p.m. with Iriesoul, girlfriend Pam, Richie, and myself. Went southeast to V-Spot. Arrived and got the spread out. It was a god 2-3 out there for a little while, calming down some later on in the night.

Drift for about an hour when I noticed something other than our boat in the light. Saw an undersize fish swimming around near the back of the boat. Pretty cool to see.

We check baits and put them back out again, two balloons and a tip rod. Notice that the balloons are spreading apart. I'm quite sure that there is a fish on the short balloon that is moving left. Suddenly Steve hears a peep out of the long jug. Apparently the fish is on the long. Get Steve to start reeling and now it's fish on! Comes straight to the boat and is boatside. Normally I have wax loops for my weights, but it is on the reel I just got re-spooled so I had to use a rubberband. The reel is packed full so the rubberband hits the side of the reel and can't reel anymore. Once again I have to handline about 30ft of wind-on and leader. Just when I'm about to grab the bill the fish spits the hook. Oh well at least it was a release.

Drift till about 12:40 and call it a night. Fish bit right at the setting of the moon. I heard you talking out there Eric, but our VHF wasn't working.

I'm just happy we found fish from what I've been hearing lately.

[Sopla2o]

Believe or not ... Based on what I have read lately, you had an awesome night ...

[LIGHTS OUT]

Nice report. Love to handline those fish!