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Gone
fishing Capt. Larry Blue |
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12/22/2007 |
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Fishing Archives |
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Isn’t it
great when a plan comes together! Sandy and Tom Scanerelli
wanted |
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to do
some scuba diving and I had a couple spots offshore that had
been producing |
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several nice sized grouper, so we planned to slip offshore with
my friend, Aaron |
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Kalwa
and make the best of a very good weather day. Kalwa works
part-time for |
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security at Gators and has a 9 to 5 job as well. Aaron has mated
on my boat for |
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several years and he is a Dive Master, so having him along would
round out the |
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crew
and it always pays to have experience onboard. |
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The morning of the outing we loaded the dive
equipment on my boat “Niki |
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Joe”. We
took some fresh bait and some very lively pinfish for
pre-fishing the spots |
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that
they would be diving. The air tanks and dive gear, as well as
the spear guns were |
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secured for the ride offshore. The GPS was programmed for the
target, and then we |
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were
off. |
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During the ride Aaron got out his neoprene suit and got
everything ready for |
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the
dive. Sandy and Tom sat back to enjoy a day off and the pleasant
surroundings. |
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The
radio was playing some good songs and it was a beautiful day.
After a short |
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half-hour
run we arrived at our destination. Tom located a marker jug for
the right |
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depth as I
turn the boat to circle the area looking for the best place to
anchor. |
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The best
place to anchor would be nearest the fish so we could catch a
few |
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before the
diving the spot. Once a diver gets in the water, usually the
fish won’t take |
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a
baited hook and most of the big ones will seek shelter from the
perceived danger |
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that
they feel is forthcoming. I don’t think that the fish actually
know that the divers |
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are a
threat, but anything large and looming in the water makes them
take cover. |
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Most
skin divers seem to think that the larger fish might have been
chased by other |
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divers
before and are wiser for the experience and will stay well out
of the reach of |
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the
spear guns. |
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The
anchor was set. While Sandy and Tom suited up for their dive
Aaron |
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baited
a rod
with a sardine and dropped it down to see if there were any
hungry fish |
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located below. |
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Within a
second of the lead hitting the bottom there was a strike on the
line. |
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The
fish hit hard and fast but was off just as quickly. Aaron reeled
in and rebaited, |
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dropped
back down for a second try, again same results. He said;
“there’s fish |
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here!” I
reached in the live well for a live baitfish, hooked it on the
rod and Aaron |
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was back for
yet another try. |
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The
pinfish was dropped to the bottom impaled on a sharp hook. A
strike! |
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This
time there was no mistake there was a fish on the line, a BIG
fish. It was touch |
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and go
for the first couple seconds as the fish pulled hard to get away
and Aaron |
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struggled with the rod trying to force him from the bottom
toward the surface. He |
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had to
gain line on the reel or the fish would find the craggy edges of
the rocks below |
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and cut
him off. Up a few feet and the grouper pulled a few feet back
down, back |
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and forth
the battle went. Aaron wasn’t about to let this mere fish get
the best of |
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his; 6’ 1”,
270 pound frame. However, he had to struggle to gain the better
of this |
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fish, this wasn’t
the normal catch and release little grouper we’ve come to catch
so |
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often. THIS
was a big grouper. |
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After awhile you could see the fish’s form breaking through into
view below |
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the
boat. As Tom and Sandy peered over the side watching the fish
still trying |
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desperately to get back to the bottom, Aaron painfully pulled
him closer, I reached |
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for a
gaff. Aaron worked the fish near me and I placed the gaff in its
side. The fish |
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was
now aboard and Aaron could relax. But there’s no time for that..
he wanted to |
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get to
the bottom and see if there were any more like this down there.
After all, a |
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39 inch,
19 pound black grouper is something to admire and want more of. |
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Tom, Sandy and Aaron checked their dive gear and dropped over
the side |
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of the
“Niki Joe” heading to the bottom to see what else was on this
natural reef. |
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The end
result were stringers full of grouper, snapper and one of scuba
divers most |
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sought after
quarry, hogfish snapper. While the name isn’t so appealing the
taste of |
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this
fish is.
It’s the prize of local divers and throughout the state. The
trio had a |
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wonderful dive below
and found many fish to spear and lots of fish that were just |
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nice to look at,
including tropical fish of every description, the kind you see
in |
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aquariums and
seaquariums. After they returned, we pulled the anchor and
heading |
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back
towards shore. |
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We
returned to John’s Pass, stopping at Gators to filet a couple
fish and |
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have lunch
and reflect on the day. The treasure of a day like this is being
among |
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nature's
wonders, but more so is being with good friends. |
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Good luck
in the New Year and good fishing. Capt. Larry |
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Copyright 2007 Logo/editorial,
Capt. Larry Blue |
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Capt. Larry Blue is a full time
charter boat operator and guide, launching from Gators on the
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Pass, in Treasure Island . He is a
member of; The Maritime Consortium, The Florida League of
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Anglers and The Florida Outdoors
Writers Assn. For charter information call 727-397-3773 or
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cell; 727-871-1058 |
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