a neat story I read in florida sportsman

[fitnast]

The biggest challenge right now is getting a fish to the boat. While it’s not that difficult getting hooked up with a gag or red grouper, getting a legal size fish may be another matter. That’s only the beginning. If you’re fishing around wrecks or reefs, you now have to contend with the barracudas and sharks. If they aren’t bad enough, you may still have to deal with the huge Goliath grouper that loom in the depths below.

Tommy Verdensky, fished out of tampa bay and headed offshore with friends for some grouper fishing last weekend. Shortly after they had anchored up on a spot and dropped lines, the action began. They began pulling snapper and grouper up. A good tug on the line led them to believe that they had a decent fish on. As the 10-pound fish neared the surface, a Goliath grouper estimated at about 100-pounds nailed their smaller fish and headed for the bottom. When they were finally able to turn the big fish back upward, they thought the fight would soon be over. Suddenly, another Goliath grouper guesstimated at about 500-pounds tried to eat the smaller Goliath! The big fish raked the smaller one, in an attempt to eat it whole, but the guys persevered, getting the smaller Goliath up before it was eaten. After they released the “small” Goliath grouper, high fives went around and a comment was made…”I think we’re going to need a bigger boat.”