Reward again on Sunday - a little better, but no cigar.

[ikaika]

Conditions are improving.
Seems that the North Wind has pushed a lot of life into our waters.
I fished the 9 am boat on Sunday. we drifted for kings. I lost one.
Lots of bonitos made a strong showing around noon.

No vomiting, but I had a couple of googs next to me that insisted on dropping lines before the boat stopped.
Figures I'm stuck next to the old guy that insists on Singing the Theme to Gilligan's Island as the boat starts shoving off... So I had to help these guys with the snags and snarls to avoid them messing my line.

The lovely Kayla was the only mate on the boat with Jerry pitching in from time to time.

Another set of "rail yams" fishing light spinning tackle off the bow with one accomplished speed jigger on the bow sprit.

Lots of kings succumbed to the jig.
The other rail yams were confused between "edible" fish and bonitos. (yeah-yeah - you don't know what you're missing... tell that to the guy that ate a fried moss-bunker on a dare!).
These rail yams were the life of the bow. Gladly putting out 10lb spinning outfits as well as leaving other baited lines - dead-stik'd, just to tangle anyone down drift.

I was waiting for one of them hand-shake the squirrel fish when Kayla stopped them.

On a plus note, bonitos were chasing my bullet spinners. I need more weight and flash. 3oz in .308 wasn't heavy enough espescially on the head-boat rod i use. (7 ft hvy tiger rod with penn googmaster 500 - spooled with 30 pink ande)
I'll take out the spin jig set-up for laughs next time.

see the middle lures:

If I can conjure a 5 oz version with the colorado blade, it will make speed jigging obsolete. I won't sell them for $30 a piece either.

[ikaika]

it was a decent drift in the morning, but no bite.
towards noon the current slowed as the wind died, and the bite picked up!

I was dropping a kingfish rig with 30 lb mono and it was falling to the bottom without much scope.

My jigging set-up is a Tica Taurus 7000 spooled with 50lb PP bimini'd then albright to a 10 ft top-shot of 60lb clear leader. I have the 6000 spool w/ 30lb tuff-line -
either spool is plenty for SoFlorida.

I'm looking for a new Jigging rod - intrigued by the Ugly Tiger Lite set-up.

Another note: I need to replace the drag washers in the 500L. Drag is all but spent on that horse.

[fixed80]

thanks for the post. how many bonita came over the rail.

[ikaika]

thanks for the post. how many bonita came over the rail.

not sure - I only saw three come over in my vicinity. Seems that the Bonitas showed-up when the trip was ending.

Lots of kings got away that day.
If we were in 100 ft, with a slow drift, the kings were probably in the mid depth and about 200 feet out.