Long Key Tear-Off Report 7/10-711 (Long w/ Pics)

[fishinDave07]

Took out my friend's 17 ft. center console to check out some numbers and do some spearin'.

Day 1

Vis: hazy top to bottom in 8 ft.
Temp: Upper 70s
Current: Non-existant

I bagged/stoned the first fish of the day which was a chubby 13 inch hog. Toss him in the boat. Few seconds later i see a bigger hog so end up shooting him a bit high and he is hanging on by just a thread of skin , I'm chasing him down as he's kick up tons of sand when i finally grab him and throw him in the boat. My friend shot another hog and a mangrove that day.

Check out that stone-shot on the fish to the right




I also spotted a sneaky black grouper, and shot him a quarter inch too high having him tear-off.

For some reason all my shots were high up on the head

Day 2, Spot 1

We went about 5 miles offshore to find a reef our friends mentioned.

Vis: Crystal clear, Top to bottom in 20 ft. (I could see fish swimming around on the bottom from on the boat )
Temp: mid-70s
Current: None

This reef had tons of yellowtails and mangroves, they were just tiny.

I took a shot on a nice 3 ft. barracuda, but my stupid line didnt fully disconnect from the gun and he tore off.

We saw about an 8 foot hammerhead swim around a few times and leave.

The only fun i had there was chumming the water with my own "brand" and having yellowtails practically jump into my mouth tryin to get more.

Day 2, Spot 2

Headed south a few miles and drift dove a bridge.

We jump in about 500 yds east of the bridge then begin our drift to find the "spot". Once we're there i become the most unlucky, lucky person. I shoot and re-shoot two hogs practically identical hogs at that. The second one had a bit of a story to it. After i took a nice chunk off his head im following him, reloading as i go. He then is about to enter a coral head about the size of a refridgerator when i "stop" him at the door . As he is about to go in a pin him to the coral just behind the eyes. Both hogs measured to 15 inches.

Here's one that i "scalped"



My friend scored nicely with a P-I-G, PIG of a red grouper.

He said he was checking out a hole, to see a grouper dart out. He then decided to still look in when he saw big grouper lips. He took a shot. End of Story

This red was 23 inches long and FAT

[fishinDave07]

nice report dude

Thanks man, i REALLY miss the keys

[fishinDave07]

lucky us, right?

[ccoope29]

damn nice poop

[Kizer]

Awesome! I need to figure out some holes in the Keys. I want to rent a boat and go figure some out. Any suggestions for spots would be awesome! Sunday was my first time South of Islamorada and the weather was not good.

[fishinDave07]

Awesome! I need to figure out some holes in the Keys. I want to rent a boat and go figure some out. Any suggestions for spots would be awesome! Sunday was my first time South of Islamorada and the weather was not good.

I guess the best advice i can give is expect the unexpected .

We went out 5 miles to 20-25ft. water and didnt see squat.

We went 500 yards to 6ft of water and were shooting big hogs and pig groupers

Something that works, as far as finding new spots goes, is to "troll" somebody behind the boat slowly and look for structure.

I'd personally be curious to look around Marathon.

Dave

[Kizer]

That sounds like a lot of fun. I will give it a try. My plan is to also find some reefs using flash earth.

[fishinDave07]

That sounds like a lot of fun. I will give it a try. My plan is to also find some reefs using flash earth.

Is that like google earth?

[fishinDave07]

Thanks for the link Ricky. How you been? By the way, do you any info about smoking fish other than kings? have you done it?

[Kizer]

That is a great site! Thanks!