5/5 SSP

[havetofish]

I have been laid up for 3 weeks with a bad back, but decided that I might as well be in pain sitting on the pier, so..

Made a stop on the NSP at about 3:00pm, since I haven't been there in a while. They were catching some macks. My buddy Steve showed up, so we left, wanted to get to the SPP for the outgoing at 6:30. Didn't see any macks where we were.

For those of you still wondering about the mangroves being around, they are there. Caught a bunch of 10". Flipper got 2 before I could get them in. Once the tide started moving around 7pm. The grouper bite was on and when it got dark flipper disappeared. Perfect slow moving tide til we left at about 10pm.

I had a pin out about 150 yds and got slammed. This was probably the biggest grouper I have ever hooked from the pier, but when he decided to take a dive for a hole he rocked me. My reel's 18lb. drag was locked down and he took drag to get to the bottom. At one point he started to move, but as soon as I put pressure on him, it was back to his hole. Had to break him off after an hour. Yeah, yeah, I know, the one that got away. So no keeper for me.

Steve had better luck and managed 1 keeper. I must tell you, he was on fire with the grouper bite. At one point, before we started freelining, I saw him catch 3 barely shorts on the same dead pinfish in the same spot on the bottom.




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[goindeep]

Great report John

What line were you usin when you got rocked?? I'm assuming braid??

Great news on the mangos...Hopefully we can get some decent fishing in before it all gets shut down

[filletnrelease]

Great report John, know what you mean about the back, mines not good. Tell my wife the same thing, if I am going to hurt anyway, might as well hurt doing something I love. Looks like I got Friday off, at least so far, so plan on heading out Friday early AM, if not tonight.

[havetofish]

Yeah Steve...65lb PP and 50 lb leader. Break was on the leader, which is where I want it. Believe me, I was on him at the strike and had no chance.

Jack..My back actually is better today...turned out to be good therapy...maybe the sweat and heat before it got dark had something to do with it. I was ready to give the Chiropractor a shot at doing something, but now I think I am on the road to recovery...Thank God

[filletnrelease]

My problem is 3 ruptured discs in my lower back. Lately have been having spasms in my upper back. I spent 8 weeks flat on my back and then over a year in therapy. I'm glad your feeling better, those Chiropractor's have helped me a few times.

[havetofish]

BTW guys..if I could, I would get back out there for these next 3 slow outgoing tides..Tonight..8:04pm, Friday, 9:46pm, Sat, 11:10pm. Perfect for freelining a pinfish over the rockpiles for grouper and not hot...might not be too crowded later at night. Snapper bite will probably be good if you can find them. Bring something you can cast a longs ways. Squid, shrimp, cut greenbacks, should do the trick. 20lb flouro and 1/0 hook. I don't fish the pilings for them, but instead l look for sandy patches in the rock piles. They are usually on the edges of them. Like this one.


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[BigDawg71]

nice report...me be jealous

[gerard1031]

Wow, the bite is on! Gotta go get me one!

Excellent catch!

[David from NC]

It seems a lot of us on here speak the "bad back" language. However, a keeper grouper can definitely offer some temporary relief. Thanks for the report.

[npdempse]

May 6, 2010 13:25:15 GMT -5 havetofish said:

BTW guys..if I could, I would get back out there for these next 3 slow outgoing tides..Tonight..8:04pm, Friday, 9:46pm, Sat, 11:10pm. Perfect for freelining a pinfish over the rockpiles...

OK, the tide times have me confused--on the tides sticky and in your post I see the 9:46 for high tide today, every place else gives 8-8:15. What am I missing?

Thanks.

[havetofish]

We use the Redfish Point tides for the Skyway. I know it doesn't make much sense geographically, but they match up best. Egmont key, Mulley key..etc. are not as accurate. It really doesn't matter if you are off an 1hr or so, its just that some of us like to be able to time our arrival better. I like to get there in time to catch some bait and be ready for the tide change. If you look at the tides posted on the booth at the piers you'll see that they match up with those.

Welcome aboard

[npdempse]

Ah, awesome. Thanks! The sites I've been looking at always post the Mullet Key as "Skyway."