Post by fishtailz on Jun 19, 2023 11:06:19 GMT -5
Everytime we'd drive over the Skyway Bridge, the wife would say "We should fish there sometime." Always pier fish around home about an hour and a half south. Mostly for snook, jacks, occasional cobia and red. Ok. Let's go. Trip #1. Two months ago. NSP. Wow, look at all the bait in the water. Went through 7 dozen shrimp among 5 of us. Couple of blue runners, a spanish mackeral, some pinfish. Everybody loved it because it's "Big Water". Did some research over the next two weeks about the Skyway Piers. Hey, I found this Forum with all this information. And guess what, there are a bunch of rockpiles all along both piers. Decided if we are going to catch big fish, we need to fish for big fish. Bought half a dozen sabicki rigs and some bigger sinkers and some circle hooks along with a bigger Penn rod and reel. Watched some you tube videos, studied the forum, and made some plans. Going to go for Grouper even if the Gags are out of season, but will settle for anything big. Trip #2. Fast forward 3 weeks. High tide at 1 p.m. Showed up early and caught about 10 pinfish for bait. As the tide was getting ready to turn, the guy beside us coming back from the bathroom, stops and says to me, "You should have seen the grouper I caught yesterday." Holding his hand near his waist like he's holding a fish up with it's tail on the ground. Said it took him 20 minutes to get it in, and he saw two others caught as well. Said his was caught on a pinfish on the bottom, and one other was caught on a greenback. I said" you are telling me exactly what I want to hear, because I have 10 pinfish in the bucket, and the tide is just starting out. " Over the next two hours we fished pins on the bottom, under a bobber, and free-lined a while. No bites. Couple other fisherman when we are leaving are at the end of the pier filling up a bucket with greenbacks. Said they getting them for chum. I asked if it was for offshore. No, we are going to cut them up and chum for snappers, right here at the end of the pier. Decided this wasn't the first time these guys had done this, and maybe we should try it next time. Trip # 3. Fast forward three weeks. Friday May 9th, 2023. Showed up to NSP with family and commenced to put 40 greenbacks in a pail before the tide started out. Cut them up and grabbed a bite to eat. Right before the tide turned we noticed a big, dark cloud raining at the mouth of the bay. Hmm, that might be coming this way. As the tide was turning, it began to rain and lightning. Great. After a few minutes in the truck, I decide to throw out a dead pinfish and stick the rod in a holder with the drag loosened, so I can watch it through the windshield. After about 10 minutes, I notice a slight bend in the rod. I commented, it's either a fish or ball of weeds. Better check. Jump out in the rain and grab the rod and commence to act like I am frantically setting the hook on something to amuse the others still in the truck. In reality, the circle hook was already set on a big fish. The fish, I thought, was heading for the Gulf. I was starting to panic a little, thinking I was about to get spooled. Tightened the drag more and at one point, stopped the fish. It continued out a few more yards, when I remember commenting to my nephew, "I think I am rocked up." Snap. I never considered until after the fact that it was a Grouper because everything I read said keep the bait as lively as possible and keep a fresh one on. The pin I threw out was dead. Learn a lesson. My line was frayed about 16 inches up like it had dragged over some rocks. It rained for hour and a half right after the tide turned. We fished a bit more and everyone decided that was enough. About 5 hours worth. Trip # 4. Friday, June 30th, 2023. Can't wait to get back up there and get hooked up. A little experience and a bit of luck and a fish story is on the way. You don't go, you won't know! Good Luck to all and I'll keep you posted.
