The boys loaded the boat on saturday evening and we enjoyed a leisurely steam across the Gulf...well not quite all the way as we had to stop to let Squirrel get something off his chest....reckoned he could pull a fish out of nowhere...so we stopped on nothing in the middle of nowhere for him
Into the bay for a BBQ and a few ales whilst the boys loaded the livie tank...fishing without livies...NAAAAA! A move that would pay big returns later in the trip.
A few compulsory hours of shut eyes and wood sawing and we were greeted with a stunning but cold morning.....
It didn't take long for Squirrel to redeem himself(and he needed too

) pulling fish after fish on SPs in the growing light....
the fish were jumping on pretty much anything... I guess that why Squirrel was catching

It didnt take long and the rest of the crew ...Hunty, Steve, Dodgydobo, Capt Craig Fishless, Gaffa and the mighty Elpescador started to rip into the fish that were hard on the bottom in the rip...
Kept the deckie...Browndog...on his toes as another one gets the steel....
Good crew is hard to find and as a reward we unshackled his chain and let "The Dog" loose. Now Dog and I go aways back and have fished for all sorts of fish together over the years but the one thing we love to do is fish for big snapper with big baits....it's not the only way we do it but its the way we enjoy most...live baiting for Poppa Bear

Deep water drift fishing.....waiting for that indication of a bite...

we'll come back to him as there was plenty else going on

Soft baits were flying everywhere, fish were pouncing on them gusto and the bins were filling with nice size fish...
The Powerspell was getting a workout from Al who was jigging both with long jigs and madi, lucanus or wot ever you want to call them jigs....with success too I might add...
"C'mon C'mon we want to get our gear back into the snapper frenzy!"
Hunty, Craig and Steve on the rail as Al skulldrags another victim

The bite slowed as the tide turned but it was clear we were in on a good thing. the size and quality of fish was good so we hung in and Browndog comes up trumps with a good red on a livie...
The Kojak 700XL making easy work of another good red....
The "fishing with livies thing" got a few more supporters and on the next pass a few of the crew were connected. Al smacked one over with the powerspell....
Seemingly within seconds it was netted boat side and dispatched into the slurry. This fish just came in and whacked the livie hard

..it's where its at...
Meanwhile at Slam central....Dodgydobo lays into em....
Steve too knocked over fish after fish using all techniques.....
Capt.Craig Fishless dispelled the theory that he was only there too make Squirrels lunch and amoungst a heap of snapper he skulldragged for the depths he piped in with a porae...
They are quite a broad fish and fight similar to a good snapper but with a subtle difference...not bad kai too.....
The pace quickened with the current....
Steve adds a double header to the freight off a good ole ledger rig...
and then the Squirrel hooked up...Oh yeah...this had the look of a good noddy...
Leverage was gained and leverage was lost ...we kept the fish out of the craypots.....
Squirrels' 20lber on a Gulp! curried chicken 5" jerk shad. Good work fella

Its fat as....
Great bunch of fellas at Hunts....Get yaself in there...you might even get invited on the next trip

Check us at the webby below...Churr