Day 2 was planned to go for tuna and get snapper on the way in. We made bait and headed out. Seeing we had such good luck on a quick catch for big snapper we decided to pick up 4 quick ones first as we passed that particular rig. Today there was no current at all The bite was a little slow but our first one was bigger than any of the ones they caught the day before.



We were getting bites but not buttoning up. Seems the pinfish were wanting some breakfast also. We put 3 of them in the box also. We managed to get an amberjack but it went back after a photo.



This was taking up valuable time but Dave senior was content just picking away at these hog snapper. These were by far the biggest he had ever caught. Dirty water moved in and the bite stopped. We only had 3 keepers in the box. There was a patch of grass near by and his son was on the Mahi hunt. We got into them a bit and soon had a bunch of small ones in the mix. I stopped at a near by rig for our last snapper. By this time the tuna search was too late in the day to start the hunt. At this other rig we managed 2 almaco jack. Dave asked where we could find our last big snapper. The closest place was our first stop.

We got to the rig and dropped 2 lines down right to the bottom. One gets nailed and Dave Junior begins cranking on it but the fish has another idea. As Dave lowers the rod for another gain of line the fish lowers it's head, starts pulling drag, and dives into the rig somewhere about 280 and 250 feet down. I take the rod and play the fish until it finally comes out of the rig. From there I put the heat on the fish never giving it any chance to lower it's head. I offered it back to either of them but they just wanted to watch. I gave them a lesson on how to do it. By the time I got this hog to the top I was wishing one of them was on the reel but there was no way I was going to pass it at this point. I will admit this 73 year old guy was in need of a rest once this 23.5 horse hit the deck.



We still had some time left so we moved near by and put some mangrove snapper in the box to add to our bounty. Filled the board and then some.



At the dock one of the other captains came in with a summertime wahoo that had engulfed one of the new purple Russelures. Just had to get a picture of it.



Seeing it was Fathers day I was greeted with a cake our daughter Candice made for me. This combined with my 23.5 snapper made for a great Fathers day.



Life is Good!

Fishing is not a matter of life or death. It's more important than that.

CAPT HOOP -- OUR FREEDOM

Nice fish. Good job.

Great!