Dorothy (Role of Dorothy played by D4B in a gingham blue jumper dress, unruly hair pulled back into twin ponytails): Hello sir, we're here to see the Wizard of HOD.

Doorman at the Emerald City gates (Role of doorman played by Jim Zurbrick): Wizard?!! No one gets to see the great Wizard of HOD, not no how, not no way! I haven't even seen the Wizard!

Dorothy: Please sir, the Jolly Rogers 2 sent us.

Doorman: Jolly Rogers 2? Well bust my buttons, that's a mango of a different color! Why didn't you say so, come on in!!!



Guests
Crap Shooter, Jaizzen, Fizisition, Spearooo, and Codbone. Thanks to Fizisition in the triumphant return of Team Mean Mug to the Hatch who filled a last minute opening. Thanks also to Crap Shooter for the Mott & Hester deli tray, and to Codbone for Saturday night dessert.

In addition to Jimmy Z, and myself, Victor (aka-The Viceroy) the son of one of Jim's longtime friends came along to help out, and wet a line. The extra limit came in handy too .

Weather Conditions
After seeing that a rapidly moving front was going to ruin our original Fri AM MG departure, we went into Plan B mode with a two day, single overnighter local Steinhatchee trip. For once, NOAA is dead on! Calm seas, cloudless sunny skies, mild air temps, water temps in the high 70's, no current, and vis in the 20'-40' range. These are the weekends that make up for the brutal poundings you inevitably subject yourself to several times per year in the pursuit of HOD's.

Somewhere Over the Rock Pile
I'll let the pictures tell the story, but for anyone that has a local Steinhatchee trip with us in the next few months, I have some advice. Take some multivitamins, do some pushups, and go run some laps. Basically, get ready! We are very early in the season, and the biggest worry we face has nothing to do with not finding the fish, but rather finding the fish that you still haven't gotten your limits on yet.

Slaytistics
Note a couple guys brought five tanks, but this was basically only a four tank trip.
Grouper=80 (64 gag, and 16 red)
Mango Snapper=26
Red Snapper=20
Hogfish=60
Amberjack=16

HOD (hoop of death)= The procurement of multiple piscine organisms onto a stainless steel rod machined into an elliptical hemisphere.

AJ Suarez