When there is no more room in the Gulf, the gags will walk the Earth!


Guests
Tropicaldiver, Fishfryer, Bubblejunkie, Biggsy, and his brother Jonah. As he did last trip, Jimmy Z's buddy The Viceroy came along to help out, and wet a line at night. Positive karma in a big way for Biggsy who endured the NOAA blown forecast ass-whipper MG trip back in August!!

Sea Conditions
Perfect again! Pond in Lutz calm seas start to finish with nice water temps in the high seventies. Vis averaged 30'-50' on most sites.

Die, Reef Zombie, Die!!!
We left Friday at noon, and soon were situated over a spring that had been holding fish lately. I dove first with TropDiver, and FishFryer descending through the 10' surface tannic water murk layer (which only this dive had) opening up into cool looking clear water with diffused lighting. The spring was alive with the activity of baitfish, juvenile jacks, and spanish macks in mid water while the spring opening itself swarmed with mangos and grunts. The many gags there hung out just off the structure on the spongy hard bottom. I managed a nice stringer of gags, and Trop field tested the Wong gun she won at the SB Open. We continued the day in our rotations dropping on standard issue loaded Hatch rock piles. Jimmy Z and I got a rare opportunity to dive together on one dive while the Viceroy took the wheel, and the Biggs boys scored well on a dusk drop swarming with brownsnouter hogs.

We anchored up on a spot we hadn't fished on a charter in months that had produced on a comm trips a few weeks back. From the first minute the lines were in the water, the bite was on big time! It was pretty exciting to get in a good session this close to shore, and it showed in the exaggerated grunts, yells, screams, and war cries that pierced the night of the crimson moon (by the guests of course ). Those who have been on the boat know that Jimmy Z, and myself are as quiet as church mice when we rod and reel. Anyway for four hours plus it was non stop "reef zombies" over the rail with many break offs. The Viceroy hooked, and landed the same 8' nurse shark twice, and had to be restrained to keep him from wanting to ride it like a rodeo bull.

The following morning, two set of divers were dropped simultaneously a couple hundred yards apart on the spot, and thirty minutes later the deck was covered with gags, red snapper, grovers, and reef donkeys. From there it was a beeline to the marquee site of the trip, a wreck that we had not hit since the SB Open.

The jug swarmed with jacks as soon as it was thrown which put me in a scramble to find my snorkle, and sepia colored banana hammock freediving uniform while Jimmy Z, and Bubblejunkie suited up. I managed to call up my dormant Cuban freediving genes to slay a couple of jacks while The Viceroy watched the helm. The entire time I was in the water, all I could hear was the nonstop clink of spearguns going off. Jim, and Bubblejunkie came up with HOD's that no amount of "editing" could make SB friendly. Besides, who has time for pics when the backdive is on! Team two scored just as well. There were literally hundreds of gags on the bottom, and thousands of mangos in the structure which to my jaded self has become a regular occurrence diving off the Hatch. Even the second backdive team filled stringers although the mangos by then had been spooked by a large group of cuda that had moved in.

We finished the trip hitting ledges, and rock piles on the way in. On my last dive I turned around right as I was making my ascent off the bottom, and found myself nose to nose with a six foot reef shark. The shark swam into my outstretched Rhino gun so hard that it knocked it back, out of my hands, and over my shoulder into the ledge. The bastard made a couple circles, never giving me a good shot before swimming off realizing that this meal would not be an easy one.

A nice quick trip which allows us all to go trick or treating tonight. Check out the stats below, we started diving/fishing Friday at 3PM, and finished Sat at 4PM, not bad. A great crew, great weather, and good food. Dinner Friday was Cuban style chicken fricasse with home made apple pie while Saturday we chowed on grouper sandwiches, and jumbo shrimp. We're booked for the rest of the year so unless someone cancels, you're looking at Jan 2005 to fill a hot Hatch HOD. Standing by.



Slaytistics (This was only a four tank trip)
Grouper=80 (78 gags, 2 red)
Hogfish=56
Mango Snapper=54
Red Snapper=19
Amberjack=9

AJ Suarez


__________________
Hey Joe, where you goin' with that freeshaft gun in your hand
I'm goin' down to shoot my old ladyfish
You know I caught her messin' 'round with another mango

Jimi Hendrix "Hey Joe" (Deco Stop On Acid remix)