Reel Draggin Tackle
07-07-2009, 11:35 AM
Canyon Draggin’ Fish Report
6 July 2009
After departing Townsville Australia on 26 June we had only three days to ready the Canyon Draggin’ for its nearly 1000 mile haul to St Augustine Florida. We departed early Wednesday morning and after a 12 hour no drama tow we arrived at our overnight stop at the Paula and Craig Hall residence Wednesday night. Thursday we spent getting our fishing papers ready for the following week. There are just a few more pieces of paper that are required to fish the ocean off the state of Florida. On Friday we launched the boat at St. Augustine and motored to our slip A2 at the Conch House Marina. I spent Saturday talking to locals, trying to gather as much information as possible for the following week of fishing. The charters are tight lipped to outsiders, but I found a few talkative tackle shop owners and the dock hands told me which charters were bringing home the fish. With that, I made a plan for Monday.
We launched the Canyon Draggin’ at 0700 from the A2 slip at Conch House marina and after a short stop to catch live bait, we cleared the inlet just before 8 am. The forecast called for a stiff 15 to 20Kt wind out of the west and 3 foot seas with afternoon thunder storms rolling in around noon. So far it looked like they were right, so we had to stay inshore. There are a series of wrecks at 9 to 10 miles out and again at about 15 to 17 miles out. I figured with the afternoon forecast, we better not venture past 17 miles and we would work our way back in from there. We made good time out, but it was wet to say the least. The wind was 20 or better and we took the 3 to 4 foot seas on the chin all the way. Once on the numbers we searched for life, it was scarce. There were just a few marks on the bottom, so we dropped a bait rod and a few meat rigs. Hook up was almost immediate and for the next few hours across three wrecks we bailed little sand sharks, with no action. The sharks were fun, but not what we were looking for. At the third wreck I decided to pick up and troll to the 9 mile wrecks. Maybe we would hook a King or Mahi (one was caught Friday). We got the spread out, got up to trolling speed and “Fish – ON”. The area from 9 to 17 miles was thick with Bonita. These are loads of fun to catch, but I don’t think anyone wanted a fish taco made from Bonita! After the third fish I looked up and noticed that Sky was not looking so good. The rain was coming. In fact it didn’t look good at all, it was time to run to the beach. Too late; just as I got all lines in and gear stowed it was on us. We were hit with 30 to 40 kt winds and driving rain, visibility went to near zero and the seas went to 4 to 6 foot. Lucky for us, there was no lightning and the storm was going west to east. A quick look at the radar showed that the front stretched from Daytona to Jacksonville; there was no dodging this one. We hunkered down and maintained a heading of 270 at about 8 kts as the storm pounded us for nearly an hour. Once we came out on the other side we were able to make a smooth 24 kts back to the Marina. No fish on ice, but the anglers got to bend a pole.
The front is still here Tuesday, so no fishing today. Wednesday is looking like a good day to push out to the 100 fathom line and fish the edge of the Gulf Stream. Hopefully we have better luck.
PICTURES:
(http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0097.JPG)
http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0098.JPGhttp://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0099.JPG
http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0101.JPG
http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0104.JPG
http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0102.JPG
http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0095.JPG
Capt. Ken Lahr
Reel Draggin’ Tackle
6 July 2009
After departing Townsville Australia on 26 June we had only three days to ready the Canyon Draggin’ for its nearly 1000 mile haul to St Augustine Florida. We departed early Wednesday morning and after a 12 hour no drama tow we arrived at our overnight stop at the Paula and Craig Hall residence Wednesday night. Thursday we spent getting our fishing papers ready for the following week. There are just a few more pieces of paper that are required to fish the ocean off the state of Florida. On Friday we launched the boat at St. Augustine and motored to our slip A2 at the Conch House Marina. I spent Saturday talking to locals, trying to gather as much information as possible for the following week of fishing. The charters are tight lipped to outsiders, but I found a few talkative tackle shop owners and the dock hands told me which charters were bringing home the fish. With that, I made a plan for Monday.
We launched the Canyon Draggin’ at 0700 from the A2 slip at Conch House marina and after a short stop to catch live bait, we cleared the inlet just before 8 am. The forecast called for a stiff 15 to 20Kt wind out of the west and 3 foot seas with afternoon thunder storms rolling in around noon. So far it looked like they were right, so we had to stay inshore. There are a series of wrecks at 9 to 10 miles out and again at about 15 to 17 miles out. I figured with the afternoon forecast, we better not venture past 17 miles and we would work our way back in from there. We made good time out, but it was wet to say the least. The wind was 20 or better and we took the 3 to 4 foot seas on the chin all the way. Once on the numbers we searched for life, it was scarce. There were just a few marks on the bottom, so we dropped a bait rod and a few meat rigs. Hook up was almost immediate and for the next few hours across three wrecks we bailed little sand sharks, with no action. The sharks were fun, but not what we were looking for. At the third wreck I decided to pick up and troll to the 9 mile wrecks. Maybe we would hook a King or Mahi (one was caught Friday). We got the spread out, got up to trolling speed and “Fish – ON”. The area from 9 to 17 miles was thick with Bonita. These are loads of fun to catch, but I don’t think anyone wanted a fish taco made from Bonita! After the third fish I looked up and noticed that Sky was not looking so good. The rain was coming. In fact it didn’t look good at all, it was time to run to the beach. Too late; just as I got all lines in and gear stowed it was on us. We were hit with 30 to 40 kt winds and driving rain, visibility went to near zero and the seas went to 4 to 6 foot. Lucky for us, there was no lightning and the storm was going west to east. A quick look at the radar showed that the front stretched from Daytona to Jacksonville; there was no dodging this one. We hunkered down and maintained a heading of 270 at about 8 kts as the storm pounded us for nearly an hour. Once we came out on the other side we were able to make a smooth 24 kts back to the Marina. No fish on ice, but the anglers got to bend a pole.
The front is still here Tuesday, so no fishing today. Wednesday is looking like a good day to push out to the 100 fathom line and fish the edge of the Gulf Stream. Hopefully we have better luck.
PICTURES:
(http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0097.JPG)
http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0098.JPGhttp://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0099.JPG
http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0101.JPG
http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0104.JPG
http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0102.JPG
http://reeldraggintackle.com/images/...9/100_0095.JPG
Capt. Ken Lahr
Reel Draggin’ Tackle