VA GROUPER: First trip, first drop... Got him on... w/video and pics.

[Chumlord]

Robert, JC, Hamish and I saw a weather window and decided to go deep in search of Grouper and if we couldn’t get on these fish we would go looking for some Tiles and Sea Bass. As incredible as it sounds this was our first attempt at Grouper fishing we literally pulled up to a spot on the North wall of the Norfolk Canyon, the bottom looked good and I was marking fish we were in 76 fathoms so we decided to drop and on that very first drop boated a 45 pound Warsaw Grouper (I believe it was a Warsaw). We all were astonished!!! The day just kept getting better and better as it went on. We caught citation quality Blue line Tile fish, Black Sea Bass, another 45 pound Grouper (perhaps a Snowy), JC hooked up and fought a 30 pound class gaffer Dolphin for at least 45 minutes but unfortunately after countless trips around the boat giving us all a spectacular arial show the fish got tangled in one of our deep drop lines the braid chafed the 30 pound test mono and it parted at the boat as we were about to gaff it. The wildest part of the day occurred when JC hooked up the gaffer he told Hamish that there was a fish on his (JC’s) deep rod and asked him to reel it in. Well, with all the gaffers around the boat and JC’s rod being down more than 500 ft. Hamish put JC’s rod back in the holder at least four times and tried hooking one of the Mahi circling the boat until JC would remind him that there was a fish on his rod, Hamish would then return to JC’s deep rod crank for a while and put it back in the holder. When he finally got JC’s fish up, while JC is battling his gaffer he sees it is another big Grouper and we all freak out. Just crazy!!!

We caught the Bluelines and Grouper at the exact same location however, the Grouper hit whole Bluefish and the Tiles went for squid. We were on a small flat with a steep drop on the north wall of the canyon in 75 to 90 fathoms using 24 to 28 ounces of lead and 8/0 to 10/0 circle hooks on 130 pound test Grouper rigs. We loaded up on the Sea Bass at the 44 fathom wreck, we were using squid and cut bait Albacore, Bluefish and Menhaden.

A trip that will be remembered for a long, long...LONG time!!! Thanks again to Robert, JC and Hamish!!!

Sorry about some of the language in the video... we were a bit excited!!! It’s 30 MB so give it a minute or two to load... Enjoy!!!

VIDEO LINK:
http://www.chumlordfishing.com/movies/Grouper.mov

[31footer]

very nice Lou

[PlaynHooky]

All I can say after THANKS is WOW WHAT A WEEKEND!! Doing that trip on 4 hours of sleep over prior two nights due to an AWESOME day on the REEL ESCAPE the day before catching MAHI AND TILES.....I WAS NOT EVEN TIRED......ADRENALINE JUNKY I AM!

Thanks again guys for working together as an AWESOME team......it was a pleasure! CANT WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN......AND AGAIN!!

Those fish were all HUGE..........nothing like cranking a 15lb blue line from 80 fa!!!!

Sorry for the language, but ya know a day like that brings out the beast in ya!

Oh yeah I almost forgot.....Lou showed me how to AROUSE a Black Sea Bass.......he sure does know his fish.......thanks Lou.....I think......

[bbogue]

Nice job, Lou and crew. Looks to have been beautiful sea conditions, always a plus.

Bill
Miss Ginya

[c-note]

great report Lou!

[Hill Billy]

WOW LOU,
I need to go with you on one of those trips.
Way to go
Hill Billy

[surferbill]

Good job guys. Great report and pixs. I'll have to try for those Grouper next time.

Robert, you are an animal, fishing for 17 hours with us on the Reel Escape on Sat., and then going right back out the next day.

[surfperch1]

Sweet shang-gra-la! man that is awesome.

[PlaynHooky]

Bill I would of gone again this morning.....MUCH better than being stuck here at work!

[justkiddin]

Robert- Looks like you all had a great day- Weather was perfect out there yesterday- Hated to leave but glad we stayed a little later to enjoy it- You fishing any next week?

Scott