Saturday night was Date Night!

[copout@castaways]

The wife & I have not had a break from our 4y/o for well over two months & after two trips to Disney, several parties all piled on top of the daily grind our time was due! She made plans with the MIL early in the week for a drop off early saturday afternoon. Promtly at 11am bags were packed & she was headed up to Pompano while I went South in search of a new leaning post at the Miami marine flea market. Didn't find one but am now having a sweet custom one made.
Boy what a surprize I was in for. That place stunk! Aside from hooking up with Pete & Mike from Big Bite Offshore & getting some new tuna feathers it was a wasted trip. It was smaller than the last yard sale we had! I figured while I was downtown I'd head over to River Marine supply & pickup an anchor ball system that came to use later in the night.
We met back up at the house a took advantage of it being empty! Six maybe seven minutes later I was loading the boat & she was making some sammie's.
Went launched outta 15th around 5:30 with plans to have an easy going night trip. This would be her first night trip since I took her on the Kelly Fleet over 7 years ago when I was a regular down there.
We cleared the inlet, ran out SE to 180' where I put out a simple 3 line spread of one small pink feather way back, one orange/green islander over bally & a small chrome cedar plug just behind the prop wash. We trolled south towards some good bottom off Hollywood, steaming ahead @ 3kts I knew we had some current. Not long into our troll she spots a couple schoolies just off the port side chasing down flyers. We did a couple circles but no takers. She was very excited as she had never seem them free jumping.

A little insight: I have an older 4/0 that the clicker is busted but ya gotta make due with whatcha got! So on this particular rod I keep the drag just a touch tighter to avoid being spooled & to help my see if it's bending more than normal.

Back to our troll. We're moving along, zig zagging between 400 & 180, enjoying the quiet adult conversation, got the I-pod going & I must be really thirsty cause I was already 4 deep. I'm looking foward for birds & boats while shes staring out back day dreaming when she says to me "Ya know, it's pretty wild how that small feather way back there can put off such a large wake." I spin around in my chair to see an 8lb blackfin doing the hydro-slyde! I jumped up, put the rod in the gimble on her seat & began laughing my ass off! I asked how long that had been going on & she said "oh 5 minutes or so!" Got it in the boat, bleed & iced down. We picked up another smaller one shortly after that. Both on the small pink feather from Big Bite Offshore.



We didn't have much more action after that but did enjoy a nice sunset!



We made our way into shallower waters where I started to mark some nice bottom. I set us up on the top off the 3rd reef, deployed the chum & gave her a refresher course of knocker rigs 101. In 50 of water there was just too much current so we picked up & moved in to the 2nd reef.
There in 36ft conditions were ideal. I was able to scale her rig down to a 1/2oz knocker while I freelined back a 1/16oz jig. She was keeping me so busy between baiting her up & unhooking fish I couldn't even fish but it was so worth it. Just as I got the tails dialed in she was ready. Not wanting to burn her out I used my head & complied. We had 2 nice little tuna, 2 tails & a grover it was 10pm & we were headed home. I did manage to get to promising spots out of it too.

All in all a great trip with the wife, the only fishing buddy that I can ask to put sunscreen on me!

Tuna marinated in ponzu, almond oil, wasabi powder & OJ. Rolled in hemp seed & seared to perfection! Served with steamed spinach & brown rice pasta!



Next trip is tomorrow night with a buddy, so less catering & more catching!

[Shiny Disco Balls]

Outstanding report and pics.

Way to get out there with the little lady and bring home the dinner.

[HialeahAngler]

man I love me some tuna. good catches dude.

[Zecura]

Sweet Catchin'.

[Captain_Dave]

Nice work Ryan!

[snookyj]

Nice Job Playa!

[copout@castaways]

Nice Job Playa!

They let you in here?
Thanks bro! Lets put together an afternoon tuna trip soon.

[Zecura]

They let you in here?
Thanks bro! Lets put together an afternoon tuna trip soon.

You let Mods go on those trips? I needs me some BFT coachin'.