The Pioneers

[Fish]

Great story.

My first boat, a 23’ Sea Ox with a pair of Evinrude 115s, had no navigational electronics. I had a compass, a grease chart, a ruler, and a watch. We fished every day and occasionally as far out as the scarp. 144 and 711 were blood bath numbers. There was another place close to that referred to as the wahoo hole. And they were there. My brothers worked in the marina, so we paid no dockage, and we had friends at the fish house, so we could sell fish to pay for fuel. I’m not sure I could have grown up at a better time or place. Everything was completely different back then.

Also brings to mind overnight trips. Something about being out there at night. Takes some getting used to and over the years we lived some interesting stories. Took a 30’ Blackwatch (one of the best little fishing boats in my opinion) out there about midday with plans to come home midday the next day. We strapped a rented generator on the deck of the upper helm for power while anchored. This was a spearfishing, bottom fishing, and trolling trip. Ridiculous. Ernie, the guy who owned the boat made a joke once, “We’ve got to stop making these diving, fishing, and waterskiing trips.” Anyway, we’re sitting across from each other on the bridge drinking a beer and a flying fish hit him in the side of his head. I fell out of my chair laughing. Meanwhile, he’s asking my why I hit him. Woke ip the next morning and there were about a dozen flying fish on the deck. I rigged them for trolling. During that trip, we speared a few grouper and hogfish and then caught b-liners that night. When morning came, we caught 8 wahoo in about thirty minutes on those flying fish. Not very big, 25 to 30lb fish. Pretty typical trip back then.

Then there’s the time we were “commercial” fishing near the hole and the boat that ran out with us broke down. Damn Caterpillar 3208. That was a long, fun day.

[JABIII]

I knew you would have some stories. Surely you have some pics from way back when. You are mighty right about "what a time to be alive". Those years on the Gulfstream Marina docks were special. Mostly great people having good times every day. Nobody out looking for trouble, because if they did, they would find a local from across the inlet who would happily indulge them...

Far as this goes...

Then there’s the time we were “commercial” fishing near the hole and the boat that ran out with us broke down. Damn Caterpillar 3208. That was a long, fun day.

Only thing worse than breaking down, is being the only other boat around the broken down folks. Guy that owns (or did own) Georgetown Marina refused to pull a crew from Camden in 70 miles offshore because "he had to get to a cocktail party". No other boats out. I shit you knot...

[Fish]

We were the cocktail party. I reckon my brother and I drank the better part of a half gallon that night. Mark radioed back and told them we’d pull back if they hooked up but they had to give us the fish to sell.

Which brings up another yarn. So these guys from Tabor had an old 41’ Hatteras called the Carolina Hat. They were 40 something miles out of Little River Inlet up to the east and they were fubar. We didn’t know how bad until we got there. I got a call at the house to bring my tanks and gear and meet a guy in a center console at the fuel dock. Money was involved. Cool. I load, we haul ass, and another sport fish is inbound to tow them back. It’s bumpy. 3 to 5’. Take a couple hours to get there. When we do, there’s dragging sideways in a beam sea getting their asses kicked. Two guys with their girls. Girls unhappy. I gear up and get in. Visibility was 100+. I could see the anchor. Somehow, they wadded up the anchor line between the hull and the shaft, from the wheel to the strut, and it was so tight the engine would shut off when they put it in gear. The other engine went down during the night and so these guys, who believe it or not, weren’t googans, managed to break everything. One of the guys hands me a sharp knife and start cutting. I got so tangled up my reg got pulled out of my mouth. I came out of the tank and went up and held on the trim tab for a minute. Meanwhile the boat is rolling in 3 to 5s. I took a breath, went back to my tank, and figured I’d just untangle once I cut my way down to the shaft. This took about thirty minutes. When I got all that rope cut away, I held on to the anchor line and the boat drifted down sea. The center console picked me up and dropped me off on the Hatteras. I got us connected with the tow boat and then started fishing. I put a planner with a spoon out on a 6/0 and immediately started catching kingfish. If some is good, more should be better, right? So, I put out a 50 with a bigger planner. Boom. 30 something pounder. Big sumbitch. . Chirper on the bridge can’t stop himself from getting on the radio. Tow boat threatens to drop the tow line if we drop the outriggers, which I was about to do.

[DRDUCK]

Good story's. I got pictures Jaberoo. Alot of them. When I got time I will try and post them up. Never really had that much trouble with the 3208-T Cats.