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Dean
Crappie
Username: Dean

Post Number: 379
Registered: 4-2004


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Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 10:17 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Going out 40+ miles tomorrow - new adventure - Ill report accordingly! Going to the 21's(?). Going with 2 guys who are very well seasoned at this stuff so I am not too worried... Worst case scienario - sushi for a few days :-)

Perhaps a new saying - At Home On The Ranger :-)
All In A Days Fun!!!

Will
Bluegill
Username: Will

Post Number: 260
Registered: 2-2005


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Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 1:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Good luck
Vegatarian: Indian Word for Bad Fisherman
Picou
Lunker
Username: Picou

Post Number: 1888
Registered: 8-2004


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Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 2:47 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Dean, lots of statements come to mind but I will refrain. I hope the trip went well and ya'll made it back safe. I also hope that you don't make a habit out of this with the Ranger because it will bit you.
Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish
Dru
Bluegill
Username: Dru

Post Number: 224
Registered: 2-2005

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Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 10:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

All right Captain, how was the 3 hour tour?
BassZone.com
Atthewall
Crappie
Username: Atthewall

Post Number: 586
Registered: 11-2004


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Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 12:36 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Provision up with more water and food than normal. Heck, I'd run that SOB to 55 and start trolling for marlin AAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! :-)
Dean
Crappie
Username: Dean

Post Number: 383
Registered: 4-2004


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Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 8:24 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Made it back safely - Quite a story to tell - I need to clean up the boat and fish (of course) and it might be Sunday before I get to make the report. We have to go pick Matthew up in Waco from Band Camp tomorrow morning so we will leave today. While we are over there we will probably tool around to see what there is to do... Here is the prize of the day though!


All In A Days Fun!!!

Atthewall
Crappie
Username: Atthewall

Post Number: 590
Registered: 11-2004


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Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 9:03 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Such sweetness - congrats Dean! Bull dolphin around 30 lbs, excellent grill eats right there - SON!
Simek
Bluegill
Username: Simek

Post Number: 104
Registered: 1-2005


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Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 1:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Nice!
Texfisher
Crappie
Username: Texfisher

Post Number: 514
Registered: 8-2004


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Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 7:41 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Great looking fish. Can't wait for the rest of the report.
If you're richer than me I think we're related. If you're poorer than me I know we're related.

My bass club webpage http://texbass.8m.com/

Hawlin_bass
Bluegill
Username: Hawlin_bass

Post Number: 202
Registered: 1-2005


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Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 9:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

beautiful fish. can't wait to see the rest of the pics. Love those colored fish.
Charles
Moderator
Username: Charles

Post Number: 635
Registered: 7-2004

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Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 3:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post


quote:

Quite a story to tell


tell it already!

Nice fish. What kind is it?
Bigun
Hybrid
Username: Bigun

Post Number: 997
Registered: 8-2004


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Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 3:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Jut depends on where you are at Charles. Bull dauphin. Mahi-mahi. Dorado. I just call it some good grilling with some lemon/garlic/butter sauce on it.
Quit being a mad, little bald man!

Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.
Charles
Moderator
Username: Charles

Post Number: 636
Registered: 7-2004

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Posted on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 3:29 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

So that's Mahi-mahi. I ordered that for lunch on the beach in Hawaii years ago. It was good until I bit into what I thought was gaucamole turned out to be some japenesse horse radish hot sauce combination.
Rumbanator
Minnow
Username: Rumbanator

Post Number: 33
Registered: 3-2006


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Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 4:40 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Man that is one nice dolphin!
Dean
Crappie
Username: Dean

Post Number: 384
Registered: 4-2004


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Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 10:23 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

OK Ya'll - Finally have a chance to sit down and put this together..

The night before we went I checked the weather channel web site for sea predictions. They said 2ft or less out to 20nm and 3ft 20 to 60nm. Well we figured that if it got too rough we would just stay in closer.

We hooked up and went to Freeport - put in around 8:00am. Dan called a guide friend who was already out and he told us that it was rougher than heck out there --- good luck!! Well, us being the die hards we are said "lets give it a try". By the time we got to the end of the jetty, we knew it would be marginally comfortable out there and really wanted to go so we kept on going. We saw a big party boat heading out and we tried to catch up to ride his tail but the water was too rough. I wanted to ttake pictures but the camera would have gotten wet - - no doubt.. Well, We slowed down and tooled out to the 32mi reef "32s". It took us a good 2+ hr to get there. The water was not so choppy there and we fished for a while. Cought a bunch of dink snapper between 15 and 16in) and a few keepers (17 ro 18in). Decided to go ahead to the 21s (42mi) and see what was bumping there. Fishing there was slow - seas were about 3ft, after a little while we started getting bites. First was a small bull shark, then another bull shark, then a keeper snapper (now we are getting ewxcited) then a free line hooked up a king fish. Tomey really wanted to catch a king and had been catching only sharks so next time the free line went off I hooked the fish and gave it to Tomey. He fought it for a short time before we say it was a small dorado! Nw we are talking!



Everyone was excited looking for more but they never showed up. Threw the free line out and kept fishing for snapper. Dan cought a snapper and while cranling it up said "it was a good snapper", I asked "did it get off" he replied "no" I turned and looked ---



"Awe Man" - I replied when suddenly I had a nice pull. I hooked in and the fight was on. After about 30-45min of fighting we finally got to see my prize -



But only breifly. Fought another 20-30 minutes during which time the winds picked up, it started to drizzle, and of course the wave height picked up. Finally the shark was getting tired enought to bring him to the top for a photo --



The problem is that there is no object to reference the size of this beast - we estimate easy 6-7ft. Blacktip - Good table fare! No way top bring it home though Just after the picture was taken it ran again and the weather was very questionable so we cut him loose and headed towards home.

By this time we had a few snapper and a few King and 1 dorado. We were going to stop at a few rigs on the way in and see what we could find. We say a weed patch so we fished it for a while. We found some dorado and cought a few before we drifted too far and made another drift 2 or 3 times catching a few each time. OK We are ready to continue our journey home but I want to make 1 more drift - While I am backing the boat Dan noticed a BIG dorado swimming next to us - In a panic he looks for the first available rod to toss bait at it. He grabbed one he had left out in the water while he was helping Tomey with something, I was trolling it but backwards. When he picked up the rod he noticed something funny - the string was getting tighter - he noticed the dorado was already on it!! He cranked out the slack and set the hook and this thing was not happy about it.... It ran like a bat out of hell and launched itself several times! My first time to see all of this so I was pretty excited! BUT - The fish kept running and the line level was getting low - very low. I told Dan to get on the front and we chased this thing around for an hour and a half before we finally boated it.







do not think I have ever seen such a bloody mess. This thing did not fit in the 128qt cooler so again I sacraficed my fish box in the boat to bring it home. (BTW - There is no way we would have fit that black tim in the fish box - NO WAY...

After this it was getting late and we headed home. Stopped at a big lonely rig on the way in and cought a few more snapper. Dan got bit off again (snapper bitten in half) but the winds were picking up, it started raining, and the sun was almost over the horizon and we were still 29 miles out. We rapidly put everything away and started home.

Conditions just got worse and worse as we headed home. I'd swear we here climbing 8fters but Dan and Tomey said they were probably 6fters. I was really in a hurry to beat the sun set so I was pushing every lul I could find. We ended up sticking it (torpedo affect) 15 + - times and at times there was 10-12in of water in the cockpit. What an exillerating ride! We all laughed each time knowing damned well that there was nothing that could be done about it if wee had any chance of beating the dark - and I did not want to be out there in the dark!!! Well, when we finally reached the jetties at dark the coast guard was out there watching us idiots come in. We did so safely and successfully.

What an experience - Funny thing - I never got scared and the Ranger maintained stability 100%. Never did we feel in danger.. (not that I would do it again) but it makes me feel good to know that the Ranger can handle such hazardouse conditions so well.

All said and done - here is the days catch -

Sorry - it is at home in the camera - I'll post it later.


Final battle scars to the boat are 2 cracked T-Top vertical poles and 2 cracked welds.

ALL IN A DAYS FUN!!
All In A Days Fun!!!

Atthewall
Crappie
Username: Atthewall

Post Number: 598
Registered: 11-2004


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Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 5:55 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Heck of a cracking good time Dean. We need to get Wes and PQ out there when it's like that.

I noticed you did wear the International Orange T-Shirt :-) You can wave that over your head riding the PFD and it will all be fine but you have to leave the mahi mahi in the boat or eat sushi right before you bail. Toofies will leave you alone generally as long as your not inviting him in too much. After the sun goes down....that's a different story :-) LOL!

Seriously, darn good trip offshore and the tough get going when the going gets tough.
Will
Bluegill
Username: Will

Post Number: 264
Registered: 2-2005


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Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 9:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

What a trip. Congrats on a great haul.
Vegatarian: Indian Word for Bad Fisherman
Simek
Bluegill
Username: Simek

Post Number: 107
Registered: 1-2005


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Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 7:20 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Sounds like a helluva trip!
Dean
Crappie
Username: Dean

Post Number: 386
Registered: 4-2004


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Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 10:24 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

It was certainly one for the records ....

Aparently I lost or deleted the picture of the days catch so I wont be posting it. But - the way I recal we had 3 limits snapper, about 8-10 dorado, and 3 kingfish. Everything was average except for the shark and big Dorado.

Rob , Let me know when you want to get together - I dont recommend rough seas in the Ranger but I would go with the right person(s). or we can wait until the water gets right. I'm ready!
All In A Days Fun!!!

Charles
Moderator
Username: Charles

Post Number: 640
Registered: 7-2004

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Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 11:21 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Excellent recap Dean. Glad you made it back safely.
Picou
Lunker
Username: Picou

Post Number: 1892
Registered: 8-2004


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Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 3:52 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

Looks like one heck of an adventure Dean. That is an awesome Dorado and that shark looks to be a pretty good size sharptooth...

Glad you made it back safe.
Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish
Atthewall
Hybrid
Username: Atthewall

Post Number: 601
Registered: 11-2004


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Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 6:23 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

We can do Dean. July/August things will go FAC for several weeks barring Tropical influence. We went offshore 55 miles 2 years ago during August and it was glass the entire day, scored on sailfish, blackfin tuna, dorado and wahoo. Just trolling offshore, typical leadhead jigs with assorted colored skirts. Hot pink drives the wahoo wild. :-)

I've got the standup rod with harness and another 7ft rod medium power rod for casting jigs to dolphin or kings if we can get into them. Hook one up, fight and grab the casting rod and hope for a school fight.

(Message edited by atthewall on June 21, 2006)
Dean
Crappie
Username: Dean

Post Number: 387
Registered: 4-2004


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Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 10:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

FAC?

PQ will be here in August - Maybe we can drag his butt out there??

My main deal when I go is I want Ling and Snapper. I really want to catch some of them 15-20lb snapper! King Fish have become humdrum - but then I have only cought the 20-30lbers...

I am in the star tournament and have learned that the 49lb Ling would be in the running! My 47lb ling would be on the score board too!! I tossed a King back that would likely be on too!! I had really better get with the program and keep tabs on what I am doing.. I have passed on some potential CASH because of my incompetence.. - but then again - I recently checked the leader board and both would be off the charts now - but at least I could have had some short term glory :-)

As far as range on the Ranger - We went to the 21s (42mi?) from Freeport under bad conditions and burned 35gal gas. The spec on the Ranger is 70gal - so - we can go 84mi under adverse conditions:-) Bring some extra gas and we can go to Cerveza and Boombamg :-) Maybe no need for extra gas? Flat Water - 4K rpm - Maybe we will wait on that one..

Any time your ready - let me know. Bring money for gas and bait and Ice though!
All In A Days Fun!!!

Picou
Lunker
Username: Picou

Post Number: 1898
Registered: 8-2004


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Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 10:00 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

I'll be there in August????

FAC = Flat As* Calm...

I may be down there sooner than that to pick up a load of hay. I'll probably be allowed to go fishing one day if you help me load the hay on the trailer. :-)
Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish
Dean
Crappie
Username: Dean

Post Number: 389
Registered: 4-2004


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Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 8:48 am:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

OK - When?

Wait - How much hay?

You know - I might not be too much help - I'm kinda weak :-)
All In A Days Fun!!!

Picou
Lunker
Username: Picou

Post Number: 1901
Registered: 8-2004


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Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 3:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post Print Post

We are currently looking around for some hay and we will drive down there if we have to. I son't think we will need to go that far but it may come to it.

Have Susy or Bekah check at the stable if anyone knows of someone selling square bales of coastal.

I'll take what ever help I can get when it comes to loading and unloading hay. By far, my least favorite part of horse ownership...

Oh yea', I forgot about the beach vacation. Maybe we will get lucky and have a FAC day that we can run off shore for a few hours. I'll bring the beer... :-)
Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish

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