Post you best catches and bragg about them

[carriersanders]

I want to see the best catches that everyone has. Post pics or links to pics of your best fish, lobsters, or whatever. Also you have to tell the story, pics are always so much mroe fun if you know the story that goes with them.

[carriersanders]

This is my best, and only fish speared. I've only been spearfishing once, and I shot this spade fish. My boy friend got a new gun and we took it on a dive off of North Myrtle beach. He was so excited that he pretty much forgot that I was there and just swam around shooting fish. Finally when my air was in the red he let me take the last shot. It was my first fish, a spade fish. That is why I chose that spadefish pic as my avatar. I'll look forward to seeing all of your great pics.
Love,
Carrie

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[Trey9123]

This is one you forgot honey. You also forgot to tell everyone that I had to clean it. "I met this girl. We ate lobster...and at dusk we made love on the beach like sea otters. That was a pretty good day." (name the movie)
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This next one is for the fishermen out there since I don't yet really have any speared fish to brag about...yet. I caught this one at Topsail NC while fishing in the serf for Virgina Mullet. I landed him on my bass rod with 6 lb. test on it after about a 15 min fight. To date not my biggest fish, or even my biggest Redfish, but definitely the most memorable.
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[carriersanders]

Okay everybody...you don't have to brag about them...but I would like to see what everyone has caught!

[cheebaweebie]

This is not my best catch but definately one of the most interesting as well as being the first on my new (used) boat.
Went spearing with 2 buddies off New Port Richey Area last summer. While pulling up to the spot encountered another boat. The guys fishing the spot were very mean and nast to say the least. While bickering over where we were dropping our anchor mean guy #1 hooks into a big fish and subsequently breaks his line at the surface. After they relocate, we dive the spot and what should I happen upon.... this 40 lb cobia resting on the bottom by the wreck. This particular fish had a nice circle hook and a leader hanging off his lip. My spear shot hit him behind the head and he took off stretching my spearline to the max (I was testing this new line that looked like a telephone cord). The line broke (figures) allowing the fish to take my spear and go bye bye. I was pissed to say the least but my dive buddy provided his spare shaft to me that allowed me to finish the dive. 20 minutes later I received a tap on my shoulder... I looked up and it was my buddy handing me my spear. I was soooo happy (at $50 a pop that's an expensive dive) then my buddy swings his stringer around and low and behold. My big fish. It was a joint effort for sure but all I can say is thanks mr. mean guy#1 for wearing down my fish and thanks to my dive buddy for swimming around the other side of the wreck to find my fish (and spear) belly up in the sand.

[No Misses]

This is not an exciting story like that last one (The Running of the Bulls). But, it was a good day on the water.

I went diving with my buddy Mike (Grin), in Stuart FL. We were accompanied by 2 other divers Len and John. When Mike and I jumped in on the six mile reef, we found 55 degree water below the thermocline. I was very glad that I had added a 7 mil hooded core warmer to my standard 3 mil farmer john suit. Mike reached the bottom ahead of me and shot a big gag grouper. We swam another 60 feet or so and came upon a V shaped ledge. Mike was at the open end of the V, on the sand side. I dropped into the point of the V, from the reef side. As soon as I stuck my head under the ledge I saw the pectoral fin of a large fish. I was cussing myself for not having my gun in a shooting position. I finally got the gun pointed in the right direction. But, due to the angle I was unable to sight down the shaft. I “rolled the bones” and pulled the trigger. I caught him right behind the gill plate just below the lateral line. The fight was brief but exciting. We rolled in the sand for a couple of minutes before I could draw my knife and deliver the “coup de grace”. I slipped him on my stringer and off we went down the reef. The current was kicking my butt due to the extra drag of the fish. The reef ledge was petering out and I was cold. I ended the dive early and headed to the surface with 1700 PSI still in my cylinder.

When we got back on the boat with 2 very nice fish, Len and John were eager to jump in and try their luck. That was, until they heard that it was 55 deg! They decided that hunting for bugs in the 73 deg water closer to shore would suit them better. We dropped them on the south end of “Peck’s Lake” reef. They came up reporting good vis but not many bugs. Mike and I dropped in and went our separate ways (same ocean = same dive theory). Within five minutes I spotted the largest lobster that I have ever seen! I tried to slip my looper (snare) over his tail. But, it would not fit. He started to bolt left and I took a chance and free handed him. I pinned him down with my right hand and quickly dropped the snare to get both hands on him. I was careful to keep my fingers away from his mandibles and tail spikes. I have seen pictures of a guy that lost a finger to one of these brutes. I held him to my chest while fumbling with my left hand to open my catch bag. He had his legs wrapped around me and I could feel his pointy toes punching through my wetsuit. It probably took me ten minutes to get him into my catch bag. I checked my watch. I had only been on the bottom for 14 minutes. I headed up and signaled the boat for a pickup. It took us several minutes to get him out of the bag and into the livewell.

Mike commented on how it sucked to get schooled on his own boat. Our groupers were close in size and I had defiantly caught the biggest lobster. The bug weighed in at just a little over 8 lbs. My grouper came in at 23 lbs and Mike got the honor of claiming the largest fish at 23.5 lbs.

I have attached pictures of the fish and the bug. Enjoy.

[Splitlip]

Originally Posted by No Misses

This is not an exciting story like that last one (The Running of the Bulls). But, it was a good day on the water.

I went diving with my buddy Mike (Grin), in Stuart FL. We were accompanied by 2 other divers Len and John. When Mike and I jumped in on the six mile reef, we found 55 degree water below the thermocline. I was very glad that I had added a 7 mil hooded core warmer to my standard 3 mil farmer john suit. Mike reached the bottom ahead of me and shot a big gag grouper. We swam another 60 feet or so and came upon a V shaped ledge. Mike was at the open end of the V, on the sand side. I dropped into the point of the V, from the reef side. As soon as I stuck my head under the ledge I saw the pectoral fin of a large fish. I was cussing myself for not having my gun in a shooting position. I finally got the gun pointed in the right direction. But, due to the angle I was unable to sight down the shaft. I “rolled the bones” and pulled the trigger. I caught him right behind the gill plate just below the lateral line. The fight was brief but exciting. We rolled in the sand for a couple of minutes before I could draw my knife and deliver the “coup de grace”. I slipped him on my stringer and off we went down the reef. The current was kicking my butt due to the extra drag of the fish. The reef ledge was petering out and I was cold. I ended the dive early and headed to the surface with 1700 PSI still in my cylinder.

When we got back on the boat with 2 very nice fish, Len and John were eager to jump in and try their luck. That was, until they heard that it was 55 deg! They decided that hunting for bugs in the 73 deg water closer to shore would suit them better. We dropped them on the south end of “Peck’s Lake” reef. They came up reporting good vis but not many bugs. Mike and I dropped in and went our separate ways (same ocean = same dive theory). Within five minutes I spotted the largest lobster that I have ever seen! I tried to slip my looper (snare) over his tail. But, it would not fit. He started to bolt left and I took a chance and free handed him. I pinned him down with my right hand and quickly dropped the snare to get both hands on him. I was careful to keep my fingers away from his mandibles and tail spikes. I have seen pictures of a guy that lost a finger to one of these brutes. I held him to my chest while fumbling with my left hand to open my catch bag. He had his legs wrapped around me and I could feel his pointy toes punching through my wetsuit. It probably took me ten minutes to get him into my catch bag. I checked my watch. I had only been on the bottom for 14 minutes. I headed up and signaled the boat for a pickup. It took us several minutes to get him out of the bag and into the livewell.

Mike commented on how it sucked to get schooled on his own boat. Our groupers were close in size and I had defiantly caught the biggest lobster. The bug weighed in at just a little over 8 lbs. My grouper came in at 23 lbs and Mike got the honor of claiming the largest fish at 23.5 lbs.

I have attached pictures of the fish and the bug. Enjoy.

Nice!
They grow the bugs big off Martin and St.Lucie. Any idea how much the tail weighed?

[FyVe]

no misses, thats a nice lobster. not as good of a story as the bullshark one, but still, nice catch.

[No Misses]

Splitlip, I did not weight the tail by itself. I did pull off the legs and knuckles to see how well they would taste steamed. The parts are in the freezer. Updates to follow.

[BSea]

Originally Posted by Trey9123

This is one you forgot honey. You also forgot to tell everyone that I had to clean it. "I met this girl. We ate lobster...and at dusk we made love on the beach like sea otters. That was a pretty good day." (name the movie)

Groundhog Day.

Back to the topic. When's dinner no Misses?