Some years, well, fishing can be the birthday present that keeps giving and giving and giving. Last Saturday, the Dewitt family of St. Petersburg joined us on the Jawbreaker for a birthday celebration for "Mom" Dewitt (Cindy), and the fish, well, just wouldn't stop biting.
We started out with our usual routine of loading the giant livewells with frisky threadfins and sardines and then rolled out to one of our near-shore artificial reefs. With the Spring migration in full swing, we've been able to catch boat-loads of fish within sight of land. The day started on the slow-troll and almost immediately, the birthday girl was hooked up. Doing the "Kingfish Shuffle" around the deck of the Jawbreaker, Cindy deftly angled an impressive smoker to the boat. It was the biggest fish of her lifetime and a heck of a way to get the day started. We had a few more bites and caught a mackerel or two before deciding to anchor on a piece of bottom structure. And that's when the reel fun began. For the next several hours, the mackerel, kings, grouper and flounder kept everyone busy -- rarely did a minute go by without the cry of "fish on!". When he finally decided to grab a rod (I think he was having too much fun watching "his girls" catch fish) Dad (Barry) Dewitt, bested a giant bonito on eight-pound test (cheers on the light-tackle score!) while, by the end of the day, sisters Emily and Caroline were whipping macks and kings on the small stuff with the deftness of old salts. It was just "one of those days" and more than one time did I hear the guest of honor proclaim "this is best way to spend a birthday, ever."
Family, fish, good friends and screaming drags. . .it really doesn't get any better than that! Look forward to seeing the Dewitts again.
This report was written by writer, good friend and first-mate, Jon West...stay tuned for more to come, and Happy fishing, Capt.Dan
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