Today my fishing buddies were Robert and Cory Mitchell visiting the Central Florida's theme parks from Pittsburg, PA. Robert decided that he and Cory would take a day off from the theme parks and the rest of the family to do a little father and son bonding on mother ocean.

    Robert challenged me to put them on as many different species of eating fish as I could in an extended full day trip and make sure that Cory had an opportunity to fight a fish that pulled back. Robert also said that he had a large family and had already committed to a fish fry for family and friends and the fish was being provided by our efforts today. I had A really good friend Mike Ullian tag along as my mate to help out and get an opportunity to go fishing on Roberts nickel.

    Plan of attack was Pelican Flats for Kings, then Cities Service wreck for AJ's and then another spot for a cobia or two and then finish up with a few snapper. We left the dock at 7:15 AM and stopped for some fuel and bait at Sunrise Marina and looked for some pogies, no dice, so off to Pelican we went. Five Kings in an hour at Pelican Flats and then on to the tanker where we caught three AJ's on butterfly jigs in 30 minutes and lost two $20 jigs to the toothy critters, OUCH. Then an hour of running at 32 knots to the next stop where we found the cobia and caught the one we needed and the other four fish that came up were all shorts. Next we went to catch some bait for the bottom fishing and by the time we had enough bait it was a little after 3:00 PM. Tried to anchor up to catch bait and the anchor didn't hold and when we pulled it up the anchor was gone, bummer. Ran to the snapper spot and made multiple drifts bumping the engines in gear to hold the boat over the spot a real pain in the but but we fell just one short of our limit before the pesky sharks moved in on the spot.

    Left for the 30 mile ride home at 6: 00 PM from my snapper spot up north of the shuttle pads on a flat calm sea and a mission accomplished. Had a fun day wearing out Robert and Cory and Mike sure was a big help today.

Final tally for the day:

7 Red Snapper and a bunch of short snapper released.
1 35-40# Cobia.
5 Kingfish
3 Amberjack
6 Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks released.
1 Triggerfish
Bunch of Sea Bass, Lane Snapper released.