My crew today were Stephen and Jonathan who are training instructors for AT&T at the training center in Ft. Lauderdale. They drove up and we left my house at 8 AM for a day of offshore fishing. The run up the river started with sunshine and then the fog, mist and cold air descended upon us and the gloomy conditions prevailed until late in the day.

First order of business was to get some live bait which was easily accomplished with one toss of the net just outside of the port south of the inlet. Then off we went to 8A reef for some slow trolling and when I say slow I mean slow! We slow trolled for almost 2 hours with only 3 hits, first hit - 31" short cobia tagged and released, second hit - probably a kingfish but pulled the hooks, third hit - Sailfish fun fight but released in the water at boat side. The good news, a first Sailfish for Jonathan and a first Cobia for Stephen. The bad news nothing to take home to eat. Another half hour and our fourth and final hit came and we were able to throw a legal Cobia on the ice. Finally some fish for the table.

It was obvious that a change in location was required so off we went to our next spot and and after an hour more of SLOW trolling with no "mister reliable" the Kingfish I was beginning to sweat it. Finally Mr. kingfish bit and and we put one on the ice. Shortly after we iced down the kingfish we got lucky and spotted a Manta Ray feeding at the surface and the rest is history. For the last hour pandemonium ensued and we ended a very slow day with a fast and furious finish and a bonus for Stephen and Jonathan with a full cooler of fish to take home.

Final tally for the day:
6 Cobia with two short 31" & 32" tagged and released for the scientists
1 Sailfish released
1 Kingfish