Drift Report: March 2017

by Bill Cox, Contributing Writer

Photo courtesy of Southern Comfort IV

“On the drift” this month, was for the most part, typical. Some productive days and some not. Yielding some nice triggerfish, which makes for a tasty table treat, as well as some good eating vermillion snapper.  Everything caught in around 140-200 ft. of water with chicken rigs and cut squid.  Some cobia around but the bulk of them still to the north of us yet.

A few days before the full moon, Captain Bill Cox

Capt Bill Cox with wahoo catch of the day | Photo courtesy of Southern Comfort IV

on the Southern Comfort IV, Hypoluxo Florida, had a very unusual trip. While drifting, catching triggerfish, he noticed some fins in the water nearby. Thinking it was possibly a school of sailfish balling up bait he drifted in a little closer. To his surprise, it was not, it was a school of wahoo, about 25-30 fish! The school of wahoo ranged anywhere from about 12-65 lbs. plus in size! They started to throw some chunk bait at them but they would not hit the hooks. He grabbed the trolling rods with rigs consisting of Seawitches and bonito strips and trolled around the school. It was an instant hook up on both rods!

They ended up catching six wahoo ranging from 15-35 lbs.  After an hour turnaround time and heading back out for an afternoon trip, he caught one loner wahoo at about 18lbs. The school had moved on but never will the memory of that awesome morning out at sea! You never know what can happen even in the most unfavorable conditions!