Monday, Memorial Day: Five people are traveling to Atlantic Beach to prepare for a Gulf Stream trip on the James Joyce II. The weather is looking very iffy. Capt. Troy Pate calls and inquires if we still want to go. He warns that the weather will prevent us from getting to the offshore locations he knows are holding fish. This information twists and turns inside as I think about the miles that some of our party have travelled to be here. In particular, I did not want our guest, Staff Sgt. Ian Nevarez USAF, to miss out on his first offshore fishing trip. After mulling it over we decide we are a go!
Tuesday, May 27, 5:10 a.m.: We begin the ride out toward the place in the ocean folks around here call “The Big Rock.” The custom 51-footer cuts the waves with ease. We have lines in at 7:30 a.m. At 7:35, we are hooked up with our first mahi. I feel relief that maybe I made the right decision to go. We get bites in spurts. At times there were four lines with fish on them.
First Mate CL Lupton keeps it all straight and gaffs fish as they come in. Capt. Pate and CL have been working together so long that they barely need to speak. The party learns a lot from them as we catch fish, re-rig, take photos, etc.
Before we know it, the clock is showing noon. We take turns eating sandwiches. The mahi take turns biting Sea Witches. As the day ends, we return to port with 25 mahi and one wahoo. We had only four bites that did not convert into catches. A very successful day! A testament to the skill and dedication that Capt Troy Pate and CL Lupton give to every charter they take out.
Whats your favorite offshore species to target?
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