# ***************'s FL trip Jan 4-6 *PHOTO HEAVY*



## 32605 (Nov 1, 2012)

Hello all,

My team, *************** consisting of Blanding, Richard and myself(Stan) are from Charleston, SC. This weekend we drove down to Florida and met up with our other teammate, Garrett, for a quick weekend trip. The original purpose of the trip was to bait fish for blacktip challenge, however the east coast's weather had other plans. Surf was reporting up 7' in most of our spots and we decided not to chance non-fishable conditions and hit the gulf side.

** This is going to be a very photo heavy post. To just look at pictures check us out on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RequiemFishing and like us to keep up to date on all our future trips. **

We originally intended to scope out some spots for blacktip challenge and do a lot of bait fishing. Instead as mentioned the weather was not going to cooperate. So at about 5pm Friday, the three of us left Charleston to meet up with our new teammate Garrett who was bait fishing at a small pier near our destination. I was personally exhausted after not sleeping for 48 hours already so I didn't do much driving, just drank a bunch of beers to hopefully make myself fall asleep in the car without any luck. 

We arrived at 4am after having to pick up Garrett and all other little stops. My intention was to sleep and only get up if there was a fish on. Fate would have me going sleepless. Not more than 30 minutes after the rest of them unpacked and paddled out first their first baits I got a call saying fish on!! I grumbled and tried to go back to bed.. They lost that fish. Then they called me again exclaiming they had another fish on. I still ignore the call hoping to sleep. This time it was for real and they had the first fish on the sand by 440am, a very healthy sandbar. 

This shark was landed by Blanding on his new Makaira 50w, paired with a Barrett Rod he received from Blacktip Challenge 2013.


















At about 10am I am awakened to having to go get food and supplies we forgot. At this point I may have slept an hour. Oh well, time to fish. I rigged up my new trx-50w and avet 30w and joined the party. Fishing was a bit slow at first for us, but we saw other shark teams fishing nearby that were getting runs. We fixed our mistakes and it was game time. Sometime around 2pm Blanding's Makaira got a solid run and another sandbar was on the beach shortly after.


























Shortly after Richard's new avet silver 30w takes off with a fierce run. A 10-15 minute fight later Richard joins the club with another nice sandbar. Keep in mind we only measured 2 or 3 of these sharks because they were all about 6 1/2 to 7' long. It wasn't important but his first shark was over 6' and on his very first FL trip. 










We decided we had to take a team photo here while we had some onlookers.










Over the next 30 minutes we didn't know it but we would hook up on 4 fish pretty much straight. Last fish before dark was newcomer Garrett's Sandbar caught on his Senator 9/0. 


















Next up Richard was hooked up with his first goliath grouper. When he landed it there was a lot of cheering in excitement by himself, he wasn't sure he would catch one but was super stoked to do so!










One more team photo op with some onlookers.










I was getting a little jealous at this point and thinking maybe I was jinxed for bringing an extra big reel. Then to my surprise my TRX finally went off! I made quick work of my sandbar and had him on the beach very green, at this point my ankles were tore up from dehooking and leadering fish. Photos on my first shark didn't come out so good, they were on the iphone instead of our rugged camera... tsk tsk. 










As we are taking photos and I am asking them to find the actual camera my 30w starts screaming... oh well no time for more pictures released the fish quickly and ran to the next rod. Wasn't as easy to haul this one in without all that extra drag, but still not too hard at all. Very fun fight on the 30w, can't wait to test them on some bigger fish. 

I look like I am asleep while reeling this one in after bullying the last sandbar on the trx. The black and white rod is a custom build by Alex Stevens https://www.facebook.com/pages/Berserker-Rods/310691192379263. Not as well known as someone like Peter Barrett, but his work is still great quality. 

















At this point we have caught 7 nice fish for the day and the conditions are getting worse and not expected to calm down for the night. We are all on less than an hour of sleep or so and decide to grab a hotel and call it for the night. This is already the best day of shark fishing we have ever had and we still have 2 days to go. 

We wake up around 11am, feeling fresh we grab some breakfast and are on the sand by noon. The day starts off a little slow, which I wasn't excited about. My mom and grandma happened to be traveling nearby as well and drove to the beach to come see us catch fish. I manage a big southern ray but let it go for some reason. Bye bye blacktip challenge bait 
They leave after an hour or two because it is actually nice out and my grandma can't be in the sun long. 

Not even 15 minutes pass and my avet 30 goes off. Land the first sandbar of the day after a short fight. I feel confident in my 30w now so I put a lot more pressure on these sandbars to ensure quickest fight and release possible. 


















Paddle out my next bait, and another shark team arrives to start setting up. Not long after it gets dark and I have another run on my 30w. She gets tangled up with another line so we make a quick release and pictures end up a bit blurry, but at this point I have caught a few so I am happy we are all concerned with getting the shark free and released safely. 


























After this it seemed the Goliath's went on a raid and took all our baits before sharks. Blanding's Makaira goes off and he makes quick work of it as the other team has a nice fish on and we don't want to interfere. I spot him and he puts it up to strike or higher. 

Little Goliath









Shortly after Richard's 30w goes off, and pulls in another goliath which is a bit bigger.









We get our baits yakked back out and maybe 20 minutes go by before Richards 30w is going off again. This one rips some serious line off and we are excited. The fight goes on for probably 20 minutes as everytime he gained some line it would take off like hell again or bull dog another 15-20 yards off. We are close to landing this fish and Blanding's rod goes off. Double hook up and trying to keep them from crossing. 










I work on landing Richard's fish first which turns out to be a pig. 6'3 and so heavy to even prop up we keep it in at least a foot or more of water to ensure we can safely handle him. 


















Next I quickly help blanding land his fish which will be the final fish of the night. 


















And one last team shot, I knew this would probably be it for the night.


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## 32605 (Nov 1, 2012)

We stayed for a little longer and I jumped one tarpon but didn't get a hookup, bummer. As we are packing up and trying to extend the amount of time on the sand as long as possible from the truck I hear the makaira clicker go off. Its screaming like hell faster than anything we had heard all night and then all of a sudden drops it before we even try to set the hook. Bastard! We pack up and go back to the hotel deciding to stop at a pier on the way home as we have already had an excellent trip.

When we arrive the weather is windy and cold. Wind is blowing like hell and we hear Charleston is going to be freezing upon return. We stick around for about an hour and I catch my first 5 spanish, and richard gets one as well. We also snag a huge cownose that was swimming alone and when trying to bring him up on the pier Richard helps snag so we can use both our rods. Still no chance at getting it up. Didn't do a great job at getting a lot of bait for blacktip, but we got some.

little guy








This one is a little bigger, but still looks tiny compared to all the sharks. Guess this is why we don't take pictures of our potential bait as often! 








Richards sole spanish.









Overall a wonderful trip and writing up every detail is impossible, but I want to thank my teammates for such a fun trip. We have grown a lot and accomplished more this weekend than our entire week fishing at BHC last summer, mainly because we cut back on the boozing during the fishing part and waited till after it was over to celebrate. This was a great way to set the tone for 2014 as 2013 was our first real year of shark fishing and we still needed a lot of help and advice. We still can always use advice as we are novice among many of the community, but we need a lot less help  

Check us out on facebook for even more pictures of this trip and soon to be blacktip challenge 2014. https://www.facebook.com/RequiemFishing

add me personally if you want to fish sometime or think we can help each other in some way. https://www.facebook.com/***********


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## akhan (Mar 17, 2011)

Great write up!! Haha getting the winter blues here in VA - might have to make a gulf coast trip soon!


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## DougVNg (Mar 10, 2007)

What an great report !


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## Cutbait Bob (Mar 24, 2004)

Nice report!! Great pics!


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## 32605 (Nov 1, 2012)

Thank you all! Expect another one after Blacktip Challenge in 2 weeks when we return to florida.


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## SeaPA (Oct 12, 2013)

They don't call those Grouper goliath for nothing! Thanks for the post. The more I read about fishing in FL the more I want to go.


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