# skyway pier 6/27



## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

weather was perfect.. Fishing was slow to start.. took a while to get a pinfish or 2... Couldnt get a bait to the bottom.. Damn baby mackeral were everywhere.. Both kings and spanish in the 4 inch mark..
Finally put on my special sabiki and loaded up on threadfins, and big scaled sardines..
So we went to work.. Using live, and cut dines... Lots of small critters hitting .. So i scaled up to a bigger hook and bigger baits.. Maanaged a big puffer.. so into the cooler he went.. Caught a few more throwbacks.. then nightfall came.. Finally a hookup.. 16 inch mango!.. woo hoo its on... Well tide turned and fishing slowed.. Then suddeny i get a few heavy taps.. wait for him to feel confident and swim off.. then POW i set the hook.. Well he just accelerated a bit.. for about 20 feet medium speed then heavy as heck head shakes then another run maybe 10 feet heavy head shake.. i tried like heck to slow him down.. but with 12 lb test and medium rod.. and hes under the pier .. not much i could do.. He kept on taking line so i applied as much as i could.. then pop..
oh well...


Rest of the night was beautifull.. Managed 5 nice mangos 2 nice keywest grunts and a puffer for my 14 hr adventure...

Lost so much tackle out there .. Damn line was bad on one of my better rods.. everytime id get a good hookup it would pop... So off to wally world this week for new line and some tackle..

Heres a pic of the bounty. The smallest mango is 10 1/2 inches.. Poor thing was gut hooked.. So into the cooler he went..


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

Nice work. Those two grovers in the middle are looking good. Those Key West (white) grunts just as tasty in my book. 

I'm not big on deep frying fish, but those grunts are down right made for the deep fryer. One of the best.

Were you at north or south and what kind of tide was happening when you were there? Also were you working your baits close to the pilings or out toward the old rubble man made reefs?

Inquiring minds want to know. We've got to meet up out there one of these days and soon.


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## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

Hey Mook.

Tide outgoing.. got there at 4pm..low slack is when i nailed the smallest one.. Tide started coming in is when i did the best .. middle of the night medium to strong incoming tide.. fishing tight to pillings and under the bridge. I was on the north pier all the way at the end gulf side.

I was using light line 12 lb test and 40 lb high vis p.p. Only caught the snapps on the light line 12 lb ande 20lb yo-zuri flouro leader .. size 4 hook "gold" 1 oz to 1 1/2 oz egg sinker and a green bead.. whole live sardines were the best bait.


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## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

P.S Id be more then happy to meet out there and fish with ya.. im usually a weekend warrior guy.. friday nights till sat late mornings.. sometimes saturday to sunday very rarely weekdays.


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## Sand Dollar (Nov 26, 2005)

Great fishing, man those fish look soooo appetizing all I can think of is steaming them down with onions, tomatoes, and seasoned with tyme. MMmmmmmmm opcorn:

Also I have heard of people eating puffer fish before but I have also herd of them being poisionus. Is thi a fable or is their a certain part you can't eat?


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## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

Ive heard both sides of that argument.. and my opinion is that the regular puffer is non toxic..THE BLOFISH IS.. fUGU..

Either way .. i cleaned em without spilling the guts.. when you skin them and peel em back there is a thin membrane around the internal organs and when peeled right it never touches the flesh.. so if it was toxic i didnt penetrate the liver or the pancreas.. thats where the toxin usually is...

ive eaten puffer before and there yummy..


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Nice. Great work.


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## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

Well either the puffer toxin is a myth........... or im just a freak of nature........ or i surpassed the fugu chefs test.

Cause i ate that bad boy tonight..... and all i feel is fat an happy...... lots of snapper and calimare and a super succulent puffer........ Them bastards are excellent........


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## SnookMook (Jan 7, 2004)

I have many Asian friends who eat them, but you are much braver than me, brother. LOL


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