# Keila's Daddy & Piersides 1st Fishing Tournament/ Pics



## Keila's Daddy (Sep 26, 2007)

So Pierside and I got the bright idea to fish the Florida Surfcasters tournament on Saturday.....What a hell of an idea; glad I thought of it!  Turned out to be one of the best fishing days we have had so far! We were registered and on the beach, all set up and fishing the incoming tide by daybreak. 
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1672489798/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2201/1672489798_bc55a0a016.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="DSC_6315" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1671636139/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2011/1671636139_d0f98bb4ea.jpg" width="415" height="500" alt="DSC_6302" /></a>
First cast and I hooked a 15" blue! 
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1671639825/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2303/1671639825_ca5f5ceccd.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="DSC_6327" /></a>
Soon after mine Pierside hooked a very nice slot red that happened to get him second place in the redfish division and a brand new Penn Reel! By the way; this was his biggest red, and 1st red from the surf!! Congrats Pierside!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1672492872/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2249/1672492872_0388bf5d5c.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="DSC_6339" /></a>
The action stayed nice and steady for a good amount of the morning with the blues biting left and right, with a croaker and whiting in the mix. Pierside landed another slot red and one that was just undersized. I couldn't get a red to bite for anything even though I was a few yards down and using the same bait!
The bite seemed to turn off as quickly as it turned on at around 11 or so. We waded out in the surf in search of pompano with no such luck regardless of what we tried. I landed something that looked like it came up from the bowels of Hell. Something resembling a toadfish/ walking catfish mix; but as I was holding it for pierside to help get the hook out, I swear it was electrocuting me!! I wish I would have remember ed to get a pic of it. 
We both had several nice hits, that we missed, including both of us having our wire leaders snapped in half!
All in all, the best and most memorable fishing day yet! Final tally Pierside had 3 blues, 3 reds, and 3 whiting.
I had 4 blues, 1 whiting, 1 croaker, and the electrical shock therapy fish!

Piersides winning red was a bit over 25 inches and weighed in at 5.35 lbs. The winner of the red division weighed in at 5.40. Our total aggregate was 11 lbs. We were pretty happy with it!

Here are a few more pics from our trip.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1671639255/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2275/1671639255_114380047f.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="DSC_6324" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1671640703/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2025/1671640703_a5783705e3.jpg" width="433" height="500" alt="DSC_6336" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1671642965/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2150/1671642965_538e55cea5.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="DSC_6370" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1671645373/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2347/1671645373_0c90ee690f.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="DSC_6378" /></a>
Here is Piersides New Penn rod he won for second place! Once again, congratulations!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1672498156/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2092/1672498156_a784fb2f64.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="DSC_6401" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1671637227/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2184/1671637227_d5ccd5f7d2.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="DSC_6310" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1671642309/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2018/1671642309_d7fe7c6d2d.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="DSC_6342" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1672495600/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2285/1672495600_84c2147c95.jpg" width="332" height="500" alt="DSC_6372" /></a>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/gregmanakeila/1671659183/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2152/1671659183_3cd11f1eeb.jpg" width="174" height="500" alt="DSC_7385" /></a>


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## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

Wow! Those are some incredible pictures. 
By the way, your mystery fish was probably a stargazer.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Great report*

And great pics. Thanks for sharing.


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## Keila's Daddy (Sep 26, 2007)

Thanks guys, I have to give my wife credit for most of these pictures. She was snapping pictures and watching our daughter while pierside and I were fishing. Photography is another hobby of ours. By the way that fish was a stargazer! Thanks Emanuel!!


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## fishinmama (Oct 14, 2006)

nice pics -- nice report -- 
elctric walking catfish/toadfish = stargazer -- weird looking things aren't they
gotta ask -- is the lil cutie Keila? absolutely adorable!
and cangrats to pierside on the win!


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## Keila's Daddy (Sep 26, 2007)

Yep she is my little pride and joy!! And that fish had me wondering about my sanity yesterday! I was holding it while he took the hook out and I thought I felt something, but I ignored it, felt it again, then again; hey what is going on here....this fish is shocking me!!!!


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Dude! I saw you guys at the weigh in...Congrats on the Redfish!...You shoulda found me and said hey ... Glad you gus had a good time.


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## The Crew (Jul 8, 2007)

Hey Greg, Nice job! :fishing:Looks like you had a blast! I see you're fishin' with the old geezers again! What's up with that. Those are some serious sand spikes! Where'd you get 'em?


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## Pierside (Oct 2, 2007)

*Great day fishing!!!*

:fishing:KD the pics are great, Mama did a good job. Of course the scenery and wildlife were beautiful, can't say that for the two characters in the fishin pics though, but of course your daughter makes up for that in cuteness. We had an amazing day fishing and it was a blast. It has been years since I surf fished and the way I feel today really proves it:--|. Of course it won't be the last time we fish that way, but we definitely have to get a better surf cart. Thanks Emmanuel for identifying that mystery fish, it was funny watching KD get shocked. Barty B, we saw you out there, but weren't sure if it was you or not. Didn't figure it out until the end of the day. We really enjoyed the tournament. To everyone who missed fishing it you need to make it next year, you won't regret it. Almost forgot to tell everyone thanks for the congats!


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## Pierside (Oct 2, 2007)

BigEdD, the sand spikes are just 2" PVC that we cut off to a point from 10' sections of pipe. I made four at 52" each, Cost was less than 12 bucks and they worked great even when the tide came in around them. You have to ask Greg about the really long one though!!!


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## thebeachcaster (Aug 7, 2006)

*Someone post a picture of a stargazer!!!!!!!!!!*

I wanna see one!


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## Bennie (Apr 10, 2004)

*Same*

Great pics from what everyone said great tourney.Gre:redface:at job to everyone


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## fishinmama (Oct 14, 2006)

here ya go beachcaster -- i had no idea there were so many
http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/identification/specieslist.cfm?famcode=378&areacode=


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## seasnake (Jan 21, 2007)

Looks like an awesome day at the beach.. I work weekends, but it sounds like this tourney would have been worth taking the day off.. Congrats guys, and great pictures.


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## bcssux (May 23, 2005)

stargazer huh? that finally answers my question bout a similar fish i caught this summer


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## The Crew (Jul 8, 2007)

*Stargazer Biology*

Link with great pictures:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/StarGazerSouth/StarGazerSouth.htm


Biology


· Distinctive Features
Southern stargazer buried in the sand 
This fish has many adaptions to life under the sand. Its pectoral fins act as shovels, allowing the fish to bury in a matter of seconds. The body is designed so that the eyes, nostrils, and most of the mouth are above the sand when the fish is under the sand. Scales are absent on head, but are present on body, extending onto fleshy area of caudal fin. The eyes are capable of protruding for a short distance, appearing stalked, so that the stargazer can see above the sand. It brings in water through its nostrils to breathe. Most fish species bring in water through their mouths. The nostrils are protected from sand grains by fleshy, comb-shaped fringes. The mouth also has these fringes around it to keep sand out while the fish is buried. The gill slit is narrow and drawn backwards and upwards into a baggy tube. This tube carries waste water away from the fish and outside the surrounding sand. This fish possesses a special talent: it is able to create electrical currents from a specialized organ located in a pouch behind the eyes. The rate of electric discharge depends upon the temperature, with a maximum of 50 volts. It is used primarily to fend off aggressive, threatening fish rather than for prey capture.


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Congratulations to you KD and PS. You guys have jumped right into the game and made a pretty good splash...:fishing::beer:


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## jurdun756 (Nov 3, 2006)

*Sweet*

great report and pictures 
sweet hual


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## live2kingfish (Apr 17, 2007)

Nice report fellas, it looks like you had a great time. You couldnt have asked for a better day for the tournament. Congrats on the redfish.


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## AL_N_VB (Apr 3, 2002)

reel purty werk and pics fellas (and mamma). Thank fer sharing!


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## Keila's Daddy (Sep 26, 2007)

Thanks for all the input you all! :beer:


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## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

way to get out there and make a showing. Great pics and makign me jealous. Wish we had a closer tourney for central FL surf fishers


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