Seared Tuna

[ranger72]

Nice big old whale

 

[ranger72]

End of day!


Goin Home! End of Day. Platts Bank, Gulf of Maine,


Hope you enjoyed the show folks!

Iv'e seen the bad times and Iv'e seen the good times!

I hope that each and every one of my friends here in SMF has had or gets to have the Blessings of God in what it is you may be looking for out of Life!


For me; Its Been a Helluva Ride!


ranger72 :)

OTBS # 14

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Ranger,
Sorry to hear of the problem with the contest. I've never been to a competition but we still have our place up in Georgia (just east of Atlanta) and we'll be going back for a couple of weeks during the first part of October. There's going to be a KCBS sponsored competition in Covington, Ga. on the 13th and 14th. I'm planning to go visit around during the contest to see how things go. It looks like it would be a lot of fun. And in my current retirement mode, I'm tempted to try to put a team together. I know there's a learning curve but in time, I might become competitive. And if not, a lot of fun could be had...... so long as we don't run into a situation like you found. Anyway, time will tell.

The shark catch looked like a lot of fun. We had a big tournament here in Destin this past weekend. I think there was an 800+ lb. Mako that took the prize. I was busy and couldn't fish the tournament and didn't make it down for the weigh in but I understand there were a lot of protesters there from the animal rights group...... those creeps are just strange. Anyway, my biggest problem when I'm out Red Snapper or Grouper fishing are Dolphins ..... the bottle nosed type (Flipper). I have a huge respect for the Dolphins but they can also be a real menace. For example, there is a size limit on Red Snapper of 16". Anything less must be thrown back. Same with Grouper...... anything less that 22" must be thrown back. And you'd be surprised at how many 15" Snappers and 21" Groupers we catch. Now the problem...... the Dolphin, being as smart as they are, circle the boat while we're out there. You can actually watch the Snapper or Grouper returned to the water be taken by the Dolphin. I really hate to throw one back for that reason. And those Dolphin are really smart! They don't bother the bait going down or the undersized catch coming up. But just return one to the water and the Dolpin move in for the snack.

Anyway, this is a smoking forum and I digress. I absoluetly love the ocean. I spend as much time as I can out there (which is considerable) and have a world of respect for the ocean and the creatures it contains. There are probably few people who enjoy the water the way I do ...... and I suspect you do. Keep a tight line........

 

[vulcan75001]

Ranger...
Great bunch of pics....sure looks like a whole lot of fun...
Sorry to hear about the bad time at the competion...sounds very underhanded to me....
We do usually have a lot of fun at the beach...no we don't stay at the campgrounds..we stay right on the beach..at the OLD COLONIAL....they allow pets...last year we only had the two...Mindy had her litter of 3 the week after we got home...this year we had three with us...boarded the other two..
took all 5 with us when we made a trip to VA. to my brothers..
Will have to try those other restaurants you mentioned.. we have been going in the other direction on rt.9 to Kens...the outside tables seem to work for us...looking forward to maybe catching up with ya next summer...
Be talking at ya..
Later
Richard

 

[monty]

Hey, Ranger!

Thanks so very much for sharing all those photos! I am a native Mainer, brought up in the western hills. Love to fish but for the ones that won't make a meal outta me! Even though I spent a lot of time in the Brunswick to Portland stretch my fishing was on Moosehead and the Rangely lakes!

I can understand your frustration with the Que! But by gosh I guess the promoter found out what happens when you take advantage of good people! It only happens once.

I now live in a great spot with lots of hills and some super lake fishing. Have a 14 foot putter that gets me to the landlocked salmon and lake trout!

Best O'Luck, Brother!

Cheers!

 

[ranger72]

Florida Bill

I would enter another contest any time with the team I had! we had a great time . I just would never get into a contest with which thatJamoke has anything to do with! :>)

So Certainly go for it! You'll have a great time!

We have a couple different types of Dolphins up here too!they don't usually make a nuisance of themselves its more about seals up here:>)

As far as the 'P.E.T.A, Freaks Go I have my own Chapter of P.E.T.A.> People for the Eating of Tasty Animals

ranger72

 

[ranger72]

vulcan75001!

Ten Dash Four on the Old Colonial! Yes its great but its almost over for this year and that is a major bummer :>(

Yea! Maybe we'll see ya next year. I'm fairly active in here during the winter.

See you onthe boards!


ranger72

OTBS # 14

 

[ranger72]

hhhheeeyyyy Monty!

I just knew it! :P Its hard for a Mainer to hide his stripes :P

What the Hell ya doin over there with all them Commies! :lol: :P :P :lol:



Ocean, Lakes, Swamps, Its all good, My Brother :lol:


ranger72

OTBS # 14

 

[monty]

Ranger!

Weird as it may seem this is one of the few places a resident can buy a firearm without a "permit process" (Just the mandated NCIC check which I agree with) and that open carry is allowed everywhere.

There is very little "zoning" in my neck of the woods and basically I am left alone to do as I may!

I own ten acres surrounded by literally thousands of acres of wild country.

And I am able to vote and am active in the conservative mode. I am also an active member of the "Minuteman" movement with border security at the forefront and am an instructor in the "Highway Watch Program" sponsored by the American Truckers Association and funded by grants from Homeland Security.

Add to that my background in things I cannot discuss here from my former employment and I think you get the picture! Review my comments in your 9/11 post! I mean what I say!

Maine was a possibility for my final tour but I just felt that even though the politics here appear to be too liberal they are less restrictive than the state I truly love!

Some day in the next year or so I will buy you a drink!

Cheers, Brother!

 

[ranger72]

All good reasons Monty!


I don't need to review your post in my 9/11 thread; I can see it with vivid clarity and it is exactly the type of clear thinking that needs to be taken up by more Americans quickly! :roll:


You will be welcome! And then I shall buy you one and we can see exactly where in the Hell that goes! :P


ranger72OTBS # 14

 

[monty]

I'm with you! And BTW I have done a lot of fishing off the Isle of Shoals and various other locations off the coast of NH/MA!

Boat went with the Big D along with the bikes!

We will hook up! I think we have a lot in common and that goes beyond smoking!

Cheers!

 

[joed617]

Hi Ranger, Great pics .. actually awsome pics and thanks for sharing them. I know from experience that fishing for a living is hard work. I've done it, nothing like putting your hands in a trap with 3 - 4 lobsters a bunch of crabs, very back breaking work and I done this after being in construction for 10 years so I was use to the hard work but fishing was harder. It always saddens me to see someone get lost at sea. Thanks for the link to the article. I can imagine the work it takes to land the Blue fin and sharks .. my back hurts just thinking of it. We had an electric wench on the bost and still thinking of that work my body hurts .. lso I can imagine how hard you work. Beautiful looking fish and fantastic pics .. makes me miss the ocean, but living in MA I'm not too far from the water. We use to take my dad out when he was alive fishing .. the biggest fish we caught was a wolf fish 4' long or so.. when I caught that I thought I was pulling the drain plaug on the ocean, he was all dead weight .. so I can imagine catching something like a bluefin or a shark .. my hat is off to you sir .. I am impressed with your skills .. perhaps someday I will be able to fish once again when things calm down for me .. I am in need of a vacation :) I hope the price of fuel does drop. looks like lobster is fetching a good price. We had a few hundred traps and also did claiming <we picked them no digging> .. anyway .. again Be safe and may calm waters be in your future.

Joe

 

[ranger72]

Hi There JoeD617


Thanks for the nice words..appreciate it,

Ah! Yes! Wolffish!

Great Eating fish! Tastes a bit like Lobster 8) Maybe its because they are a big part of their diet.

We have two species in the Gulf Spotted and Striped!

For you guys who have never seen a Wolffish here is a pic of one we caught last year.This is a striped wolf fish.

Hope things work out for you and you get back to fishin soon!

 

[ranger72]

pic two showing whole fish,

That's my buddy ric holding the wolfie (standing on his boat) and you can see my boat in the background!



ranger72

Sadly, I will getting it ready for storage very soon now!


OTBS # 14

 

[ranger72]

Hey Monty!


Ten four on Isle of Shoals. I fish there often.


The Bluefin and the Mako's come screamin through there during their migration!

Here is a link for you so that you can see wind speed, temperature etc at the Isle of Shoals. It is in real time so if and when you click on it it will show you the current weather conditions at the time of your clicking! 8)

Clicky Here: http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=iosn3


So even though you are in Vermont you may visit Isle of Shoals any time you Like 7/24!

How cool is that?

ranger72 :)

OTBS # 14

 

[joed617]

Hi Ranger, again nice pics .. the one I caught was a spotted wolf fish .. he was a biggie .. the fillets were huge .. then we caught the average cod and very few haddock .. we were just jigging away having a ball... we went out of Newburryport is MA .. I'll have to get back out thier sometime .. been very busy so this year is out of the question .. perhaps next year .. :)

Joe

 

[monty]

Ranger,

What can I say? YOU are a trip! I always enjoyed goin' out there and doin' up the fishies! X never got into it!

Thanks so much for the link! As much as I love the hills and lakes there is always a special "yearn" for the big blue span".

Hopefully when I buy you that drink it will be after a great trip out!

Keep it alive!

Cheers!

 

[monty]

Just a dummie question, Ranger!

When fishing the Isle of Shoals did you ever have a problem with party/fishing boats coming in close when you were scoring?

Seems like every time I had a good turn those characters would come a callin'!

Cheers!

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Monty,
I don't know about Main but I can tell you of some real stroies in the Gulf of Mexico. There have been shots fired, fights and loud obsenities passed over fishing spots. While it's true that nobody owns the fishing spots in the ocean, some basic consideration is always appropriate. Most of the time, all is well but like in too many other situations, there are always a few bad apples. That's where the friction comes in.

 

[monty]

Bill,
The biggest irritation I had was with the "party boats". Anywhere fron six to thirty tanked up "fishermen" dangling jig lines over the side. If the captain spotted me or another group having any success he would pull up almost alongside.

A few calls to the Coast Guard would usually get a boat boarded and the captain warned but still a problem nonetheless.

Never had that problem on inland waterways, althjough I am sure it happens. Just not in these parts.

Hope all is well with you and yours!

Cheers!