Fishing trip report

It's been a long time since I went out for a day's fishing on a boat so I was really excited boarding the Gulfstream yesterday.  The day as it turned out was full of ups and downs - literally (the waves/ocean), metaphorically (my emotions) and physically (my body).

It was quite rough out there and soon after our first stop I started to feel quite unwell.  I tried to push on through, but soon I was lying down on the bench willing myself to feel better.  From there I progressed to the bow of the boat sitting on my hunkers with my head between my knees.  And from there, my next stop, was over the side of the boat, throwing up.  Four times.  Ugh.

The good news however, is that I did start to feel a little better.  So much so that I decided to just think positive and push myself to get back into the swing of things, put bait on my hook and GAME ON!

And guess what! I am so glad I did.  First of all this happened:

I could feel I had something big on my line, as is my wont I of course squealed and shouted so the whole boat could hear me that I had something big.  Well imagine my surprise when I reeled up the fish and I saw half a (big) fish!!  Just it's head and half it's body.  A clean, cut in half fish - well actually not so clean in the sense that I could see blood and guts dripping from it.  I was aghast, what the heck???? The two people on either side of me said what they had seen: :A shark ate your fish! A shark ate your fish!"

Apparently they had seen the shadow of it swiping my fish in half.

Then this happened:

Ryan, the first mate, told me to use the remaining fish as bait.  I sent it down and immediately felt something huge. As I reeled it in as fast as I could manage, I battled as my arms got sore and tired.  Then I lost it.  And up popped my bait which was now literally just the head.  Someone from the other side of the boat told me that I had a barracuda that they could see it chasing my bait.  I sent it down again, and again I caught that barracuda.  Again I battled, but it won this round too, this time taking my hook and breaking my line.  But boy was it exciting.

And if that wasn't enough excitement! To end the day on a real high, THIS happened:

Soon after the shark/barracuda drama I reeled in a nice plump porgy which Ryan told me was in line for winning the pool.  Shortly after that I reeled in another one. 

The result was that I did indeed win the pool ($60, nice!) with both my porgy - technically I came first and second!

Not the biggest fish I admit, but heck rules are rules, and biggest fish on the day wins!