Keys Bridge Report (Giant Goliath)

So we went down to the keys for a couple days in hopes of getting a few nice sharks. With the cooler full of fresh bonito, barracuda, and pilchards we were all set. We got the rods packed in the truck and went on our way.

The first day was pretty slow. We got tons of short muttons, grovers, and yellowtails. The shark rods didn't make a sound all day. Then towards sunset we got a nice 5 lb mutton. Night came and it was time to put out some big baits. After an hour of soaking a whole 12 lb bonito the Avet 80w started screaming. Took about 50 yards of line before I could clear the backlash and attempt to set the hook. When I set, there was nothing there. The bait was ripped right off the hook. Shortly after throwing another bait out the Avet starts screaming again. Go to set the hook and again there is nothing there. After a couple more hours of getting eaten alive by mosquitoes we decide to call it a night and head back to the hotel.

The second day was a lot more eventful then the first. The first bait I cast out the rod starts screaming. I set the hook and run down the bridge trying to catch up to my line. I see the tarpon jumping 50 feet on the opposite side of the bridge, needless to say it was over before it began. After jumping a few more tarpon and breaking them off we decided to drop down a giant mullet by the pilings on the Avet 80w. We notice the line slowly coming off the reel. Then set the hook into what we expected to be a nurse shark. Then we see the giant cuda come to the surface. The 18/0 Circle hook was perfectly in the corner of his mouth.

Nightfall came on the second day so we decided to throw out one big chunk of the barracuda on the Avet 80w and one butterflied bonito on the 14/0. While waiting for a bite we messed around with the tarpon which seemed to be EVERYWHERE. They were blowing up on small crabs in the current all over the place. Hooked a few but they all jumped off. Also got one curse.

After 3 hours of nothing but the nurse curse and some tarpon the 14/0 starts going out steady. While I am trying to untie the rope which had it tied down the shark started hauling ass. This backlashed the reel ALOT. As soon as the backlash cleared I locked it down and held on. The shark pulled a little bit of line and then there was slack. I reel in to find that yet again the shark had pulled the bait off the hook. I usually have no problem with hook-sets but for some reason this trip was different. We call it a night and decide to come back the following day.

It's the final day! The storms have cleared the wind has calmed and the sun is brutal! We get to the right spot and throw out our bottom rods. While waiting for a bite I take the last bonito, cut it in half, and throw it underneath the bridge. About 15 minutes later the drag on the 6/0 started screaming. We knew exactly what it was. A giant grouper. We ended up having to gaff the line from the other side of the bridge and do a line to line knot to the 14/0 because the current was too strong. Below are pictures and the link to the awesome video.

Action Shot:

Goliath Grouper:

Awesome Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBfDBhcZako

-InfinityFishingTeam