Salty Adventures II

The Taxman

Anybody know of a good CPA? Nobody told me tax season started in August…but apparently the Taxman showed up early. 🦈

We had these two absolute studs beat and headed for the boat when the tax collector came calling and took his cut — biting at least half of each fish clean off before we could get them in the boat.

I guess when you’re fishing in the shark’s neighborhood, there’s always the chance of having to pay some dues. We just didn’t realize the IRS had fins and a mouth full of sharp teeth.

We’ll call these two tax deductions and keep hunting for the ones that make it all the way to the boat. Let’s just hope they don’t nab us for tax evasion when we do!

Three generations. One boat. Memories that will last a lifetime.

I recently had the honor of taking three generations of men out on the water for a day of fishing, laughs, and making memories together ahead of “Poppy’s” upcoming heart surgery.

Trips like this are a big part of why I love what I do. It’s never just about the fish we catch. It’s about getting families away from the everyday grind, spending time together, and making memories that mean something long after we’re back at the dock.

I’m incredibly grateful they trusted me to be a small part of such a special day. We’re all pulling for Poppy and wishing him the very best going into a big surgery.

Check out this true “double up” Bodey reeled in, they might be small grunts but it’s not often you pull up two fish on the same hook!

We’ll be looking forward to seeing you all back on the water soon! 🎣

35 inches…yet again. 🥴

Throwing it back this Thursday to a couple months ago when we put our first big cobia of the year on the boat. At 35 inches, he was ONE INCH short of the keeper mark, so back overboard he went to fight another day.

Fast forward to the other day…and somehow we managed to do it all over again but on 30lb leader with a 1/0 hook, definitely a nail biter of a battle considering the light gear. That tiny hook was nearly straightened when we got it aboard!

Another beautiful 35” cobia, and once again, just ONE inch shy of hitting the ice in the fish box.

We did manage to put a beautiful 45” cobia in the boat a few weeks back and had an even bigger one snap the hook at the last second earlier that same day, so we know they’re out there. Now we’re just on the hunt for another one that’ll make the cut.

The cobia have definitely been showing up this year…we just need a couple of them to grow that extra inch before they hit the boat again! 🎣

MAD DOG AND THE GULF 💪🎣

Some trips mean a little more than others, and this one is going to stick with me for a long time.
Mad Dog and his family came out with me and over the course of two days, he put in about 14 hours on the boat. He wasn’t about to let a few extra challenges keep him from getting out on the water and doing what he loves.

Day one, Missy absolutely put it on the board with this oversized bull red from the 3-mile bridge!

The next day, the girls stayed behind for a little shopping while Mad Dog and I headed offshore to chase down some grouper and a few other species for the box. Just two guys, a boat, and a mission.

One of the coolest parts of my job is getting people out on the water who may not always have the easiest time finding a captain willing or able to accommodate them. Mad Dog showed up ready to fish, held onto that cane while leaving the wheelchair behind, put in the hours, and made the most of every minute we had.

And to every captain who told them they wouldn’t be accommodated…
You missed out.

Because these two trips ended up being some of the most rewarding trips I’ve had the privilege of running. It wasn’t just about the fish—it was about getting out there, spending quality time together, making memories, and proving that sometimes all somebody needs is a captain willing to say, “Hell yeah, let’s go fishing.” 🎣

Mad Dog and Missy, thank you for trusting me with your time. Mad Dog, thank you for sharing your passion with me and creating this song after our trip, it will be one I blast on the boat all the time! I’m already looking forward to our next trip!

https://zona.music/track/c67474d4-46c4-4b3b-a6a2-646a3948e494

LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS THING!

This absolute UNIT of a red snapper decided to show up and remind us exactly what we will be missing out on until September.

Unfortunately, he picked the wrong time to make his grand appearance because we’re just outside of season. So after a quick picture and a little admiration, this lucky fish got revived and sent right back down to the depths to continue growing and terrorizing somebody’s tackle another day.

Definitely not the outcome we wanted, but seeing fish like this swimming around is indicative of a healthy fishery — which is exactly what conservation is all about.

If you’re ever out on the boat with me, you’ll probably hear me touch on the importance of conservation. And I mean both sides of it — regulations that limit harvest when a fishery needs protection, but also regulations that allow seasons to be extended when the data shows the fishery can support additional harvest. Conservation isn’t just about catching less; it’s about managing the resource responsibly so we can keep catching them for generations to come.

Lucky fish. We’ll see you when you’re legal to keep. I know where yah live. 🎣

🚨 BREAKING NEWS FROM THE GULF! 🚨

After nearly TWO YEARS of Greater Amberjack being closed to harvest due to commercial overfishing, the season is officially returning next month! With harvest open from September 1st - October 14th.

And I’m not gonna lie… I’ve been waiting on this one.

We’ve caught some absolute BEASTS over the last couple years that had to go right back over the side. While we’re all for doing our part to keep the fishery healthy, I’m more than ready to put a few of these Gulf bulldozers back on the deck!

The heavy tackle is getting dusted off, and somebody is about to find out exactly why we call these things reef donkeys. 🫏

The wait is almost over.

If you’ve been wanting to tangle with a big ole amberjack, now’s the time to get on the calendar.

LET’S GO GET ’EM! 🎣🔥

We've been putting some beautiful red grouper in the boat over the past few weeks! 🔥🎣 We've managed a few keepers along the way, but we're still on the hunt for that true Gulf giant.

Red grouper can be one of the most underrated and elusive fish in this part of the Gulf. If you don't know where to look, you can spend an entire day fishing without ever finding them. It takes time on the water, a lot of scouting, and years of learning these reefs and ledges to consistently stay on quality fish.

Every trip is another chance at that jumbo red grouper, and we're determined to find him. Until then, we'll keep enjoying these beautiful fish and the incredible fights they put up.

Ready to chase one with us?

Red Snapper season has officially closed until September, and after the last few weeks... I'd say they earned a little break. We absolutely smoked 'em, and I can't thank everyone enough who came out and made this summer season one to remember.

The good news? The fishing is far from over.

We've been putting the hurt on some big ol' triggerfish, several other snapper species, some nice king mackerel, and we've managed to put a couple of stud cobia on the deck as well. The rods are still staying bent, the coolers are still filling up, and there's no shortage of action while we wait for the red snapper to make their return.

September will be here before we know it, and those red snapper will be waiting for us. Until then, we've got plenty of fish to chase and memories to make.

🎣 Book your trip today and let's go fishing!

The past few trips have been everything you can hope for as a charter captain.

Nothing beats watching clients become friends and seeing people land the biggest fish of their lives. We’ve had some incredible battles with monster cobia, plenty of snapper hitting the box, and smiles all around.

One trip came with a little heartbreak—a client had the biggest cobia I’ve ever seen come unbuttoned, snapping the hook in half, just a foot from the boat. I told them I’d be hunting that fish until we caught it.

Mark my words...later that same day I took some friends out, and we put a beautiful 44-inch cobia in the boat along with a cooler full of snapper.

That’s why I love this job. Every trip writes its own story, and you never know when the fish of a lifetime is going to show up.