Spade Fishing

originally posted on 7/15/2011

The last two days have been incredible! My good friend Captain Greg Hildreth from Brunswick, called and said, "just about everything is biting up here. You should come up and do a show." So we we laoded up the Hook the Future crew and cruised the Salt Life Edgewater 318, Miss My Boy, from Jacksonville up to St Simon's Island,Georgia. The ride alone, crusing North along the coast line, passing the shrimp boats working, the pelicans diving, just being out on the water, delivered the break I needed. After a 50 mile ride or so we tied up at Morning Star Marina of Golden Isles, then headed over to the Beachview Club on Jeckyll Island to rest up for the day ahead. The next morning, we met Captain Greg at the docks with his 8 year old daughter Logan, and her two friends, Emilee (9) and Ava (7). These girls didn't know what to expect, but were ready for anything! We decide to take the girls on there first offshore adventure!... maybe catch a few jelly-balls, head to a close by wreck and catch some big spade-fish.
Once we were a mile off the beach everyone on board began looking for Jelly-balls. The girls loved scooping up them up in the net and checking each one for any spider crabs or any other sea creature that might have hitched a ride.

After loading up with Jelly-balls, we headed offshore to a wreck about 9 miles out and dropped anchor. Immediately dozens of 9-12 pound spade fish pop up just behind the boat. Capt. Greg throws a jelly-ball in the water and the spade-fish attack it like Piranhas! They can't get enough! We put a small piece of jelly-ball on a hook and we're on! While Logan is battling the fish of her life, it's time to turn the camera's on and get to "work", filming the show. Over the next three hours the girls took turns boating fish after fisheven kissing a few!

After they had their fill Greg, our cameraman Conrad, and myself all caught a couple. We even caught a few by hand ! Talk about fun! What a day!
I'm fortunate enough to live the Salt Life everyday....usually trying to catch something a lot bigger than a spade-fish, but there's just something special about sharing the ocean with someone else for the first time. No marlin in the sea would've provided more smiles today!
Livin' The Salt Life.....

Slimy 5's,

Capt Don