Oil Rigs out of P-cola

[Rod Father]

Got a invite from some fishing buddies to trailer over from central FL over to Pensacola and head out to the rigs and see if we could catch a YFT or two. The trip started out leaving from Ocala Friday morning and trailering over Mikes 28ft. True World Marine WAC Diesel and make our way to P-cola and get groceries and bait for our trip. The weather forecast looked promising along with some earlier reports of YFT's and Wahoo being caught with a few big fish being reported.

Got to the ramp and the bay was blowing, looked like 2 to 3footers in the bay, deciced to wait it out and it calmed down by 11PM. The ride out was smooth and we made it out to the Petronius rig around 3AM. We all started jigging and almost like a switch was thrown we where all hooked up BF after BF came over the rails and mayhem on deck persude. Then without warning the newbie hooks up and the fish sounds, everyone reels up in hopes of a YFT,Gabe the newbie fights the fish for 20 minutes before he gets it up, not a monster YF but a YF non the less.

After Gabe's fight we deciced to repack the fish box and take a break, do a couple shots of Capt. and chase it with beer. By now the sun is starting to come up and acouple of other boats show up a Everglades and a Contender. We started chunking but nothing but sharks seem to chew. After a few hours of chunking and trolling with nothing to show we decided to head over to the Beer Can and trolled it with nothing to show and then over to the Marlin and again nothing.

By now after we all took turns at the helm and taking a nap, we decided to troll back to the Petronius and try and pick up a Wahoo. We get about 3/4 of the way there and my orange Yo-Zuri Bonita gets slammed, the fish peels off about half of the line of a 50W when we came tight, the hoo sky rockets out of the water and throws the lure, for a bunch of guys that where either taking a nap or relaxing in the bean bag chairs, you would have thought a bomb went off when that hoo hit. Reeled the lure in and it was broke, this was a brand new lure just took it out of the bag and rigged it to 7strand cable myself, never thought a fish could do that much damage with one strike, upon further inspection the hook looks like it went through a meat grinder.

Well made it back to the Petronius only to find the Everglades and a commercial boat fishing the rig, we where still trolling and was going to take the outside lane around the other boats, then the commercial boat starts pulling out so we went to the inside of him so we would not collide, upon doing so one of the deck hands starts yelling at us like we commited a crime and began pointing at us like he was going to beat our azz, we where yea whatever, his skinny azz would have got choked slammed.

We tried top water plugs for awhile with nothing to show and made the run to a shallow water rig and ended up finishing our trip on some AJ's. We made our way back in after dark and headed home for the long road home and arrived back in Ocala around 6A.M. Sunday.

It was a hell of a trip packed full of action and heartbreak with the hoo that was missed but it was still worth it. This is the second time we did this trip this year and plan on another. Anyway heres some pics.

[Rod Father]

more pics

[Rod Father]

pics

[lamehawk]

sweet report

[GoodOyster]

THAT'S why I have NO problem with them putting oil rigs off the Florida coast! I'd love to have a half dozen rigs 20-30 miles from Sarasota/Venice.

Thanks for the report, sounds like a great trip. That area out of P'Cola is great fishing, I'd sure like to get back up there and do it again some time.

[bodysnatcher]

Sounds like a fun trip.

[drgn4sr]

great story. loved the pics. that's what it's all about.

[Rod Father]

I always forget to load the pics backwards on here, so it will go with the story.

[doghunter]

Cool trip and nice catch.