I don’t mean to brag…

Well, actually I do!  For the second year in a row, we got to take Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeff Kottkamp fishing off-shore Key West on board the  “Mr. Z.”

Both trips we got lucky and had great Dolphin action sending our elected officials off with large bags of fillets and good memories. 

The photo is signed by both Florida GOPs and the L.G. says, “Capt. Craig you are awesome!”  Now that’s a testimonial I deserve to brag about

This time of year, when the offshore fishing is slow, we usually retreat to the wrecks for action on Wreck Donkeys (Amberjacks), Grouper, and Big Snapper.  If that doesn’t work, then we have to.  In other words, the reef is usually very challenging since the water temperature climbs so high that the fish just don’t readily bite.

Not so today!

Brian, Sean, Kieth, and family cleaned up the reef by collecting 7 different species, almost all edible.  Keeper Black Grouper ($23 a pound at the fish market!), three nice Mutton Snappers, Golden Jacks, Macheral, and several large “flag” Yellowtail Snappers.

What a feast

Brianna Sutton and family, from Pittsburgh, PA, spent the day fishing aboard the Mr. Z and came home with the trophy catch.   While dropping on a Submarine wreck in 240 feet of water, Brianna caught, fought, and landed this 40 lb. Amberjack all by herself.

The “Hammer Jack” took 20 minutes to land and was released to fight another day!

Clifford Fischer and Sons took an Off-Shore fishing charter with the Mr. Z and…  well, you can see what happened

P.S.

If you are into videos of us fishing, go to YouTube and search, “Mr. Z fishing Key West” or simply, “Gaffcam.”  Cool.

As most of my advid readers/lookers know, this blog is 90 percent about off-shore fishing in Key West, Florida.  I tell it like I see, you get the good with the bad, etc…  but how bad could it really be?  Sun, fun, comraderie, fishing, and the Atlantic Ocean at daybreak.  Not bad for a decent paying job in a depressed economy

And, once in a while, I get to persue my other passions; my 5 year old son and playing music.  This is one of those posts!

At 5 years old, hitting a Spongebob baseball past the kiddie pool is considered a home run…  and who am I to disagree?  Zachary Eric Eubank was born in Habana, Cuba, speaks fluent English and Spanish and will be starting Kindergarten this year.  Yep, I’m almost 48 and started late

I also spend my Tuesday nights up the Keys hosting “Open  Mic Night” at a little Tiki Bar called, “Looe Key Tiki Bar” located on, well, Looe Key.  It gets to be quite the Rock and Roll Orchestra after a while, but everyone that can or thinks they can carry a tune, play an instrument or head bang usually shows up.  Sometimes it’s magic…  and then there’s other times.  Anyway, it is a good distraction for me and a chance for me to hone my “Stairway to Heaven” solos