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2005 CAPTS REPORT & OVERVIEW OF THE YEAR
2005 BROUGHT LOTS OF GROUPERS TO THE DOCKS IN DESTIN. FOR A WHILE IN THE SPRING WE WERE SEEING HISTORIC CATCHES OF GROUPERS AND ALSO RECORD LEVELS OF RED GROUPERS.
WE THINK THAT 2 DIFFERENT WAVES OF GROUPERS WERE EITHER DISPLACED OR EVACUATED FROM AROUND THE MIDDLE GROUNDS IN THE GULF.
THE GROUPERS STACKED UP ON SOME OF THE RIDGES THAT ARE OFFSHORE OF DESTIN AND THE FISHING WAS HOT!
HURRICANES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SUMMER PUT A DAMPER ON THE REST OF THE SUMMER SEASON. THEN A BACK-TO-BACK WHAMMY WITH EXTREME FUEL PRICES. IT WAS A SERIOUS REALITY CHECK OF THE "BUSINESS OF FISHING".
WE SURVIVED BUT WE ALL GOT A PEAK AT THE FUTURE WITH THE FUEL PRICES AND AVAIBILTY. WE HAD TO MAKE A DESCION ON THE FISH N FOOL ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT CATCHING FISH BUT NOT GOING BROKE ON FUEL.
I THINK IN THE END WE MADE THE RIGHT DESCION. WE BURNED MORE FUEL THEN A LOT OF OTHER BOATS AND I PERSONALLY TOOK A SEVERE HIT WITH THE FUEL….. BUT WE HAD SOME GREAT DAYS AND SOME MEMORABLE CATCHES.
THE PRICE OF FUEL HAS CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS IN THE WORLD AND FISHING IS ONE OF THEM. I'M JUST GLAD FUELS NOT $8.00 A GALLON BECAUSE I WOULD STILL BE BUYING IT AND GOING FISHING. OUR CUSTOMERS WANT TO GO!!!
WE CAUGHT A LOT OF 40 AND 50LBS AMBERJACK DURING THE SEASON AND FINISHED UP THE YEAR WITH A MONSTER 101 LBS AMBERJACK IN THE DESTIN FISHING RODEO! (MORE ABOUT THAT LATER)
WE HAD SOME HUGE MOMENTS, LIKE WHEN RAGOO AND HIS GUEST FROM CHICAGO (WHATS HER NAME, RAGOO? SHES AWESOME), CAUGHT A BIG SWORDFISH AFTER ONLY HAVING LINES IN THE WATER FOR 20 MINUTES.
AFTER WE BOATED HIM WE HOOKED UP AGAIN AND OUR BUDDY PAUL GOT TO BATTLE ANOTHER SWORDY THAT WAS OVER 100LBS. WE RELEASED PJ'S SWORDY BECAUSE WE HAD ENOUGH FROM A FULL DAY OF BOTTOM FISHING, WE HAD 1 SWORDY ALREADY AND WE WERE LOOKING FOR THAT KARMA!
WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A FULL YEAR WORTH OF RETURN FISHING CLIENTS THAT KEPT US BUSY. WE ALSO SAW A LARGE GROUP OF NEW CLIENTS THAT WE HOPE TO SEE AGAIN.
SOME OF OUR DIE HARD RETURN CLIENTS THAT FISHED WITH US ON THE FISH N FOOL THIS YEAR ARE:
THE GANG FROM COOPER STEEL IN SHELBYVILLE, TN
"MAVERICK" KARL AND CHRISTINE "THE LINE MAN FOR THE COUNTY"
PHILLIP CUMMINS AND THE PROFFESIONAL GANG FROM ATLANTA
GREGG BURKS AND FAMILY
WILLIAM JOYNER FROM NICEVILLE, FL
STEVE & MARK FROM SOWELL DODSON CONSTRUCTION ARE DIE HARD 2 DAY CREW!! THANKS GUYS
BILLY STOUGH THE ATLANTA FISH N FOOL!!!
WADE AND PATTY BASKIN AND FAMILY FROM DURANT OK ( 17 YEAR CLIENTS)
RICHARD MULLINS
TIM MCKONKEY
JERRY NICHOLS FROM JERRYS BAR!
BIG MIKE AND THE BOYS FROM THE BODY SHOP
SANFORD REEVES
PAT FROM ECKSTEIN MARINE NEW ORLEANS
BRIAN KEEL AND THE GANG AND PORTMAN
OUR VERY OWN ORNAMENTAL FISHERMAN, GO GEORGE!
CRAWFORD LOGAN AND HIS BOYS FROM MISSIPPISSI
JUDD HEFLIN FROM DALLAS
TERRY & TERRY
PAUEL JAMESON AND DAVID MURPHY AT I.H.
CIRKLE K
SCOTT FROM PLANTATION TREES
CARL TLOFT AND THE BOYS FROM WHITE BLUFF TN AND THE PERFECT PIG BAR BQUE
STEWART WILLIAMS AND OF CORSE OUR LOCAL KICK ASS FISHERMAN JOHN & JULIE BRASHEIRS AND THE DESTIN PIRATE CREW
YO, WALLY & JOHN WHITE
DIAMOND MIKE OUR PARADE FLOAT PROVIDER
PJ
AND SO MANY MORE GREAT FOLKS THAT I HAVE ACCIDENTLY LEFT OUT.
WE HAD A GREAT YEAR EVEN WITH THE STRUGGLES OF HURRICANES AND FUEL SHORTAGES.
IT IS OUR RETURN CLIENTS THAT KEEP US GOING. WHEN YOU GET TO FISH WITH PEOPLE YOU KNOW IT MAKES IT THAT MUCH MORE FUN. WE KNOW EACH OTHER AND IT MAKES THE ENTIRE DAY FUN. WITH RETURN CUSTOMERS SOME OF THE INTENSE PRESSURE THAT WE FEEL TO HAVE A GREAT DAY OF FISHING IS LIFTED BECAUSE OUR GOOD RETURN CLIENTS HAVE HAD SO MANY OF THOSE TYPE DAYS WITH US THAT THEY ARE MORE AT EASE.
THEY HAVE FAITH THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THE DAY A SUCCESSS. OF COURSE WE ALSO FEEL LOTS OF INTENSE PRESSURE BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR GOOD CLIENTS AND WE WANT TO HAVE A BANNER DAY!
IT'S A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD, BUT THEY ARE OUR FRIENDS AND CLIENTS AND THEY ARE GIVING US THE OPPURTUNITY TO SHOW THEM OUR WORLD AND THE COOL STUFF LIVING IN IT!
(MOSTLY SO WE CAN KILL AND EAT IT!!!!)
IT'S GOOD TO BE ON THE UPPER END OF THE FOOD CHAIN AND WE THANK THE LORD FOR EVERY BEAUTIFUL DAY HE GIVES US AND WE ARE MIGHTY HAPPY WITH THE FISH WE CATCH.
THE WEATHER WAS A BIG CHALLENGE IN SEPTEMBER,
BUT OCTOBER ROLED IN AND THE DESTIN FISHING RODEO GOT OFF TO A GREAT START. WE HAD SOME GREAT TRIPS DURING THE RODEO WITH LOTS OF DAILY AWARDS AND WE TOPPED THE TOURNAMENT OFF WITH A 1ST PLACE AMBEJACK THAT WEIGHED A WHOPPING 101 LBS BEFORE HE WAS GUTTED AND 97 LBS GUTTED. WHAT A TRIP. DON'T YOU KNOW THERE WAS SOME HIGH FIVIN GOING ON WHEN THAT MONSTER HIT THE DECK!!
LAST BAIT, ON THE LAST DOWN ON THE LAST STOP OF THER DAY! BILLY STOUGHS GROUP CAN KICK SOME BIG AMBERJACK BUTT!!!
CONGRATULATIONS GUYS!
THE RODEO ENDED UP WITH A PIRATE RAID ON THE RODEO DOCK WHERE MY MERRY CREW OF PIRATES KIDNAPPED MISS DESTIN AND FOUGHT IT OUT WITH BRUCE THE WEIGHMASTER AND SIR RICHARD "THE CHICKEN HEARTED"!
IT WAS A GREAT TIME AND THE START OF A DESTIN TRADTION AS FAR AS THE CREW OF THE FISH N FOOL IS CONCERNED.
WE MADE IT THROUGH A VERY BUSY SEASON WITH LOTES OF EXTREME HOURS. WE HAD THE HELP OF THE SHORE CREW HEADED UP BY OUR DOCK MAMA SALINA JOHNSON AND HER OWN CREW OF PIRATES.
OUR 2ND MATE CHRIS JOHNSON AND THE BAIT KILLERS: RODNEY JR. (HOLLYWOOD), KESLIE THE BOAT PRINCESS AND DALEN THE IMPALER.
WE ALSO HAD THE HELP AND SUPPORT OF THE CREW FROM HARBORWALK MARINA AND THE DESTIN FISHERMENS CO-OP.
KIMMY KEPT THE PHONE ANSWERED AND LET RODNEY AND ME CONCENTRATE ON FISHING AND TAKING CARE OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
CAPT RODNEY JOHNSON CAME ABOARD THE FISH N FOOL TEAM THIS SPRING AND BROUGHT HIS LIFETIME EXPERIENCE OF FISHING IN THE GULF ALONG WITH HIS LIFETIME EXPERIENCE OF BEING A NICE GUY AND SUPERB 1ST MATE!
THE ROLE THAT RODNEY BRINGS TO THE BOATS MESHES IN PERFECTLY AND ALLOWS US TO FISH AS A SEAMLESS TEAM.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASEURE TO WATCH HIS PERFORMANCE ON THE BACK DECK. HE IS "CAN DO!!" AT ALL TIMES AND HE IS A FISH N FOOL!!!
WE ARE GETTING READY FOR THE 06 SEASON AND DREAMING ABOUT THOSE ONCE IN A LIFETIME DAYS COMING THIS YEAR!
CAPT MIKE
DESTIN, FL
1-22-06
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