Murky Water Lucky Shot

Went out of my favorite spot around noon today and found the water to be very silty due to the relentless downpours two weeks ago. Unfortunately there's a river that leads to the ocean just east of my spot with the current usually heading west, hence the turbidity. 8 foot vis at it's best. I had only managed two parrotfish in about an hour's worth of effort when I decided to try my "money spot" before the clouds rained on my parade.

I took a few deep breaths and laid in the bottom some 30ft below and scratched the bottom in the low vis water. Some small schoolmasters appeared and a nice-sized mutton also made a cameo. I held fast due to that sixth sense. I inched forward and probably kicked twice when all of a sudden a huge head with big fangs materialized from the haze. We were both startled at first and the big cubera turned once with a thump of its tail and bolted almost instantly into "nowhere". At that instant I took a shot in the "dark" and my gun was almost ripped out of my hand!:0

I started for the surface kicking hard as the snapper tried just the opposite. I instantly thought the snapper was in the 40lb range judging by its fight but as I reached the surface and used my buoyancy to my advantage, I soon had a clear view of its size. Although impressive, I instantly saw why it fought so hard. I had speared it just forward of its tail fin! A fight ensued as I tried to subdue the fish and after what seemed like an eternity, I had my left hand in its gills and my right hand was braining it with my knife. Anyways, a PB Cubera.;)

I was expecting a big mutton but not a huge cubera!

BTW, It's obvious that someone had taken a shot at him a few days earlier if not a day before judging by the ripping wound just forward of mine. It's also obvious that this was a very elusive fish before I came along.;)

Quote from A PULMON

Nice story and even nicer fish. I can imagine how it must have felt squezing the trigger into the dark hoping for the best and then feeling the pull of the fish. AWESOME!!

A Pulmon,

Words cannot describe that feeling!!!! I have only done it once before and I swore to myself I would never do it again as I came up empty handed but being that I was diving solo and there was not the danger of shafting a fellow diver, I didn't think twice this time and it paid off heftily!:thumbsup2:

I'm waiting on some venison from my brother in Kingsport,Tenn. to see if we can have some "Surf & Turf" for my father's B-Day this Sunday.

Here's a shot of the fish just minutes after I shot it. Notice the shooting line through its tail section. Definitely not a pride shot under normal circumstances but a hell of a shot under the given circumstances.;)

Quote from seahunter49

Did you put the camera on timer? Looks like you were a little tired holding that pose What did it end up weighing? Looks like 20-25lb.

Yeah Dan, I had it on timer. I found a piece of wood, stuck it in the ground, propped the camera and ran back to hold it for about 20 seconds or so....yeah I was a bit tired.

Thanks Rolo! Hecha pa' aca coñooooo! Si no te voy a dejar sin pescados!:D

Gracias Pucho. Tenemeos que reunirnos un día para una buena pesca.