Mexico Joe
Cholla Bay 4 Life
Haven't posted in a while. Shame on me. Life got in the way and wasn't able to make it down for the Cholla Bay Derby this year. 3 trips in three weeks and the wind has been garbage and windfinder has been less than accurate. Got down again this weekend Saturday - Monday. Saturday too windy to fish off the jet ski so the GF, pooch and I went over to our "secret" spot on the beach near Competition now that Tucson Beach is closed to vehicles. It works but not as good. Sunday and Monday were supposed to be good days wind wise and this time windfinder was spot on. Didn't blow harder than 10mph all day Sunday out of the west. Loaded the SKI up with lawn chairs and other necessities for a relaxing day on Tucson Beach. Spent most of the day lounging with my GF and playing with the dog. Got permission to go out for a "little bit" and headed straight towards Pelican Point. Idea was to troll some lures through the rocks... JJ WOULD BE PROUD. Maybe 5 minutes in I got hooked up on something big but it took a run and then came off. I turned the SKI around and trolled right back over that same area and BOOM! My baitfeeder reel was BLAZING... I picked up the rod with it still in the baitfeeder mode and then engaged it and hung on as I reeled as quick as I could to ensure I set the hook on this one. It was seriously intense. This fish peeled off some much drag it was crazy lol... from a jet ski! I kept the motor running away from the fish to keep good tension. Once it stopped running I started horsing this fish in. I didn't want to take any chances "ENJOYING" the catch. I needed to boat this fish because let's be honest PICS OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN! The fish finally came up to the surface and I could see that it was a CROAKER... A FRICKING GINORMOUS CROAKER!!!!!! The likes that are only rarely seen.... I mean I have to boat this fish!!! I get it up near the SKI and this thing is trying it's hardest to get off, flopping and thrashing something vicious. No gaff because I forgot it in Phoenix so I basically decided that I need to get this fish into the foot well of the SKI before this becomes a WHAT IF situation. I grab the 20lb braid and pick the 20lb +-2 LB CROAKER up by the line which slices me deep but I didn't care. No pain no gain. Bleeding from my fingers I get the fish in the foot well and immediately reach down and secure the catch by placing my right hand deep in the gill plate and squeezing tight. I immediately put the fish in my 52 qt cooler on the back of the SKI barely being able to latch the lid tight enough. I decided I needed to show my GF immediately and take pics on the beach as to not risk my outstanding accomplishment. After arriving back at Tucson Beach I took it out and had my GF help carry it to the beach where we took some pics. Initially I was afraid that it may have been a Totaoba but after fish confirmation from SHAWNO it is the grand daddy of all Corvina, an absolute BEAST, tripple OG gran daddy Orange Mouth Corvina. Something I will never forget, what an absolute rush. All in all we got two days on Tucson Beach via using the jet ski to get over there, no wind, beach time for the GF, dog was happy with running around and swimming for hours on end and getting all the attention that she does LOL, met cool people... what a great weekend!
ChollaBay4Life
