Big fish don’t always get away

Thursday was the day the big fish didn’t get away.
Most always when I see a catch hanging on the racks, someone will say — “You should have seen the one that got away.”
However, on Thursday a couple of anglers were lucky enough to hang on and pull in the big ones.
Fourteen-year-old Kenny Zesso of St. Louis, Mo., hauled in a 52-pound copper belly grouper while fishing on the Daybreak with Capt. Eric Thrasher and mate Mic Parker.
Young Zesso said it was by far the biggest fish he had ever caught.
“It pulled real hard,” he said, noting it took about six to eight minutes to get the fish to the boat.
Mike Paffrath, also of St. Louis, reeled in a 41-pound grouper.
They had a big day on the Daybreak. In addition to the grouper, they had their limit of red snapper and several amberine.
The Miss Aegina with Capt. Robert Hanshaw at the helm backed in with two big whoppers. They had a 20-pound bluefish and a 30-plus pound king mackerel.
The anglers from Jackson, Miss., also had about four more king mackerel on the racks as well as a couple of scamp, a grouper and amberine.
Anglers from New Orleans and Arkansas brought in some big red snapper while fishing on the Twilight with Capt. Robert Hill. They also had a few lane snapper and a pile of triggerfish.
Capt. Bud Miller and the group aboard the Melanie Dawn brought in the “usual suspects.” They had a limit of red snapper, triggerfish, mingo and a couple of black snapper.
Anglers on the party boat Destin Princess brought in several stringers of red snapper, mingo and triggerfish.
The Sweet Jody with Capt. Cliff Cox brought in several grouper, red snapper, lane snapper, triggerfish and mingo.
Georgia anglers fishing on the Windwalker II filled the boards with red snapper, king mackerel and mahi mahi. Capt. Virgal Snellgrose of the Windwalker is still in critical condition at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. Helping out on the boat and running a few trips for him is Capt. Steve Regan.
A group of local anglers on the Big John with Capt. Todd Allen loaded the racks with red snapper and a grouper.
As you can tell there were several fish that didn’t get away on Thursday — and as always, some were bigger than others — and by the time folks get back home they will be even bigger.
See you at the docks.