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Posted by Jeff Weber on 08:40:26 06/17/04
In Reply to: St. Augustine Birding/Fishing-6/16 posted by Paul Bithorn
Paul:
What was a barracuda doing reeling in a large amberjack? Just wonderin' . . . .
JW
: While attending the 48th Annual Florida Apprenticeship Conference at the beautiful Casa Monica Hotel (built in 1888 and named for Monica, the mother of St. Augustine) in St. Augustine, I had the good fortune of fishing on a driftboat named the Sea Love III with my son Joshua out of Vilano Beach.
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: Leaving the dock, we were soon greeted by a flock of seven American Oystercatchers flying overhead. After a two hour run to about 20 miles offshore we deep-jigged in about 80 ft. of water with knocker rigs picking up a variety of species including Red and Vermillion Snapper, Amberjack, Bar Jack, Cusk, Sea Bass, Remora and a small octopus. While reeling in a large Amberjack a 6 ft. barracuda ripped it nearly in half. The carcass that was thrown overboard attracted 6 Wilson's Storm-Petrels and a Cory's Shearwater that fed on scraps torn asunder by the large barracuda for over an hour. Another 5 Cory's and 5 Wilson's were seen on the trip as well as a single Bridled Tern. Alas, nary a hoped for Manx Shearwater was in sight!
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: A Gray Kingbird was in front of the Lightner Museum and scads of Chimney Swifts were seen all over St. Augustine (lots of chimneys). No Black-hooded Parakeets as of now.
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: Life is good.......................................... being in the most historic city in the great state of Florida.
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