Florida Man - Strange Fish

Florida has some great fishing.  Why you can rent a charter, go out on the ocean and catch some really swell fish.  Bah, tourist stuff.  We serious anglers are after the weird ones.                                                                                                                                                             

This trip was an opportunity for my grandson and I to both expand our Lifetime Species caught list.  We started out even up but I got a quick three species bump because fish I'd previously caught in Florida were now countable.  I have no doubt he'll overtake me but so far our new catches have me still a couple ahead.

This is a Mojarra.  Or at least a variety of same.

And here's a Blue Runner.  Not that interesting to look at but when caught they make remarkable grunting noises.  I told my grandson that it was promising us to grant a small wish if we let him go.  

We had a long discussion as to whether non fish catches should be on the Lifetime list.  The conclusion was no, because once you allow in crustaceans it is hard to exclude random bugs.  So here's a nasty crab.

Although not part of the official Salt Water Strange Fish challenge my son caught some new species as well.  This is a snook.  I had one on briefly, they are quite fun.

If you are paying close attention you might notice that we are not on a scenic Florida beach.  No, in true Florida Man - and Florida Boy - style we spent a lot of time fishing under a bridge that was adjacent to a drinking establishment.  

Late addition.  This is a Sheepshead.  The salt water version not the freshwater critter we have back home.  Three new species for me on this trip.  Not bad.