BIG O

One bad looking fishing machine

Thanks for the Kind words Tim W, it was just nice to be able to get out on the water after all the BP crap, Bud I hope they do open them up for you soon, I am gona hit the snapper on opening day Oct 1 and me and a couple of friends are planning an overnight Tuna trip sometime in October if they move the line another 15 miles South as well. Our planj would be to leave the marina at around 4 in the afternoon avoiding all the other boat traffic run the 70 miles south and try for the early afternoon bite, set up some swordfish rigs, have a nice dinner maybe a beer or 2 fire up the gen set and drift the night away, get up for the morning bite do a little trolling and ease back in picking up snapper grouper and what ever else we can find along the way. Thats the plan, now all we have to do is execute and hope they do move the line further south so that we can get into some blue water Big O

They opened about 30 mi more from the south yesterday. One more 30 mi move north will put me in business. Red

I hope they do open them up for you we were out about 40 miles due south of the island, and that was about the farthest that we can fish, due to the closed waters. Means that we can not get into the blue water to the Petronus or the marlin or the beer can, all that water remains closed from what I understand. I did not see any traces of oil and we were in about 140 feetof water, good color green and clear but not anywere near cobalt blue. Big O

Decided to do a quick peak to see if my boat still floated, and check a couple of spots for B-liner, Trigger and Reef donkeys, NOAA was calling for SE winds 10-15K seas 1-3. Real world got the direction right but blowing 20K or better and seas were 4-5. Had our good friend Captain Dalton,Gary Jad and myself we ran 40 miles to check out Cris AJ hole first drop and Gary was hooked up to a 35lbs donkey. After one or 2 break offs the bite stopped, it took a lot longer to get there so we were not there for the early morning bite. Seas being so sloppy we decided to put out a couple of high speed blue and white islanders, to troll to our next spot picked up one small 15lbs cuda. Second spot was holding the ever elusive Red Snappers, as we were throwing back 10-15lbs on every drop but we did get one B-liner. We decided to troll to one more rig and picked up a small chicken, again on the islander. Seas were building and we hit a couple of more of Daltons trigger spots, caughtplety that were just shy of legal but put a couple of nice ones in the boat along with a couple more lane and B-linners. By this time we were all beat seas were continuing to build adn we decided on heading back in. Snapper were so thick that it was real hard to get the baits down past them to try to target anything else. Boat ran great and other than being tired we all had a great time. Gona try to post up a picture

Nice Bull Rick: Those are about the size we see on the bar every year glad you let it go those are the breeders, and God only will know what will happen to them here in the Gulf. I know that we are sending our sea turtle eggs out to the east coast for preservation you may end up sending us back young reds to replenish who knows, any way great fish Big O

Big O is in cant fish but I can wax the boat Standing by on 16

Big O reporting from LA Lower Alabama, I am really sick about the entire situatiuon, and the way that is being handled, My entire lifestyle has changed and will remain that way for who know how long. The loss of habitat and breeding growns is horrible by itself, but you add the loss of any type of recreational activities in the Gulf and the loss are insurmountable. When again may jump in car go to the bayou and by a sack of oysters or 20 lbs of Alabama wild shrimp, my boat is sitting in dry storage with a fresh motor new Einsenglass tuned up GEn set costing me money everyday. I live for summer and fishing and boating,now I am really contimplating just selling her outright and forget about my 5 foot itices. I do not own a truck big enough to trailer her to the east coast, even though I have a perfect trailer sitting inside my warehouse, This will not only have an effect on all industries on the coast but I feel that the entire country will suffer to some degree, with the lack of seafood. Ya you will get farm raised shrimp fish from Thiland, or some other country, but yo sure will see a shortage of Gulf coast Snapper, Grouper Wahoo Ect. The United States Goverment need to get more involved, we should have had EVERY SKIMMING BOAT IN THE WORLD WORKING IN THE GULF OF MEXICO BY NOW. But all we have is a handfull of modified shrimp boats its a joke. I had always wanted to come back home to South Florida after I retired, Now I am thinking real hard about moving back maybe to the keys because I fear that in the remainder of my lifetime the Gulf will not recover. PS I am 51 years old If any one is looking for a Nice 31 Contender FA give me a call as I am thinking real hard about selling her Big O

Well decided to make a go of it on Tuesday at about 2 oclock in the afternoon guessing that NOAA would continue to close downmore and more of the Gulf. My son and a friend decided to see if we could get a few fish in the boat. We could not fish any of my numbers as all of my reefs are South and West of Dauphine Island and we could only fish State waters which in Alabama only run 3 miles offshore, so we ran about 20 miles SE of the island till we hit a public number which was marking fish but no takers, then we hit one other spot and limited out. Guess I will be putting up the boat for the year. Big O

Who Dat Saints 38 to 35

Twin F225s Yami, 625 hours Powerhead blew on the Stb motor, due to the timming belt slipping, waiting for a little warmer weather to break it in

Thanks enjoyed making the trip with you via video, very nice Big O

I never leave the dock without one, I have one mounted and one in a ditch bag, the cheapest insurance policy in my opinion Big O

Beautiful Boats, thank God we are in a recession, wonder what the price would be if times were good.

Looks to me like Sailfish has stepped it up a notch with the forward seating, getting the best of both. O

Great profile photes showing a real nice line Big O

Agree One Game, One Bet and I am all done for the year WTG Cains

I am out of town till next Wed, and can post some pictures then, Here are real world number. Fuel tanks at 1/2 two people no gear actuallly I count for 1 1/2 so make that 2 1/2 people WOT 5400 RPS 43 MPH .7 mpg Between 4000 -4400 RPS She burns the same 1.2-1.3 mpg Speed on the low end side is around 28 the high side is 32 MPH @ 4400 is her sweet spot. With A full Load 4 Guys Ice full fuel and gear. At this speed she will take 3 footers like they were not there, and will give you a great ride, and reentry. if you need more before i send you pictures feel free to call me at 251-344-2343 Oscar

BC 282: I keep the boat in dry storage year round at Daulphin Island, Alabama, if you would like I would be happy to go down to the island and take some pictures which I should do anyway. She was detailed and waxed in May as well, befor fishing season started. I forgot to mention she also has a Lewmar Pro windlass and a custum made retractable sunshade that covers the entore rear deck, but slides closed into the TTop frame when not in being used. It nice when your sitting on the rear deck on the hook having Happy hour. Let me know if you want me to send you some pictures. Oscar

I have a 2002 Fisharound with Twin F225 Yam 4 stroke. Motors have 630 Hours. I am the second owner of this boat. She has every option that Contender offers in the 31, and a few others. 5 Kw Kohlor with 191 hours. A/C heat. I have changed oil every 100 hours and Just finished new plugs 5/30/09. Motors have been flawless in the time I have had the boat. Electronics Furuno Radar 1762C 7" Color Furnun GPS 1900 C 10" Color Furuno NetworkSounder All are interphased Icom 402 Simrad Auto pilot AP16 Top Gun Outriggers 15 foot Microwave Stove / Refrigerator, Halon system Triple AXLE 05 Road king New tires and service done boat stays in dry storge so trailer is never used. Once since I bought the boat and had the service done to it. $70,000 Reason I am looking at a 36 I would like to buy. She has bottom paint

Good luck, hope it comes thru Bluewater are great boats Big O

Bill All I can say is Hats off to you, the width of the USA from East Coast to West Coast is aprox 3,000 miles you travel 3 1/2 times that every year. Your the man Maybe I can achieve that after the kids grow up LOL Big O

I was down on the Island yesterday putting in some new bottom numbers, I have a Furuno 1900. I noticed my continual log of miles traveled was 6,854. Just wondering about others out there. I was actually surprised to see i averaged 1,200 miles per year. My boat is an 03 Big O

I had a chance to talk with Phil, the Cornela Marie was made in Bayou Labatri Alabama, I was told the boats get 20 grand per season, were they are getting bank is from all the exposure and if you notice now they all have product lines Thats some extra income in a big way for them, Sig even has his own line of frozen fish.