What little snappers in the way of quantity has already turned into quality as most in my area are at least 7 and 8 inches long, with most being too long to liveline. But Saturday the first blue of about 18 or 19" was hooked in the lip and ended on a stringer. Using the remaining smaller snapper, I had a tremendous hit and fight 10 minutes later. Incoming, choppy water but not as dirty from Erin I expected, despite 8-12 mph SW breeze. After a few minutes the Penn reel (an old spinfisher model) stopped "non- reversing" and I had to keep both hands on rod and reel to keep the handle from paying out more line, although the blue was taking drag when I did so. I finally was able to grab my rod and reel with one hand in such a way that the handle couldn't spin and I grabbed my net. The blue was jumping slashing back and forth, but not quite tangling the killie cart or the first blue on the stringer. I slipped the net under and of course, the hoop broke off the handle as the whole conglomeration including the 25" blue landed between my knees. Lip hooked again. The last few snappers a week ago were merely halved just behind my dorsal hooked 5/0. Now searching for an inexpensive net for the yak that doesn't fold like so many do. No need for a folding contraption that could fail. Tonight SWMBO will bake it in percata (?) sauce instead of our usual recipe of baking a blue slathered with lite mayo, Italian bread crumbs and Old Bay Seasoning. When fresh, we enjoy the occasional bluefish, even this size. Nice thing about blues and weaks, they tow home easily behind the yak, unlike the damn fluke that are a tough drag.
