Good Friday

My buddy Steve (Huntingfool) invited me to hit the water with him today. A quick rearrangement of my schedule and the plans were set.
Plan was to go get on this big as school of big ass black drum that are out there right now. They are in spawn mode, and it honestly is a really cool sight to see. Not every day you get to see a school of fish with well over a thousand fish in it, and every fish at 25# and bigger.

We got to the ramp just after daylight and headed for the "drum grounds". It is not really a secret as to where the fish are. Just look for the pod of boats.
The wind got up pretty good and finding the school was kind of difficult to locate. While waiting for the school of drum to show themselves, I managed to put 1 keeper trout and 2 mackerel in the cooler. By 9:30 we saw a pod of boats break off to the East and headed over there.
Sure enough, they were on the fish. Only way I can explain the next couple hours is MAYHEM. You had this school of fish moving around, and 50+ boats chasing them. Only way I can explain it is comparing it to the tarpon run at Boca Grande.
Tangled lines, boats bumping into one another, hooked up fish, you name it. All in all, it turned out good. Did not see anyone get pissed at anyone else.
On about our 3rd time getting in front of the school, I missed a fish and Steve hooked up. And we were dead smack in the middle of the pod of boats.
Nothing like having a 35#+ fish stripping drag under every boat out there. I got on the wheel and tried to help him gain some line back. we got real close to another boat. Steve leaned forward to push off the boat in front of us, and I gunned the throttle in reverse. My boy goes head first in the water(@68deg). He managed to hold the rod with a 35# fish attached, swim, get back in the boat, and land the fish.
Here is proof

We re grouped and got back on the school. I just wanted to get a pic with one of these beasts. I hooked and lost 2 fish on the next two set ups.
Next pass was a landed fish. after a 15 minute fight, here he is boated,and released after a quick pic. estimated at around 40+ pounds

After that we were sorta done messing with the mayhem of the boats, so we decided to go hit a redfish hole. we pulled up and there was over 100+ redfish on this oyster bar. Second cast resulted in this WAYYY over slot brute. Sucked to have to release it, but life goes on

After that a bunch of guides moved in, and we decided to call it a day. Could not have asked for a better trip. Got to stretch some lines, and got enough fish for dinner.
In my book, that is a damn "Good Friday"......