It's officially winter as most of my guide and captain buddies are off thier boats and into the woods with smokesticks. I think I'm the only fishhead around that dosn't hunt deer. Ilove to eat 'em, have cleaned dozens and make some of the best jeky you've ever had but pullin' the trigger does nothing for me. I'll chase birds or squirrels with a shotgun and have a blast tho! Lucky for me I've got enough friends that shoot more than they want to clean so my freezer stays full all winter. The other sure sign of winter is these fronts coming through so fast. I was booked up for 8 days right at Thanksgiving and had to cancel half my trips and got talked into running one we came in early on. We caught plenty of fish but when it's pouring rain and only 60 degrees even most hardcore folks will give up. Of the three anglers on the boat that day only one was fussin' bout' having to quit early. The other three days were wonderful including one of those "magic" days. If you've read my read ramblings for a while you'll remember me mentioning a dad and 2 daughter team that have fished with me reularly for 5-6 years. The girls are now 13 and 15 and can outfish most men ( they have embarassed several of dad's buddies). I got to take them on the day after Thanksgiving. We left the beach late ( 10AM) to take advantage of a dying North wind. By 11 AM the Gulf was as slick as it gets in August without the heat or humidity. At 2:05 PM we hit the beach with the cooler full of groupers . The biggest was in the 25# range caught by the 13 year old. Now as anyone who has done it knows a 25# "beach" grouper isn't like deep water grouper fishing. These fish fight all the way to the surface, try to run up and down the reef and don't quit even when in the boat. This gal is not a tomboy either but a demure little girl who likes pink things and ponies-. She and her sister just happen to be some very "bad ***" fisherman. Our total box was 18 grouper and 6 trigger with dozens of shorts being thrown back, The 15 year old gal caught the most landing a fish almost every drop and never missing a down. Dad came in second on the head count but he missed a few downs having to rest after a few better ones and missing a few more bites than his older daughter. Probably the most grouper the boat has ever seen on a 4 hour trip. The ones we kept weren't "just legal" either but a fine grade of fish. I just love it when a plan comes together!! Not many trips left on the books this time of the year. There will be a bunch of folks down around Christmas and New Years wanting to fish but other than that it's time to work on boats and tackle. I hope santa brings everyone what they want for christmas- me I'm fine, just want more pretty days on the water.. capt Larry Pentel