AS SEEN IN THE NOV/DEC 2005 ISSUE

It all started on a typical day just a few years back. That’s when I came face to face with El Diablo, the meanest, most determined fish I’ve ever seen.

Friends were visiting from out of town so my brother Greg and I decided to take them offshore for a fun filled day of fishing and diving. My daughter Brandy also graced us with her presence. After packing the boat with a truck load of gear and a shopping cart full of food, we made our way to a lively reef line we often visit.

Our plan was to start the day fishing, which turned out to be an awesome idea. As soon as our baits hit the bottom it was one fish after another. We loaded the cooler with a variety of tasty snapper. At one point in the game my brother hooked an unstoppable slob, and as luck would have it, the fish rocked him up and parted the leader.

More than happy with the morning’s catch, we decided to switch tactics. We strapped on the air tanks and hopped in the water in the hopes of spearing a hogfish or two along with maybe even grabbing a few lobster. Now anyone who dives clearly knows you’re never supposed to leave your dive buddy. I’m ashamed to say we been breaking this rule since the day we got certified. For us, diving is all about solitude. As soon as our flippers touch bottom we scatter like drops of water on a sizzling frying pan.

Well into the dive, I spot a huge gag grouper leisurely hovering under an overhanging ledge. This thing was a monster! I could literally feel my heart rate double. As I inched closer to get a clear shot, I notice one of my signature grouper rigs is dangling from his lips. Quickly putting two & two together, I could sense the big grouper was still skittish from his previous encounter. I crept within range and let off a perfect shot from the hip. Bingo!

The spear hit a little higher than I would have liked, but I was still certain my biggest gag yet would soon be chilling in the cooler rather than under that ledge. With the spear now embedded in his shoulder, the ticked off grouper starts swimming in tight circles, like a dog chasing its tail. I did all I could to hold on, yet somehow the darn thing manages to shake the spear loose and dart away as if nothing ever happened. I couldn’t believe it. First he cuts my brother off and now he manages to get away from me.

Regaining my composure, I attempted to reload my gun and noticed my spear tip is missing. My only guess is when the fish was spinning in circles the tip of the spear managed to unscrew from the shaft. So now the grouper is swimming around with a hook in its mouth and a spear tip lodged in its shoulder. I was starting to believe somebody upstairs wanted this fish to live!

Believe it or not, the story gets better. With the business end of my spear now missing, I decide to burn up the rest of my air time searching for lobster. I found a few holes and managed to snag a handful of bulldozers. As I was making my way across the reef, still in disbelief over what just happened, I peak over a ledge into a wide crevice and can you believe this, there he was! The now disoriented grouper backed itself right into a corner. I couldn’t believe I was staring this thing right in the eyes. I immediately set my gear down thinking I could stretch my arms into the opening where I could maybe grab the leader and pull him out. Hey, it may have been a stupid idea, but it almost worked. I managed to grab the leader, but no matter how hard I pulled I couldn’t wedge the fish out. It just wasn’t working. Realizing I wasn’t getting anywhere and with limited air time, I decide to tie my dive buoy to the leader, thinking I’d be able to at least keep tabs on the sucker.

I tied the small yellow rope to the leader, grabbed the rest of my gear and followed the float line to the surface. Back at the boat I told the rest of the gang, including my worried brother who was wondering where the heck I was this whole time, the adventure I just had with the monster grouper. They all laughed hysterically in total disbelief. Now I was really determined to make them eat their words.

As I idled toward the buoy, one of the guys gets the smart idea to throw a tube lure over the side and actually hooks a small barracuda. A bit surprised, I was much more concerned with what was at the other end of my line than his. I pulled alongside the float and began retrieving the line. Inch-by-inch I managed to get the fish about 30 feet off the bottom when out-of-nowhere the silly little barracuda the guy is fooling around with decides to swim circles around my line. Frantically, I did all I could to get the two lines untwisted. Suddenly and to my dismay, my buoy line goes completely slack. “What are you kidding me?”  He got away again!

The determined fish had definitely earned my respect. The problem was he now had my dignity as well. He had beaten me and embarrassed me, or so I thought. I ignored everyone’s giggles and snide remarks and took it on the chin the best I could. Still early we reset and resumed fishing.

After two more hours everyone agreed it was time to pack it in as we had plenty for the frying pan and a big fat fish story to go along with it. Suddenly, Brandy yells she’s hooked something heavy but didn’t think it was a fish. I remember chuckling; thinking that pulling up a big piece of fire coral would be the perfect ending to this already frustrating day. Brandy did all she could to reel in her line. As her sinker broke the surface we notice a second, yellow line wrapped around her rig. It was the yellow buoy line which had earlier been cut off by the barracuda mess. I reached down and grabbed the line and began to pull. It wasn’t fighting back, but whatever it was, was heavy. The whole time I’m thinking to myself there’s no way in the world this fish could still be on here. Well would you believe it, there he was! Barely alive, but it was him all the same. I got the big grouper in the boat and in the cooler. Sweet victory was mine!

I let the devil of a fish keep my respect, but I took back my dignity, my spear tip and my grouper rig. I laughed the whole ride back, waiving the rig in everyone’s faces. Man, I just love it when everything goes my way!

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