Sky Rocket, demon, brownie, smoker – what the heck are you talking about, Captain? I just want to go fishing!
Here is a little info to get you ready for your next deep sea fishing trip out of Port Canaveral or help you figure out what the heck we were talking about on your previous trip. In the heat of the battle, or maybe just conversation between captains across the VHF radio, you will hear words and terms that will have you thinking these captains in Port Canaveral are seriously crazy.
Let’s lay out the scene to better help you understand what I am talking about.
We are trolling and everyone is excitedly watching the baits behind the boat and BAM I yell “did you just see that fish sky rocket, it looked like a nice smoker!” All of a sudden you are fighting something that is screaming drag off the reel and apparently is capable of shooting rockets but you’re not too worried because it is obviously a friendly smoker and won’t be able to keep up this pace for too long.
Next I yell, “reel fast or you are going to pay the tax man!” Now you are thinking to yourself… oh crap if I don’t catch this fish within a time limit I will have to pay taxes on it.
You now have your fish close to the boat and I yell “he’s got brownies with him!” You might start to think, this is a bonus, we get fresh tasty baked goods with every fish!
I grab the jig rod and BAM apparently hook up a brownie and then I yell “ I’m going for the free steel” Now you’re convinced that this guy does it all while he is out here! He can harvest both fish and semi precious metals.
We finally get everything settled down and it was exhilarating but you are left scratching your head looking for a missile toting fish with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth that gets the munchies and evades paying taxes with no sign of any metal to take back to the recycling center to help pay for the trip.
Here is a guide of slang used by the fisherman of Port Canaveral to get you ready for your next trip!
Smoker – big king mackerel usually over 30 lbs
Sky Rocket – when a fish hits a bait from underneath and comes flying out of the water on the strike
Tax Man– sharks, paying the tax man is when a shark eats part of your fish while you are fighting it
Brownies – cobia
Free Steel or Free Gaff – when we gaff a fish that is not hooked up, usually because the fish won’t eat a bait
Sow – red snapper over 20 lbs
Cadillac – red snapper between 10 & 20 lbs
Chicken – red snapper under 10 lbs
Trash Can – red grouper
Black Belly – large grey grouper usually over 30 lbs starts to get a black coloration on its belly
Toad – warsaw grouper
Hotel or Barges – manta rays
Demon – sea sickness
Kicker Boat – small boats that really have no business in the ocean
Shiner – tarpon
Yellow Submarine – jack crevalle
Gaffer – dolphin fish “mahi mahi” that is too large to swing into the boat so we will gaff it, usually over 8 lbs
Bailer – dolphin fish “mahi mahi” small enough to swing into the boat, less than 8 lbs
Yellow Brick Road – a large formation of sea grass that makes a straight line for a long distance
Soldier – barracuda
Grover or Dip – mangrove snapper
3 Eyed Squid – large treble hook used for snagging
Worms or Wigglers – live bait, usually referring to pogy’s
Bone’s or Bone Heads – bonitos
Tread Head – remora a.k.a pilot fish
Hinged – when a king mackerel breaks the wire leader
Short Strike – when a fish just nips the bait and misses the hook
Shadowed – when the baits are nervous and we can see the fish following it but won’t take it
Washing Machine – a confused ocean with waves from all directions
Chocolate Milk – color of the water is horrible
Cobalt – color of the water is perfect
Bowed – having a nice fish hooked up
Pinned – having a nice fish hooked up but the person fighting it is stuck
Freight Trained – a very hard hit, usually from a grouper
One & Done – going to your first spot and staying all day because the fishing is so good
Home Run – struggling all day and hitting a spot that produces nice fish making your day great