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18WestPalmBeachFishingClubDriftBoatMemoriesAnicemessofsnapperfroma12daytripaboardtheBlueSea.TheBigDayIIwasttedwithasailthatimproveditsbeam-todrift.AboutftyyearsagoDougPetersonwasayounghighschoolboygrowingupinWestPalmBeachearninghisspendingmoneybyworkingontheBlueSeasdriftboatberthedattheRivieraBeachMarina.TherewereactuallythreeboatsintheBlueSeaseet.TheBigDayIIandBlueSeasIIwerelocatedattheaforementionedmarinaat13thStreetinRivieraBeachandtheBlueSeaIwasberthedatLaytonsTrailerParkalsoinRivieraBeach.CaptainTedBrowerandhiswifeMaryownedtheboats.TedusuallyranoneoftheboatsandMarycollectedthemoney.Youcouldgooutinthemorningfor5bucksandIthinktheafter-noontripwas4recalledPetersonduringarecentvisittotheWestPalmBeachFishingClub.NearlyadozenotherdriftboatsdottedthePalmBeachCountycoastlineinthe1960s.Therewasareliabledemandforaffordabletripsoffshore.WehadquiteafewseasonalresidentswhowouldcometoRivieraBeacheachwinterjusttoshonourboat.Theywouldsupplementtheirincomebysellingtheircatcheachday.Backthenyoudidntneedallthelicensesandpermitsyouneedtoday.IsoldshtoowhenIcould.WedtakethemtoHudginsFishHouseandget4or6centsapoundforkingsh.Snapperwere35centsapoundandgrouperwere25cents.ThingshavechangedsomelaughedPeterson.Ahalf-daytripgenerallyresultedinaboutadozenmut-tonstwotothreedozenyellowtailsquiteafewporgiesandgruntsandafewgrouper.Itwasprettymuchguaranteedthatyouweregonnacomehomewithsomething.Alwaysmuttonsandyellowtailsandifthekingswererunningwedgetplentyofkings.Smokerkingswerecommoninthesummermonths.ThebiggestkingPetersonevercaughtweighed64pounds.Weneverkeptanyofthetorostriggershbluerunnersandgrunts.Thereweretoomanygoodshtokeep.Wealsodidntgosouthveryoftenbecausethetriggershwouldeatyououtofhouseandhome.AccordingtoPetersonthereweresomeexceptionstothatruleespeciallyinthesummerondayswhenthetidewasnotroaringtothenorth.Weusedtocatchgenuineredsnapperin180to240feetofftheBreakers.Fourtoeightpoundersmostly.Wedalsocatchroseperchandyel-loweyesnappertheretoo.ButmostofthetimethecurrentwastoostrongtoshthatdeepsaidPeterson.WhilemostofthetripsaboardtheBlueSeastookplacejustoutsidePalmBeachInlettherewereoccasionswhentheboatwouldrunfarthernorth.Wewouldshthepeaksin180feetjustsouthofJupiterInletsometimeswhenthecurrentwaslight.Youcouldprobablyonlyshthatspot4or5daysayearbecausethetidehadtobejustright.Thepeakswerehugebutitwasasmallareasoyouhadtomakethedriftjustright.WewouldcatchWarsawgroupertileshandseabassthereonguppyrigs.Wecaughtdouble-headergroupersthatwere20to30poundseachsome-times.Theboatevencaughta90poundswordfishthereoneday.Somelocallybaseddriftboatswouldrunevenfarthernorth.TheoldCatchALotbasedoutoftheWestPalmBeachMunicipalMarinawasamongthem.ItwasafastnarrowbeamedwoodenboatthatwouldsometimesruntothehumpsoffStuarttocatchWarsawtileshandseabassinthelate1960s.OnedayIsawthatboatgetburiedcominginPalmBeachInletwhentherewasaboutan18footgroundsea.Thebowoftheboatgotstuffedinthebacksideofoneofthewavesandwaterwasallthewayuptothewheel-house.Wethoughttheyweregoingtorunintothejettybutitpoppedbackuplikeacorkandtheygotinsafely.WhenaskedabouthismostmemorabledriftboattripeverPetersonrecalledahalf-dayexcursioninthelate1960s.WewererightoutinfrontofPalmBeachInletin96feetofwater.Everythingwasbitinganditwasabsolutelynon-stopactionfromthemomentwedroppedthelines.Wecaughtdozensofmuttonsandabout18biggrayandblackgroupers.Eventhepeoplewhowerenotverygoodwitharodwerecatchingsh.WeneverhadanothertripwherewecaughtbottomshlikethatagainrememberedPeterson.Sardineshavebecomethebaitofchoiceonthedriftboatsoftodaybutftyyearsagothepreferredbaitwasballyhoo.Weusedstrictlyballyhooforbaitbecausethelocalcommercialguyswereseinenettingthemoffthebeach.Thesardinescamelater.Penn40and60reelswereused.Theterminalrigshavebasicallyremainedunchangedtriplehookrigsmonoleadersandabout1to2ouncesoflead.Wedrigthetouristswithashortleaderthatwaytheywouldntgetsnagged.Mostofthetimetheydidntknowwhentheyhitbottom.Theregularswouldgetthefteenfootleaders.Petersonremembersplentyofmemorablekingfishtrips.Sometimeswedhave49peopleontheboatour