Hi,
I finally bought used waders that didn't really fit but I'm back on the water some. It had gotten very hot and the water temperature reached the 80s the last week.
Fishing on the West side (Walton- Midway) and in general has slowed down April 19- April 27. There are some snook in the shallows but they tend to be small. I've gone fishing and have had few good days (like the winter). I've blanked and also caught just one fish several times.
The trout bite has disappeared. I did catch two trout one day (and I lost one ) in the heat but catching 10-15 trout in a few hours is no longer happening. The big Jack are not there (or any Jack for that matter) and for the first time the saying, "I'm not catching Jack" is literally true. I'm not sure where the Jack are but during the winter months you would always catch a few and get some strikes from Jack.
My neighbor, who I fish with some, caught a beautiful 6 pound redfish on one trip but he hasn't been catching Jack either. Here's one fishing report from last Friday;
Fishing Report: Midway (West side) April 24, 5:30 pm heavy wind from north east on high outgoing tide. Fishing green florescent plastic swimbait on 3/8 lead jighead. My neighbor and I went to the deep pool and noticed the heavy grass. I was surprised when I had a strike pulling the jig through nearly 2 foot waves.
It was a snook and a good one, the biggest since mid-March. He came up and splashed then pulled drag. I had hooked him about 15 feet out so I took my time, he came in then pulled some drag. I circled him around away from the pier and after going into shallower water, he came to me. I lifted him with one hand but I couldn't unhook him with my fingers so I brought him around to my neighbor who had his pliers ready. This snook was at least 5 pounds and a chunk.
We fished into the pool but it was too deep so we headed South until we could cross over to the sandbar. When I got deep as possible I got a strike, then another and hooked up, this fish was moving but it wasn't big- it was a nice Mackerel. I unhooked it and rebaited. I got another strike- the tail of my bait was cut off, I rebaited and a cast later pulled in another nice Mackerel. I got a couple more strikes and lost another bait tail - more Mackerel.
My neighbor had moved South fishing shallower so I followed him and left the school of Mackerel. 10 minutes late I hooked what I thought was a small Jack but it wasn't exactly a Jack. I showed him to my neighbor who said it was a Pigfish, or a Grunt.
We fished down and then came back up and I caught another nice Mackerel on the deeper flat. It was getting dark and the grass was creeping out my neighbor who was wet-wading (without waders). We got off the water.
I caught 5 fish in 1 1/3 hours and one was a nice snook.
Richie
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Monday, April 13, 2015
Snook fishing: Monday March 15, 2014
Hi,
I'm finally healed up and will resume wading later this week. This is one day of fishing back about a month ago on March 15, which was the last day the big snook were shallow [1]- location: Walton Road rising tide about 9:00 AM. Wind NE 10-15 mph.
I decided that today was the day I was going to keep a snook the slot limit was 28 to 34 inches which would be a four to five pound fish (28 inches) to close to 7 pounds (34 inch fish). I figured that I'd released over 20 slot limit or bigger snook so far in the 3 months I'd been fishing.
I got in on the north end and fished shallow up to the piers. I lost a good fish in 3 foot of water and caught a 3 lb snook off the first pier swimming an opaque DOA paddletail on a 3/8 ounce jighead along the pier pilings. He made the mistake of swimming away from the pier and I muscled him further away as quick as I could. I quickly released him and headed for the second pier. Nothing there.
After the second pier there is a slightly deeper area where I caught my biggest redfish and several snook. I cast around the fallen pier pilings and then suddenly had a strike just past the end of the pilings- I set the hook and the snook went flying- this was a nice one and she was pulling my drag immediately heading toward open water. I started out away from the fallen pier toward the sand bar keeping my pole tip low. It did no good - she jumped again, no more than 15 feet from me. I walked in a circle and pulled her up quickly putting my hand on her side and lifting her up. She was a good seven or eight pounds and not well hooked. I was lucky to land her at all. I jiggled the line -- the hook popped quickly out and she fell out of my hand at the same time! She was gone. I thought she may have been too big to keep so I was happy she swam away- I just wished I could have measured her.
I have been cut several time by a snook's sharp gill plates and know not to hold them there. If you lip them like a bass (they don't have teeth) they still can thrash a bit and you don't want your hook stuck in your finger- so if you do lip them make sure the hook is out of the way.
I headed south quickly now and landed a small 1 1/2 pound jack caught in 3 foot of water in front of a mangrove tree. My bait was torn up so I switched to a green and yellow paddletail which was my best snook bait the day before. I skipped a couple short piers and was moving fast. I briefly fished the long pier and moved the the shallow flat in front of some pine trees near the South end. This area had been fantastic the last week or so. I has a vicious strike set the hook, felt the fish then nothing. I reset the bait on my jig and continued casting. Fish on- she had jumped before I had a chance to get my pole tip down, she pulled drag and then headed for the sand bar. After I waded out a bit I had pulled her on her side near me but she took off one last time. I lipped her and pulled out my homemade rope stringer with a knot tied at 28 inches- she was just a bit over the slot. I slipped the rope through her gill and unhooked her- the first snook I had kept.
I wading on and fished the last pier then headed back. It's about a three hour trip to fish Walton North to South and back North again. If the fishing is good it's even longer- sometime 4 hours so make sure you have sunscreen on and even on your lips! Anything exposed for too long will get burned.
Two Small Slot Snook (Click to enlarge)
By the time I reached the short piers on the way back there was plenty of water under them now and high tide was not far away. On the second short pier I landed my second slot snook around 28 inches exactly. I moved to the river side of the sandbar and hooked a nice trout but it got off before I could unhook it.
Then I headed shallow to fish the last pier. As I skipped my paddlebait under the pier something grabbed it and started rocking the bait toward the bottom- I thought it was a redfish but instead it was a 3 pound jack. They are strong too.
I was tired and fished my way back but got no more strikes. A good day on the water 5 snook - two slot size and one bigger and two jacks. I lost a trout and several unknown fish- but that's fishing!!
Richard
1. When the water warms up most of the larger snook head out to spawn near where the St. Lucie River and Lagoon meet the Ocean. Some smaller male snook remain and a few larger ones. I hooked a big one several days later that busted me off on a pier. I've been told by those that know to fish deeper grass flats, bridges and deeper piers with lights (at night) -- which are still productive spots. Then near the end of April the larger snook are again found on the flats- the very biggest ones (30 plus) tend to stay near deep water and bridges.
I'm finally healed up and will resume wading later this week. This is one day of fishing back about a month ago on March 15, which was the last day the big snook were shallow [1]- location: Walton Road rising tide about 9:00 AM. Wind NE 10-15 mph.
I decided that today was the day I was going to keep a snook the slot limit was 28 to 34 inches which would be a four to five pound fish (28 inches) to close to 7 pounds (34 inch fish). I figured that I'd released over 20 slot limit or bigger snook so far in the 3 months I'd been fishing.
I got in on the north end and fished shallow up to the piers. I lost a good fish in 3 foot of water and caught a 3 lb snook off the first pier swimming an opaque DOA paddletail on a 3/8 ounce jighead along the pier pilings. He made the mistake of swimming away from the pier and I muscled him further away as quick as I could. I quickly released him and headed for the second pier. Nothing there.
After the second pier there is a slightly deeper area where I caught my biggest redfish and several snook. I cast around the fallen pier pilings and then suddenly had a strike just past the end of the pilings- I set the hook and the snook went flying- this was a nice one and she was pulling my drag immediately heading toward open water. I started out away from the fallen pier toward the sand bar keeping my pole tip low. It did no good - she jumped again, no more than 15 feet from me. I walked in a circle and pulled her up quickly putting my hand on her side and lifting her up. She was a good seven or eight pounds and not well hooked. I was lucky to land her at all. I jiggled the line -- the hook popped quickly out and she fell out of my hand at the same time! She was gone. I thought she may have been too big to keep so I was happy she swam away- I just wished I could have measured her.
I have been cut several time by a snook's sharp gill plates and know not to hold them there. If you lip them like a bass (they don't have teeth) they still can thrash a bit and you don't want your hook stuck in your finger- so if you do lip them make sure the hook is out of the way.
I headed south quickly now and landed a small 1 1/2 pound jack caught in 3 foot of water in front of a mangrove tree. My bait was torn up so I switched to a green and yellow paddletail which was my best snook bait the day before. I skipped a couple short piers and was moving fast. I briefly fished the long pier and moved the the shallow flat in front of some pine trees near the South end. This area had been fantastic the last week or so. I has a vicious strike set the hook, felt the fish then nothing. I reset the bait on my jig and continued casting. Fish on- she had jumped before I had a chance to get my pole tip down, she pulled drag and then headed for the sand bar. After I waded out a bit I had pulled her on her side near me but she took off one last time. I lipped her and pulled out my homemade rope stringer with a knot tied at 28 inches- she was just a bit over the slot. I slipped the rope through her gill and unhooked her- the first snook I had kept.
I wading on and fished the last pier then headed back. It's about a three hour trip to fish Walton North to South and back North again. If the fishing is good it's even longer- sometime 4 hours so make sure you have sunscreen on and even on your lips! Anything exposed for too long will get burned.
By the time I reached the short piers on the way back there was plenty of water under them now and high tide was not far away. On the second short pier I landed my second slot snook around 28 inches exactly. I moved to the river side of the sandbar and hooked a nice trout but it got off before I could unhook it.
Then I headed shallow to fish the last pier. As I skipped my paddlebait under the pier something grabbed it and started rocking the bait toward the bottom- I thought it was a redfish but instead it was a 3 pound jack. They are strong too.
I was tired and fished my way back but got no more strikes. A good day on the water 5 snook - two slot size and one bigger and two jacks. I lost a trout and several unknown fish- but that's fishing!!
Richard
1. When the water warms up most of the larger snook head out to spawn near where the St. Lucie River and Lagoon meet the Ocean. Some smaller male snook remain and a few larger ones. I hooked a big one several days later that busted me off on a pier. I've been told by those that know to fish deeper grass flats, bridges and deeper piers with lights (at night) -- which are still productive spots. Then near the end of April the larger snook are again found on the flats- the very biggest ones (30 plus) tend to stay near deep water and bridges.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Fishing Ocean from Shore April 3, 2015
Hi,
My cuts on my leg haven't improved enough to go back to the Lagoon. I'm hoping in a few more days the worst cuts will get better.
Went to beach in Stuart with my girlfriend, Angelica and her friend Holly (see below) and brought a fishing pole. I had never cast in the ocean from shore. So I cast for a while and got one strike by something that jerked the tail of my plastic bait then I saw a fairly big fish follow my lure. It was windy and the water was choppy and the waves were pounding. I switched to a heavier jighead and got another strike. Still no fish- but I did see another large fish (maybe a snook) swimming in the first cut of water.
Fishing Crew (Click to enlarge)
So I finally caught a small Spanish Mackerel. Then about 10 minutes later another one. They had torn up my baits and I only had two left.
Spanish Mackerel (Click pic to enlarge)
The girls left to make Happy Hour while I fished for another hour. I caught three more Mackerel and left when the sun started setting because the wind was howling and I was out of lures - having only the tail of one left.
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More Holy Mackerel
Pray for healing. More from me later,
Richard
My cuts on my leg haven't improved enough to go back to the Lagoon. I'm hoping in a few more days the worst cuts will get better.
Went to beach in Stuart with my girlfriend, Angelica and her friend Holly (see below) and brought a fishing pole. I had never cast in the ocean from shore. So I cast for a while and got one strike by something that jerked the tail of my plastic bait then I saw a fairly big fish follow my lure. It was windy and the water was choppy and the waves were pounding. I switched to a heavier jighead and got another strike. Still no fish- but I did see another large fish (maybe a snook) swimming in the first cut of water.
So I finally caught a small Spanish Mackerel. Then about 10 minutes later another one. They had torn up my baits and I only had two left.
The girls left to make Happy Hour while I fished for another hour. I caught three more Mackerel and left when the sun started setting because the wind was howling and I was out of lures - having only the tail of one left.
Pray for healing. More from me later,
Richard
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Recap- March 9, 2015- Walton: My Biggest Snook
Hi,
I'll recap a couple trips in the lagoon. This was March 9 at Walton Rd. 10:00 AM low tide with tide just starting to come in. I put in at Walton, knowing the big snook (not monsters but over slot size) had come into the shallow water to feed. I was averaging releasing 5-8 snook a day and losing a good number as well.
I caught a small snook on a opaque paddletail with a 3/8 ounce jig-head on the shallow shoreline as I worked to the first pier. All I fished that day was a DOA paddletail but I changed colors twice. I missed another snook or jack as I fan-casted to the pier. I fished under the pier from the side and then swam the jig along the pier posts -Bam- snook on. I went as far from the pier as possible and luckily the snook didn't go back under the pier. He was about 25 inches maybe 3 1/2 pounds and I quickly released him.
I looked around and to my surprise another fisherman wet-wading with a big knapsack and fish ruler came down the hill into the water not far from me. I asked him if he saw me catch the snook and he said, "No, I'm in a redfish competition." He showed me his waterproof camera and said he took a photo of the redfish on the flat ruler and I assumed he was fishing against other waders in the lagoon. Wild.
So I told him I had only caught two redfish but one was about 6 pounds and I took him to where I caught them and let him fish the pier and surrounding area while I went deep. He showed me his swimming bait on a jig-head and I watched him fish. He made short casts into the wind and crawled the jig back- twitching the tip occasionally as he reeled. I fished the shallow side along the sandbar and it was clear he wasn't catching anything. Then suddenly in 4 foot of water something stopped my lure. I set the hook and my jig start slowly swimming away toward the sandbar. It was huge-- a huge stingray!!!@$% I didn't want to lose my jig and leader since I only had one spare so I reeled down until the tip of my pole was in his mouth and tried to pry the hook out. Suddenly the string-ray took off-- but my two piece rod came apart and the sting-ray swam away with half my pole!! I still had him on my line but was mortified. I already told the redfish guy I had a ray so he wouldn't think I had a twenty pound redfish. Fortunately he didn't see the stingray heading to the sandbar with half of my pole in his mouth, pulling my drag. I chased him into two feet of water and grabbed the pole tip with my hand until it came free. I'd had enough of this ray and cut my line.
I retied with a new jig and leader and decided the redfisherman was going way too slow and watching him was not an option so I headed south fan-casting to 2-3 foot of water along the shore and fishing the piers. The tide was starting to roll in and I caught another small snook in skinny water in front of a mangrove.The snook were swimming along the shoreline in water 6 inches deep to two or three feet deep. I couldn't believe how shallow they were.
I was moving fast headed for a hot spot in front of two separate mangroves. It was about 80 yards wide and 30 yards deep with water only 3 feet deep. I saw some baitfish and mullet jumping. My second cast I got hit and it missed. Then I got another hit but missed- I was swimming the jig fast and the water was choppy with some wind and dingy- perfect. When I got to the last part of that spot another nice snook took my swimbait and went airborne- he threw the bait but it was exciting.
I headed for my hotspot near a fallen pier with slightly deeper water- nothing. I fished the long pier and the fallen down pier- nothing. On the other side a guy was wading - he was standing where the snook were- where I was fishing. I went around him and fan-cast down toward the last pier[1].
Suddenly the bite was on. A big slot snook grabbed my bait and headed right for me-- she turned 20 feet away and jumped. I put my rod tip in the water and she pulled drag twice before I swung her around and put my hand under her. When you do this - it's the strangest thing-- the snook stop moving and become paralyzed. It's easy to unhook them and you just have to watch out for their sharp gill-plate.
Two casts later I had another snook on- two jumps and it was off. A few more casts and I hooked and landed a bigger one almost as big as the seven pounder I landed in December off a pier. I made it to the pier but was tired and it was a long way back. So I started back and hit the same nearby hot spot and caught another nice snook before I came to the guy wading who obviously saw me catching fish.
He showed me his Berkley gulf shrimp and told me some fish stories. He looked at my paddletail and I told him the fish were shallow not around the sandbar where he was casting. When I saw him the next week he was fishing a paddletail and told me that the fish were shallow along the shore. He even caught a fish when I came near him which was about all I caught that day.
I had caught five snook so far that March 9 day, lost three that I had on and missed a bunch completely. I was whupped and headed back. The water was getting deeper and near high tide. I didn't stop and fish the piers I was just casting into 2 foot of water near the shoreline and burning the bait back. Suddenly, in between two piers, I had a strike, and set the hook--snook on. This was no average snook- I knew this within seconds. She ran 40 feet along the shore pulling drag the whole way- I could not turn her. Then she ran again this time going for deep water. I fought her and slowed her keeping my rod tip down so she wouldn't jump and throw the hook. She jumped anyway- what a fish!!! She pulled drag two more times and finally I pulled her up on her side. She was huge I'd say a good nine pounds and I could put my whole hand in her mouth- which I did to unhook her. Off she swam and in a second she disappeared in the mucky wind-swept water.
I fan-cast on the way back not stopping and didn't have another strike. I saw another wader with a jerk-bait headed toward the first pier. I asked him if he caught anything he said, "No, I'm just getting started."
Then I saw the redfisherman again. He came up to us and asked if we had a leader saying he'd lost his last one in Fort Pierce[2]. I said, "Mine's a bit frayed but you can have it." He cut my leader off with pliers and handed me my jig back. He only had two feet of usable leader, the rest was frayed.
I told him good luck and said, "I caught a lot of fish on that leader- do the same."
Richard
1. The last pier is the big pier South of Walton Rd. get-in.
2. Apparently he left and went up and fished up North a bit then came back. He said he hadn't done anything.
I'll recap a couple trips in the lagoon. This was March 9 at Walton Rd. 10:00 AM low tide with tide just starting to come in. I put in at Walton, knowing the big snook (not monsters but over slot size) had come into the shallow water to feed. I was averaging releasing 5-8 snook a day and losing a good number as well.
I caught a small snook on a opaque paddletail with a 3/8 ounce jig-head on the shallow shoreline as I worked to the first pier. All I fished that day was a DOA paddletail but I changed colors twice. I missed another snook or jack as I fan-casted to the pier. I fished under the pier from the side and then swam the jig along the pier posts -Bam- snook on. I went as far from the pier as possible and luckily the snook didn't go back under the pier. He was about 25 inches maybe 3 1/2 pounds and I quickly released him.
I looked around and to my surprise another fisherman wet-wading with a big knapsack and fish ruler came down the hill into the water not far from me. I asked him if he saw me catch the snook and he said, "No, I'm in a redfish competition." He showed me his waterproof camera and said he took a photo of the redfish on the flat ruler and I assumed he was fishing against other waders in the lagoon. Wild.
So I told him I had only caught two redfish but one was about 6 pounds and I took him to where I caught them and let him fish the pier and surrounding area while I went deep. He showed me his swimming bait on a jig-head and I watched him fish. He made short casts into the wind and crawled the jig back- twitching the tip occasionally as he reeled. I fished the shallow side along the sandbar and it was clear he wasn't catching anything. Then suddenly in 4 foot of water something stopped my lure. I set the hook and my jig start slowly swimming away toward the sandbar. It was huge-- a huge stingray!!!@$% I didn't want to lose my jig and leader since I only had one spare so I reeled down until the tip of my pole was in his mouth and tried to pry the hook out. Suddenly the string-ray took off-- but my two piece rod came apart and the sting-ray swam away with half my pole!! I still had him on my line but was mortified. I already told the redfish guy I had a ray so he wouldn't think I had a twenty pound redfish. Fortunately he didn't see the stingray heading to the sandbar with half of my pole in his mouth, pulling my drag. I chased him into two feet of water and grabbed the pole tip with my hand until it came free. I'd had enough of this ray and cut my line.
I retied with a new jig and leader and decided the redfisherman was going way too slow and watching him was not an option so I headed south fan-casting to 2-3 foot of water along the shore and fishing the piers. The tide was starting to roll in and I caught another small snook in skinny water in front of a mangrove.The snook were swimming along the shoreline in water 6 inches deep to two or three feet deep. I couldn't believe how shallow they were.
I was moving fast headed for a hot spot in front of two separate mangroves. It was about 80 yards wide and 30 yards deep with water only 3 feet deep. I saw some baitfish and mullet jumping. My second cast I got hit and it missed. Then I got another hit but missed- I was swimming the jig fast and the water was choppy with some wind and dingy- perfect. When I got to the last part of that spot another nice snook took my swimbait and went airborne- he threw the bait but it was exciting.
I headed for my hotspot near a fallen pier with slightly deeper water- nothing. I fished the long pier and the fallen down pier- nothing. On the other side a guy was wading - he was standing where the snook were- where I was fishing. I went around him and fan-cast down toward the last pier[1].
Suddenly the bite was on. A big slot snook grabbed my bait and headed right for me-- she turned 20 feet away and jumped. I put my rod tip in the water and she pulled drag twice before I swung her around and put my hand under her. When you do this - it's the strangest thing-- the snook stop moving and become paralyzed. It's easy to unhook them and you just have to watch out for their sharp gill-plate.
Two casts later I had another snook on- two jumps and it was off. A few more casts and I hooked and landed a bigger one almost as big as the seven pounder I landed in December off a pier. I made it to the pier but was tired and it was a long way back. So I started back and hit the same nearby hot spot and caught another nice snook before I came to the guy wading who obviously saw me catching fish.
He showed me his Berkley gulf shrimp and told me some fish stories. He looked at my paddletail and I told him the fish were shallow not around the sandbar where he was casting. When I saw him the next week he was fishing a paddletail and told me that the fish were shallow along the shore. He even caught a fish when I came near him which was about all I caught that day.
I had caught five snook so far that March 9 day, lost three that I had on and missed a bunch completely. I was whupped and headed back. The water was getting deeper and near high tide. I didn't stop and fish the piers I was just casting into 2 foot of water near the shoreline and burning the bait back. Suddenly, in between two piers, I had a strike, and set the hook--snook on. This was no average snook- I knew this within seconds. She ran 40 feet along the shore pulling drag the whole way- I could not turn her. Then she ran again this time going for deep water. I fought her and slowed her keeping my rod tip down so she wouldn't jump and throw the hook. She jumped anyway- what a fish!!! She pulled drag two more times and finally I pulled her up on her side. She was huge I'd say a good nine pounds and I could put my whole hand in her mouth- which I did to unhook her. Off she swam and in a second she disappeared in the mucky wind-swept water.
I fan-cast on the way back not stopping and didn't have another strike. I saw another wader with a jerk-bait headed toward the first pier. I asked him if he caught anything he said, "No, I'm just getting started."
Then I saw the redfisherman again. He came up to us and asked if we had a leader saying he'd lost his last one in Fort Pierce[2]. I said, "Mine's a bit frayed but you can have it." He cut my leader off with pliers and handed me my jig back. He only had two feet of usable leader, the rest was frayed.
I told him good luck and said, "I caught a lot of fish on that leader- do the same."
Richard
1. The last pier is the big pier South of Walton Rd. get-in.
2. Apparently he left and went up and fished up North a bit then came back. He said he hadn't done anything.
Temporarily Out of Commission 4-1-2015
Hey,
No fishing report today. I did learn that the snook are feeding some on the beach. My doctor has temporarily put my wading out of commission.
What Not To Do
I was wet-wading (no waders) with my neighbor when a thunderstorm/rain storm was approaching. He was near our entry point- I wasn't so I started moving very quickly when I slammed into a submerged metal frame (not sure what it was) with both shins and hopped over it. Too late- the damage was done. I had two puncture wounds (deep cuts) on each leg and three bad cuts as well as a number of small cuts. The cuts were about twenty (see photo below- skinny legs and all- haha) total.
Skinny legs and all
Because I wore out my waders and they now leak (I tried to fix them but it's hopeless)-- wet wading in the lagoon with open 20 cuts is not recommended. I have to wait for a while before I can fish the lagoon. I should buy some new waders but I'm not making much money playing guitar yet in PSL. So. . . I may fish some on the beach or from the shore or on the causeway. This will give me a couple days to let my right arm recover from making thousands of long casts- and I'll just fish left-handed if I do fish (I'm about the same either way).
What Else Not to do When You're Wading (or what to be ready for)
1) Be Reckless Around Piers. Besides going slow (even then you'll may get some bumps and cuts from submerged objects) wet-wading you need to be extra careful around piers. Not only are there nails, ropes and metal hooks sticking out occasionally from the decks and pilings but there are more objects in the water to trip over. Sometimes old mooring posts have broken off and are sticking up a foot from the bottom. The first big snook I hooked under a pier wrapped me around a post and I went charging under the dock after him- I had to duck and got soaked because the water was high. By then the snook had broken me off. Just be careful chasing a hooked fish under a pier. I've had 4 break me off so far and I'm sure more will do the same but you don't want to hurt yourself in the process.
2) Step on Sting Rays. I've been told to shuffle my feet as not to step on a sting ray- I don't know if I've stepped on one but I've hooked a few.
3) Fall in Holes. There are some fairly big holes 1 to 2 feet wide which are sometimes a foot deeper and if you're not careful you will fall- I've never fallen yet- but I almost have.
4) Forget the Tide. This has only happened once but I went way out to the sandbar on an incoming tide. When I came back in the tide was high and the water was over my waders on the other side of the sandbar. this didn't bother me but I got wet. You don't want to be forced to swim to get back in.
5) Forget to Bring Extra Gear. Remember to bring at least two extra clear monofilament leaders in case your line is broken. You also need two lures with hooks (two jig heads, DOA Shrimps etc). If you're catching fish you'll need to retie several times. You can also hook a stingray or manatee or anything big and you'll break your line. A snook can wrap you around a post with barnacles. You don't want to be a half mile from your car and have your line broken and not have replacement leaders and lures.
6) Forget Pliers. Bring a pair of needle nose piers. Some fish you can unhook without worries. A snook's mouth has no teeth- but it does have a razor sharp gill-plate. Jack have teeth, trout have two fangs. I caught a three pound bluefish and it cut me when I tried to get the lure out- my pliers had rusted shut!!!
7) Trip over Rocks. There are some large rocks in the shallow water and they have barnacles on them. The barnacles are sharp so keep away from them and be careful. There are very few rocks away from the shore line where I fish so it's not a worry unless you are very shallow or getting in or out.
8) Forget About The Sun. Even in 80 degree weather you will burn. Wear a hat and get polarized sunglasses. Wear a long sleeved shirt. Use sunsceen at all times- even on your lips! (There's sunblock chapstick). Be careful of the sun.
Richard
No fishing report today. I did learn that the snook are feeding some on the beach. My doctor has temporarily put my wading out of commission.
What Not To Do
I was wet-wading (no waders) with my neighbor when a thunderstorm/rain storm was approaching. He was near our entry point- I wasn't so I started moving very quickly when I slammed into a submerged metal frame (not sure what it was) with both shins and hopped over it. Too late- the damage was done. I had two puncture wounds (deep cuts) on each leg and three bad cuts as well as a number of small cuts. The cuts were about twenty (see photo below- skinny legs and all- haha) total.
Skinny legs and all
Because I wore out my waders and they now leak (I tried to fix them but it's hopeless)-- wet wading in the lagoon with open 20 cuts is not recommended. I have to wait for a while before I can fish the lagoon. I should buy some new waders but I'm not making much money playing guitar yet in PSL. So. . . I may fish some on the beach or from the shore or on the causeway. This will give me a couple days to let my right arm recover from making thousands of long casts- and I'll just fish left-handed if I do fish (I'm about the same either way).
What Else Not to do When You're Wading (or what to be ready for)
1) Be Reckless Around Piers. Besides going slow (even then you'll may get some bumps and cuts from submerged objects) wet-wading you need to be extra careful around piers. Not only are there nails, ropes and metal hooks sticking out occasionally from the decks and pilings but there are more objects in the water to trip over. Sometimes old mooring posts have broken off and are sticking up a foot from the bottom. The first big snook I hooked under a pier wrapped me around a post and I went charging under the dock after him- I had to duck and got soaked because the water was high. By then the snook had broken me off. Just be careful chasing a hooked fish under a pier. I've had 4 break me off so far and I'm sure more will do the same but you don't want to hurt yourself in the process.
2) Step on Sting Rays. I've been told to shuffle my feet as not to step on a sting ray- I don't know if I've stepped on one but I've hooked a few.
3) Fall in Holes. There are some fairly big holes 1 to 2 feet wide which are sometimes a foot deeper and if you're not careful you will fall- I've never fallen yet- but I almost have.
4) Forget the Tide. This has only happened once but I went way out to the sandbar on an incoming tide. When I came back in the tide was high and the water was over my waders on the other side of the sandbar. this didn't bother me but I got wet. You don't want to be forced to swim to get back in.
5) Forget to Bring Extra Gear. Remember to bring at least two extra clear monofilament leaders in case your line is broken. You also need two lures with hooks (two jig heads, DOA Shrimps etc). If you're catching fish you'll need to retie several times. You can also hook a stingray or manatee or anything big and you'll break your line. A snook can wrap you around a post with barnacles. You don't want to be a half mile from your car and have your line broken and not have replacement leaders and lures.
6) Forget Pliers. Bring a pair of needle nose piers. Some fish you can unhook without worries. A snook's mouth has no teeth- but it does have a razor sharp gill-plate. Jack have teeth, trout have two fangs. I caught a three pound bluefish and it cut me when I tried to get the lure out- my pliers had rusted shut!!!
7) Trip over Rocks. There are some large rocks in the shallow water and they have barnacles on them. The barnacles are sharp so keep away from them and be careful. There are very few rocks away from the shore line where I fish so it's not a worry unless you are very shallow or getting in or out.
8) Forget About The Sun. Even in 80 degree weather you will burn. Wear a hat and get polarized sunglasses. Wear a long sleeved shirt. Use sunsceen at all times- even on your lips! (There's sunblock chapstick). Be careful of the sun.
Richard
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