Happy New Year 2016

Hi,

I haven't been making regular posts, hope to start back soon. Walton Scrub is still the place to go- at least the fishing is usually good. Yesterday my friend Ken caught a redfish, jack and some small snook and I caught a trout a couple jack and a bunch of snook, 2 of which were decent (around "26") but not slots.

There have been a good number of snook shallow (mostly small) and I caught a slot near a pier last week. The weather has changed and today has been the coldest day this winter.

Fishing Report 1-12-16 Walton Scrub, 4:00 pm, low tide- outgoing; wind out of North East 15mph air temp 63, water temp around 70. Fishing 1/8 jig with DOA split-tail plastic, sparkle color. No camera.

Not a comfortable day on the water. I went with Jim, my neighbor. It was cold and I wasn't dressed for it and the wind. I went North shallow --fishing in the wind. I was trying to find some snook around the treeline, but they weren't there. Finally after 10 minutes I got a strike and landed a nice 17" trout.

I looked at Jim and he was headed South so I turned back and tried to catch up. It was much easier with the wind at my back and when I cast near the shore I could keep the bait moving- like a jerk-bait and twitch it as I brought it in. About the 3rd cast with the wind I had a nice strike- fish on!!! This was bigger and it came up and splashed so I figured it was a snook. Nope-- a very nice trout about 23"!!! Two more casts and wham- another strike - fish on- and this one was moving and jumping!!! Snook on, it wasn't big but still was a good 24" - about the size of the trout. I released it and kept going toward Jim. Another strike- another nice fish, it came up and tried to throw the lure- a nice trout about 20". I had it deep hooked and left my pliers so I called to Jim who waited while I swam the fish over to him. He was released and had no trouble swimming away!

Now I wanted to catch a redfish for a slam. We fished down a ways and I hooked a ladyfish that jumped high in the air and flipped off. We continued down to the piers- nothing. I went deep and had two strikes- but nothing and we headed back- two strikes but nothing. That was it, we fished about 80 minutes and got off the water.

My totals: 3 nice trout, 1 snook and 1 ladyfish. A chilly hour or so on the water!