Hi,
I usually fish the west side of the lagoon; Walton Rd and Walton Scrub. You could call these reports, West Side Story (I won't and my apologies to Leonard Bernstein). I've also fished the East side, Herman's Bay and Bear Creek and Blind Creek but I've never done much there. This winter I have caught some nice trout and a few small snook on the East side.
Following are two fishing reports-- one from the East side and the other from the West side.
1st Fishing Report: Herman's Bay North 2-19-16; 9am. High tide outgoing, Windy E air temp 68 water temp around 70. Fishing 1/8 oz jig with CAL paddletails
The wind was blowing mostly East at 18-20mph and Walton was too windy to fish. My neighbor and I headed to the East side of the lagoon and stopped just North of Herman's bay. We waded North toward the first pier. The wind was no problem but as usual finding the fish was a problem. My neighbor had a lunch engagement so we didn't have much time.
We fished North to the first pier (a private pier) with no luck, not a bite. It was too deep at high tide to wade to the end of the pier so we cast to it. On the North side of the pier my neighbor Jim finally broke the ice and landed a nice trout. He also got a few strikes before he caught another trout. Then he snagged a small "look-down" - a fish I'd never even seen before!!!
We waded slightly North of the pier and I still hadn't got bit. Another wader came under the pier and was fishing shallow behind us. Finally I had a hit and pulled up a small trout. Jim caught another nice trout. The wader behind us hadn't caught a thing so he turned to watch.
I cast deep around a pier piling and wham!!! my jig stopped--I set the hook--fish on!!! This was no dinky trout. The fish took off North then leaped in the air shaking its head-- it was a 4 lb bluefish and it wasn't happy to be deterred from swallowing baitfish. After a 3 minuted battle I unhooked him and showed him to the the other wader. "Nice fish!" he cried. Two casts later I pulled up an 18" trout and the wader was now fishing next to us in the deep water. We decided to fish on- and left him there in our spot. We talked to him later--he never caught a fish.
We fished North and I went far ahead. There were several schools of baitfish and I got a nice swirl as I pulled my bait to the surface. I cast back again and wham!! another bluefish!! He jumped and I pulled him around then he pulled drag and circled back. I pulled him up- grabbed my leader and saw he wasn't hooked well- he jumped and threw my jig- instant release- the best kind!!! Bluefish have teeth and they clamp down on your jig and sometimes won't open their mouths. Pliers have little chance of prying their locked jaws open- you have to put them back in the water for a sec- then pull the jig out of their mouths!!!
By now the tide had gone out some and we both headed back- Jim had a luncheon so we threw a few casts in out trout spot but had to hurry in.
Jim's total: 3 trout; one look-down
My total: 2 trout; 2 bluefish- a beautiful day on the water!!
2nd Fishing Report Walton Proper; 2-20-16; 3:00 pm almost dead low tide then incoming. Air Temp 76; Water temp 72. Wind 10-12mph SE
We stopped at Walton Proper because no one was fishing there- it's usually heavily fished on Saturdays. It was too shallow to fish shallow so we went directly out deep and to my first spot. I pulled up a trout, it flipped off- can't count that. Another trout swirled at my lure- it missed. I lost another trout that hit my lure only 3 yards away but popped off. I turned behind me. Jim, my neighbor, had a fish, and it was a good one. I fished while he brought it in- then it jumped- a beautiful 5lb bluefish. It was putting up a fight. Meanwhile I felt a hard hit- fish on!!! I had a very nice 3lb. trout. I took out my camera to take a pic of Jim's bluefish-- he grabbed the leader- it cut his leader- no pic. Instead I took a pic of my 22" trout [upcoming].
Jim caught a trout and I caught a jack, then Jim caught another Jack. This was ten minutes of action, he want to head North and I wanted to fish the pier South so we went different directions. I told him I'd catch up with him in 30 minutes or so. I fished quickly heading South. I lost a trout then hooked a small trout and pulled it to me- it flipped off on it second jump but I could have netted it- so it counted. I made it to the long and deep last pier at almost dead low tide. I worked the pier for 20 minutes nothing then I went back North to catch up with Jim. Two waders had come on the water and they were fishing shallow in 10" of water- didn't understand that!!! I fished quickly North and wham!! fish on. A medium sized 2 1/2 lb bluefish jumped in the air. I looked at the waders they weren't paying attention. I got the fish to me and tried to keep him from splashing- I couldn't he came up and I grabbed the leader- he flipped off. Instant release!!!
I wanted to catch a snook so I headed for the first white pilings and the oyster bed- nothing. I cast to the end of the pier- nothing. I went shallow and fished the South side Nothing. On the other side of the pier when I cast the water swirled- there goes my line!! Snook on!! It jumped but it wasn't much of a snook maybe 20" and I wheeled it around and took a pic [upcoming] before pulling it to me- it jumped again in my face and flipped off- count it- one snook!
I worked the next white pilings and the mangroves but the water was too shallow and it was dead low tide. I worked the next pier where I'd caught many snook in the last week and on the backside had a hard hit- snook on!! This one was smaller and jumped twice before I unhooked it- 18" maybe, fun but small. I fished the next pier - nothing. Since I had caught up to Jim. He was fishing deep and had a ladyfish on!!!
I went deep and fished next to him. Jim had caught a 5lb pompano and several ladyfish. I immediately started catching ladyfish- and these were big ladyfish, wild ladyfish and they jumped every which way. After 5 ladyfish and 4 destroyed baits I was ready for something new. We headed back as the tide started coming in strong. I caught two jacks and lost another before we ran into another school of ladyfish. Count 3 more lady fish for me and 3 lost ladyfish. I hooked a bluefish but it threw my lure when it jumped.
Finally we got back to my fav spot at Walton Proper and just as quickly- trout on!!! I pulled up a nice slot trout and released it as Jim caught another ladyfish behind me. I caught a ladyfish and lost one before I nailed a 20" trout and pulled it over for Jim to see.
The sun was getting low and we got off the water.
Jim's totals: 1 large bluefish, 1 trout, 1 jack, 1 big pompano and many ladyfish.
My totals: 4 trout, 3 jacks; 2 small snook, and nearly a dozen ladyfish
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