Hi,
Where's the grass in the lagoon gone? Long time passing. Yes, the grass is gone. Will it come back? I believe it will - sometime in late May or June. The snook are also gone. When it got cold the snook moved-- and they haven't returned. . .yet. So what do you don't if you can catch a snook in the lagoon--catch one in the ocean!!! So that's what I did, I went to the ocean tonight and got snook number 18 in the fish-of-the-month club. I almost caught number 19 but didn't get a good hook-set. . .that's the way it goes.
Briefly I'll recap some lagoon trips. It got cold last week and on one trip I caught lady-fish, bluefish and a few jacks. After 4 or 5 ladyfish I want to catch a trout since the snook are gone- no trout. Another trip in a brutal SE wind and high incoming tide I couldn't find the ladyfish and bluefish deep or the trout-- I caught 5 jack and three of them were small. Tough fishing! Here are two reports:
Fishing report Walton proper 3-2-16 about 8:30am low tide incoming. Air temp 72-77 water temp 71. Water murky. Fishing jigs 1/8 oz with paddletails.
I went to Walton proper and went out deep- it was almost low tide. Two guys were fishing deep South of the last pier- one was fly fishing. I went straight out to my top spot and after two casts I slowly lifted my jig and felt some weight- wham fish on. The trout opened his mouth and skied back on the top 10 feet then went down and came up jumping a foot in the air. I wheeled him to me and grabbed for my camera--it was gone. I left it sitting on the hood of my car!!! No pic. I'd have to go get it soon. I released a nice slot trout around 17".
A couple cast later, fish on!! Another nice trout came wheeling in. I got splashed good and released it. I looked at my car on the bluff- nobody around - my camera was safe. Two casts later I got a swirl and a bump but missed it. I cast deep and as soon as it hit- trout on!! This was smaller about 14" and in 5 minutes I caught three trout. Time to get my camera. 10 minutes later I was back in my spot casting everywhere- no trout. I did catch a nice jack and two ladyfish but the trout bite had stopped. The fly fisherman had come down near me and I recognized him and said "Hi."
"Catch any trout?" he asked.
"Three," I called back.
"Just landed a ladyfish" he said
"Me too," I said, as he said, "bye" and got off the water.
I worked my way North then back south and caught a few more lady fish and another jack. I cast deep and wham fish on- this was a nice fish and it didn't jump-"probably a jack," I thought. I was wrong it was a big trout, very nice and it splashed me twice while I grabbed my camera and took a couple pics [upcoming]. I measured her against my pole - 22 1/2 inches, very nice and heavy too.
I caught two more lady fish and lost a few more before I reached my 2nd spot a shallow point before the water got deeper. Two casts later I caught my 5th trout a small slot around 16". I lost a trout when it came up and landed another ladyfish. This ladyfish jumped 3 feet in the air but right into me. When I put up my arm the hook cut my left elbow. Unreal. I already had a cut thumb from releasing a jack.
As I went to the last pier, fishing deep, a guy came on the water with a bobber and live shrimp and started fishing the pier- now I couldn't fish it. While he was fishing the pier I caught a trout, two jack and 10 ladyfish (unhooking about 5 of them :) So he came out and started fishing deep too. But he wasn't catching a thing. So I went over and showed him my jig and then went deep fishing. He tied on a jig and 5 minutes later caught a nice trout!!! When I came back I saw him catch a ladyfish and another trout- "Way to go!!" I yelled to him.
I fished shallow but there was nothing there so I went back deep and fished back. On the way I caught my 7th and 8th trout the 7th was over 20 inches and I took a couple pics [upcoming].
My totals: 5 jacks, 12 ladyfish (a at least 12 more that flipped off) and 8 trout. A beautiful day on the water!
Fishing report 3-3-16, 4:30pm Ocean at Herman's Bay, Tide medium low- outgoing. Air temp about 80 water temp about 71. Wind SW. Fishing jigs with my neighbor.
It was nice to be back on the Ocean. Jim took off South and was 1/2 mile ahead of me. I got a strike and it tore the tail off my paddletail. I saw some big fish feeding in the distance- way too far away. I cast along trying to catch up with Jim. I got a hard hit- fish on!!! this was nice fish but it wasn't a a snook- just a 3 pound jack. I released the fish with some difficulty since it swallowed my lure- it swam away ok.
I caught up to Jim who had blanked and then I caught a small jack in the first cut near the shore, I had several strikes there and one took the tail off. Jim foul hooked a small jack- his only fish. We headed back casting along. Jim was leading the way 50 yards ahead. I was casting in a shallow trough only 3 foot deep that was cut along the shore. Suddenly I saw a fish dart out of the shallows and slam my jig. Snook on!! I called to Jim but he didn't turn. The snook took off and ran right past me only 10 foot from my rod tip. It cut left toward the beach and I pulled it on the beach, a chunky 23" snook. This took about 15 seconds I grabbed the leader, went to unhook it and it flipped twice- the hook came out and a wave swept the fish way. Wow!! my 18th snook!!!
I cast shallow all the way back and 3 minutes later another snook nailed my jig. This time it jumped and threw my jig. Woah, can't count that one!! Then a minute later wham!!! Fish on!! This was good fish. I called to Jim again but he didn't hear me. This time it was a 5 pound jack. Although I was disappointed that it wasn't a snook, it was a good fish. I got no more action and we got off the water as it was getting dark.
My totals: 3 jack, and 1 snook.
