Hi,
A few days ago, Sunday May 8 to be exact. I caught my biggest redfish. How big was it? For wading Walton it was a monster!!! I didn't get a picture so I had a choice: Do I keep it and eat it or throw it back to get bigger? I threw it back. I did measure it on my fishing rod and it was around 30" long give or take a half inch. How heavy was it? I guess it must have been at least 10 lbs-- it's mouth was huge and they have small mouths. More in my fishing report.
May 8, 2:30pm Walton Scrub. Tide outgoing and fairly low. Air temp around 86 and water temp in the mid 70s. Wind about 10mph from the east. Water clear to murky.
I went shallow and didn't get a bite until I reached the 1st pier. Then I got a bite- wham!!! My drag whirred and a 26" snook jumped. I tried to keep it away from the pier- and I got lucky and it went away from the pier and to the shallower water. I've been having some tough luck on piers- got broke off 4 times a few days earlier- twice on the pier and twice on big snook breaking my line. Only one of them was my fault- I didn't retie. Today I unhooked the snook and it swam away- beautiful!!!
At the third pier I hooked a bigger snook that really gave me a run. It too went away from the pier. When I released it I saw two people standing on Indian River drive watching me. Hey, ty Mr. snook!!! The water was getting low and the last two piers didn't produce a strike. I saw some bait deep, so I went across the sandbar.
It's been slow deep. There are some big jacks and occasionally some ladyfish and bluefish but no trout. The feeders just come in, hit some bait and they are gone. So today was no exception: I fish deep then I'd see some feeders busting bait. I go over there and -- nothing. I saw three schools of feeders and by the time I got close they were gone. I'd cast and cast but nothing. I fished deep over a mile and not one bite.
It may have been the tide-- it was about dead low. By the time it started moving I was all the way back. I was reeling slow and steady while I looked at my line for a snarl. Suddenly wham! I felt the bait being scooped up and I set the hook. Fish on!!! I didn't take long for me to know this was a gooood fish. I started to bring it in but no- it took out 10 yards of line. I thought it was a jack but it didn't go around me in a circle. What was it? I'd pull it in then it would take line out. Five minutes later I finally got it to me and pulled it up. Redfish!!! What a monster!!! This redfish was twice as big as any I'd caught at Walton and any I'd seen at Walton. The spot on his tail was as big as my fist. I pulled him up-- what should I do? I could take him to shore and get my camera out of the car but that would take 5 minutes at least and I only have 8 lb test. I had to let him go- I couldn't even pick him up with one hand- I tried- he was just too big. I put my pole under my arm lifted him up with two hands -- he was well hooked. I lipped him and measured him against my pole, I put my pole back under my armpit and unhooked him. He swam away --no problem!!!
I was shocked- what a fish! Next cast I got a hit then I caught a small trout, it flipped off before I could unhook it. Two casts later - wham - big hit!! Missed it- woah!!! Then on my next cast my jig was absolutely crushed. Fish on!! This was another big one. My drag whirred the fish leaped in the air shaking it's head-- bluefish. This was the biggest bluefish I'd hooked and it went absolutely crazy. I had water all over me- it was jumping everywhere. When I got it to me it was huge-- over 5 lbs. In the lagoon this was one of the biggest I'd ever caught- usually they are 2-3 lbs. I got my pliers out and fought it keep it from cutting the line before I could get the hook out- what a struggle! I squeezed the hook and shook the pliers- back in the water it went!!
I fished for 10 minutes and went North- then back- the bite just died. I headed off the water.
My totals: 2 nice snook one a slot; my biggest redfish a whopping 30" and around 10 lbs, 1 bluefish and 1 small trout. a beautiful day on the water.
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