Back to Back Slams--and a Boat Grand Slam!! Two fishing reports

Hi,

Long time, not many posts. I've been fishing some in the lagoon and catching small snook, trout, jacks and ladyfish-- the usual suspects.

My best fishing days continue to be with my fishing buddy Jim Bohrer, president of the Stuart Rod and Reel Club. on Tuesday and Thursday I got an inshore slam (trout, redfish and snook). On Tuesday the boat (Jim and I combined) got a grand slam (tarpon, snook, trout and redfish).

Here's two reports with a couple pics.

Fishing report Tuesday August 23, 7:00am fishing in Jim's boat; Vero Beach lagoon, low tide, then incoming. I was fishing topwater, skitterwalk, then 1/16 oz jig with various paddletails, mostly white. jim was fishing mostly jig with Cal/white and Berkley shrimp. Not much wind, west then north then East. Water temp, upper 80s air temp low 90s- hot!!

We started fishing on the West side near a deeper channel, Jim caught a mutton snapper, it was not 16" so he threw it back (I've been keeping some snappers to eat and occasionally a trout or two- if they're gut hooked). We moved to a grassy flat still on the west side. I caught an 18" trout on my Skitterwalk and after a few more strike caught another 18" trout topwater -who swallowed the treble hook, so I kept him. Jim caught a nice trout on a jig and missed a couple on topwater.

It was slow on the next drift no fish- we tried drifting in shallower but no luck so we moved North past Peck's Cove and fished the west side. We drifted South fishing for redfish near the shore and I caught two trout on a jig and Jim caught one trout. I pointed out some fish feeding South off a point and eventually the wind blew us over to them. You could hear the pop, pop, of snook feeding all around us- the water was shallow- only 18" deep. First cast I caught a snook, next cast I caught another. My line got tangled when I released him. Meanwhile Jim caught a small snook and then a nice 12 lb tarpon on a gold redfish spoon who jumped 4 or 5 times before getting off at the boat. I couldn't get untangled so I threw my topwater- a snook missed-- then Jim caught another tarpon about 9 lbs. This tarpon jumped several times and also got off at the boat.

I couldn't get a snook or tarpon to take my Skitterwalk so I got my jig untangled and caught a 4 lb snook (about 27"), my biggest of the day. The feeding fish started to move north. They were gone.  The feeders were hitting small mullet and schools of glass minnows. we went north and drifted back towards the cove. Suddenly the trout moved in, feeding on schools of bait fish. We both started catching trout- not on every cast but we had 7 doubles (trout on at the same time) in the next 20 minutes. After an hour of drifting in that area we had 50 more trout-- and mangrove snappers--and one more snook.

We had 55 trout, 7 snook, and 2 tarpon-- but no redfish. No slam or grand slam. So we started fishing the shallow areas around the mangroves for redfish. An hour later 1 got a hit on my jig-- it was a small redfish and I got it in. Jim took a picture:


Small Redfish that gave me a slam and the boat a grandslam.

We drifted along the shoreline casting jigs. Finally I had a big fish on and I assumed it was a slot snook. It pulled drag twice and ran around the back of the boat. Jim was giving me advice (or whatever you'd call it :) and I finally saw the fish-- it was a big trout. The only problem was the wind had blown us nearly into the mangroves. The fish was finally tired but Jim had to run the trolling motor to get us away from shore. I lipped him myself and lifted him over the side- he was around 8 pounds (I weighted him quickly) and over 28" probably my second biggest trout. Jim took a few pics:

                            8 lb trout around 28" my biggest of the day. (click to enlarge)

We went back to the trout hotspot and caught a few more trout and snapper but that was about it- too hot (92) to fish much more-- we fished a spot on the way back and Jim caught a bluefish and we called it a day.

Our totals: 60 trout, one about 8 lbs; 2 small tarpon, 7 snook one about 4 lbs; 1 small redfish; a bunch of snapper; 1 bluefish; and a couple jack and ladyfish.

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Fishing Report Thursday August 25, 7:00am put in at round Island on East side. Heavy wind and rain predicted. Water temp upper 80s air temp 80s tide out going then incoming. We started fishing jigs around the  mangroves for redfish on the east side. We came to some bait and Jim caught a jack, and while he had that on I hooked a nice redfish. Jim took a pic:

                                                     My redfish (click to enlarge)

There was alot of bait around and when I cast deep I caught a trout and lost another trout. In 20 minutes all I needed was a snook for a slam. I started casting the mangroves for a snook. We worked north along the east shore line- there was bait but no snook. We moved into a cove and finally on a point I caught a small snook for my slam. The wind was bad but the tide was very low. I started fishing topwater. I immediately got some action and caught a trout, lost two trout and had a big trout leap in the air with my Skitterwalk but I missed her. The wind blew us away from the trout and we caught two jacks, Jim got a trout and I caught a 5 lb bluefish that put up quite a fight.

We finally headed to the west side and caught a few more trout, and a bunch of snapper (I kept a few for dinner). It was windy but fishable and I caught a nice snook along the shore line. Jim caught a couple trout and I caught one before a big storm moved in. we move south to Peck's Cove to get out of the way. Then it happened-- Jim's trolling motor went dead (low battery) with it extended 2 feet in the water!!! We could drive the boat but the trolling motor would not come up. We headed back into a big rain storm and got soaked. Jim turned the trolling motor baclk on and there was enough juice to pull it up- so we started fishing- in the rain!!

We were in Starvation cove drifting in a steady rain and I caught two nice trout topwater in the pouring rain and Jim caught as good snook and I also caught a snook. After two drifts we headed home.

Out totals: I had a slam; 5 trout, 3 snook, 1 redfish, 1 bluefish a bunch of snapper, a couple jack and ladyfish and 2 catfish. Jim caught 6 trout, 1 snook, and a bunch of snapper.

Topwater Tips for Trout

Hi,

You make a long cast. You twitch your top water plug twice. The water boils-- one more twitch and a gator trout explodes out of the water with your plug under his fangs. Fish on!!!

[photo of author with a 30" nine pound trout caught top-water]

There's nothing more exciting than catching trout top water-- it's a heart pounding experience. I've been fishing mostly top water for speckled-trout the last month. Here are some tips to get started: 

Your Gear: A seven-foot spinning rod and reel combo spooled with 6-10 lb white-braided line. Set the drag medium to light. You want to play the trout without ripping the lure out of his mouth.

Your Set Up: Tie a two-foot mono or fluorocarbon leader (20 or 30 lb tied with double uni knot) to your braided line. The lure is tied to mono/fluoro with a loop knot which allows better lure movement.

Your Lures: 1) Poppers (MirrOlure She-Dog); 2) Zara Spook type lures (Rappala's Skitterwalk; MirrOlure Floating Paul Brown) ; 3) Prop-type lures (Heddon's Torpedo, Slush Daddy, Devil's Horse) 4)  floating plastics. Some lures have thin treble hooks- you can change them out or check the hooks after each fish- a big fish can straighten out a hook. Lighter lures (small topwaters and plastics) can't be cast as far and it's easier to spook the fish when making short casts.

Your Technique: Make long casts, give the lure action, allow the lure to stop, try a slower retrieve. Wait until you feel the fish before hookset and retrieve. Do not give hard hook-set. After setting the hook, keep your rod tip low near the water and use a steady retrieve with light drag.

From June to July I've been catching top water trout in the lagoon. My best day I caught a dozen trout with six trout over 23" and one just under a whopping 30".  These six trout in the 4-9 pound range were all in the same area and I lost a bigger one on the hookset!!! When you fish topwater the trout are going to miss the lure and getting a good hookset is not easy-- that's the exciting aspect of fishing topwater. You get some terrific strikes but the fish misses the lure.

Because the fish will miss the lure do not jerk the lure or try to set the hook until you feel the fish on. Once the trout strikes and misses if the lure is still there, it will strike again. I've has six strikes in a row by a hungry trout and never got a hookset! Sometimes they'll knock the lure in the air. Remember a feeding trout has friends nearby. Sometimes there will be three or four trout trying to get your lure. If you get a strike and the fish misses leave the lure sit for a couple seconds, if they don't hit it again twitch it once, then wait. Then continue if nothing happens.

The common advice you get about when to fish a top water is morning or evening in low-light but the best time to fish a topwater is: all day! Here are some factors that give you an edge:

1) Fish when the tide is moving. My favorite time is the last half of out-going first half of the incoming.
2) Fish in an area where's there's bait. It easy when you see schools of mullet splashing the surface. Sometimes a few pelicans or an egret standing on the shore will tell you there's bait around when you can see it.
3) Fish in shallow water. How shallow? A fish in two feet of water will notice your lure. I like fishing in less than 4 feet of water.
4) Fish in the right areas. Cast over weeds and along weed edges, around and under structure or piers. Sometimes a slight depression in the bottom or a hole in the sand will hold a trout sitting on the bottom out of the current. Fish shallow ridges, sand cuts, drop-offs and any potential ambush points.
5) Retrieve in the direction of the current, if there's not much current in the direction of the wind. Trout will face in the direction of the current or wind and wait for the bait to come to it.

My favorite top waters are Zara Spook and lately a Skitterwalk. With both of these lure you need to get the lure to go from side to side by twitching the rod tip twice then reeling. twitch; twitch; reel. The Skitterwalk splashes more but is erratic and harder to get hook-ups on.

Nice trout on Skitterwalk (photo)

Although I've caught some small under-slot trout on top water it's definitely a big-fish technique. There's nothing finer than having a monster trout slam your lure and sky in the air.