Sweet Sixteen: What a Dream!! Fishing Report 6-9-15

Hi,

I took a couple of days off, but it was a beau-ti-ful morning, made me feel like warbling:

You come on like a dream, peaches and cream,
Lips like strawberry wine.
You're sixteen, you're beautiful...
And you're mine!

Ringo Starr, famous trout fisherman who used Beatles as his main lure, popularized that song:) Sweet sixteen, yes, 16 was the number-- of trout that is. I could have been higher but I went shallow to catch snook- it was too shallow. there was a fish feeding shallow so I went shallow- and spent 30 minute there- wasted time- then the wind whipped in at 15mph and that was it for me.

Here's the sign at Walton Scrub:



Fishing Report 6-9-15 Walton Scrub 8:15am low tide outgoing, to low tide incoming. Water clear. Wind from West then South West, then East (crazy!!!) at the end blowing 15mph +. 1/8 CAL jig, various DOA paddletails.

I got there after 8 am. There was a slight breeze on the water, the tide was low and outgoing. I headed deep past the sand bar, the wind was to my back. I waded way out and started casting in different directions. Right away I got a hit deep, hook-set missed the fish. I cast shallow and got a tap but it didn't take it.  I cast deep and hooked a nice trout, it came right up and splashed then came in right at me. I turned my camera on but it didn't come on. I pulled the trout up, it jumped a good 17" and I tried to get my camera to work- the trout flipped off right by me. I pulled the battery out and put it back in- the camera came on!!!

A guy came on the water wading behind me- he headed North and was fishing very shallow- in very shallow clear water. He saw me catch the first trout. Then he went casting North.

A few casts later wham!! I got a bite and set the hook!! This was a heavy fish and it stayed down- thought it might be a jack or a catfish. I pulled it up- a big trout around 20"!!! And-- it was fat too. I grabbed my camera and it jumped- I took a pic but missed it - it swam around shallow-- and pulled off. 2 fish, no pics- one of those days!!! While I was at the 2nd weed-bed a manatee swam by- you can only see the trail in the water (top left):

   Manatee trail (as it swims shallow) heading North (click pic to enlarge)

I headed in "the dead zone," a usually unproductive area up to the 3rd weed-bed out from the first pier. Today it was dead, nothing. I got to the 3rd weed-bed and went very far out since the tide was low. I caught my third trout throwing shallow and took a pic:


 My third trout 14",  from the shallower water (click pic to enlarge)

I missed a trout that hit the lure when I started pulling it out of the water. Then I cast deep and caught my 4th trout- I measured it- a little over 15".
 
My 4th trout, a slot-sized beauty

I got one more tap there but nothing was happening much in the 3rd weed-bed so I started into the 2nd dead zone- and it was also "dead."

I made it to the 4th weed-bed about slack low tide. I got a hit from a trout and it took off the tail. I re-baited and cast wham!! Fish on!!! The ladyfish rocketed out of the water, then again, then again. I pulled her to me and she flipped off- which was good, they are slimy!!!

I looked up- a boat had parked on the 5th weed-bed right in front of me- it was 300 yards away and two people were casting from it. The guy in the front was using his trolling motor. It was right where I was headed.

When I got to the edge of the 5th weed-bed I got a good strike. It missed. I cast straight parallel to the shore. The wind had almost completely stopped and was now out of the Southwest. I hooked a nice trout and took a pic:


My 5th trout, a nice slot (click to enlarge)

I lost a trout on top and another one near me. Then I caught and released my 6th trout. The fishermen on the boat had zip- I was watching them. I got my line snarled and while I was getting it untangled I noticed the boat behind me. I asked them how they were doing. "They aren't biting," the guy running the trolling motor said. "I guess the wind needs to be blowing 100 mph for them to bite!!" "Yeah," I replied, "It's slow today- so far. The tide should be changing soon."

The boat went by me and they started fishing near me to the North. I moved a little South and got a tap, felt weight- hook-set, trout on:


17" trout fighting on the top (click to enlarge)

Then I started catching them: one, two three, losing one, four, five, six. I now had 12 trout total. The guy running the trolling motor in the front of the boat was cussing and talking loud. I watched them and he finally caught a trout - their first to my eight in that spot. I caught two more (14 total) and the wind changed completely- it was now out of the East and starting to blow 8-10 mph. The boat left and headed to the East side.

A big fish was chasing bait shallow- it was 150 yards away. I went to the last sandbar to investigate. There were minnows everywhere:


Minnows in the shallows (click pic to enlarge- they are on the left side more clearly)

I cast around the area- nothing. I went shallow to the last pier- nothing. I cast around the pier- the water was too shallow- nothing. I went deep - nothing. So I headed back to the 5th weed-bed where the fish were.

Now there were 2-3 foot waves and in 3-4 foot of water that's a lot of motion for a fish to find a lure. I finally found them again and got a hit, hook-set, trout on, trout off. That was a nice one. I missed another one then- trout on, it was a dink and I shook him off near me. I cast deep - wham, big fish on- big fish off!! That was a monster trout- I'll never know how big. I cast in the waves until I caught my sixteenth trout- oh what a dream, peaches and cream. . .

It was so windy I headed back- I had a long way to go, I cast as I went but wasn't really trying to buck this crazy wind. I got off the water, I'd been fishing around 3 hours. The tide was still low, incoming.

My totals: 16 trout and 1 ladyfish- a great day on the water!!

Fishing Tips: What I'm doing

Hi,

I'm throwing a CAL jig-head with a 4" DOA plastic paddletail in a variety of colors. I also use DOA fork-tail which is an about 5" plastic. The paddletail  looks like this:


CAL 1/8 oz jighead with a 4" DOA paddletail (click to enlarge)

If you enlarge the photo you can see it's tied on a 20" mono-filament leader (20 lb. test) with a non-slip loop knot. The 20" mono leader is attached to 8 lb (standard size) braided line.

Line
The braided line does not stretch and gives you the best direct touch with the jig. You can feel it better and with wind and waves and especially fishing in the the Ocean, the better you can feel the jig the better you can tell if a fish is tapping it.

I started using 20 lb test and once used 30 lb test. The best fisherman here use 6-8 lb line (Mark Nichols of DOA Lures uses 10 lb braid). The thinner line casts farther and is more sensitive to touch. In most cases the fish you catch, like the 25 lb. snook I caught will not break your line.

If all you do fish around piers then you may want to use heavier line but when the snook wraps your line around a piling - it won't matter. In most cases the barnacles on the pier pilings will cut your line or the fish will pull so hard he will break it. When a snook goes under a pier many fisherman simply open the bail and let the fish have line-- then go after the fish and under the pier where the fish went under- if you're lucky it'll still be on there when you check.

Leader
Many of the best fisherman use 20 lb mono leader but there is an argument that a heavier leader (30-40 lb. test), will better prevent the fish's teeth (bluefish, trout, jack) or the snook's sharp gill-plate from cutting the line. That's the reason for the heavier 20 lb mono leader- it doesn't cut as quickly and can be used longer. A clear leader is harder for the fish to see.

After your leader becomes worn and frayed- retie. I've lost several fish because I didn't retie and my leader broke.

Rod
For wading you need a longer rod--a ten foot rod. Right now I'm using a cheap 10 foot rod. The longer rod gives you more distance on your casts.

Reel
You need a good spin casting reel.

Lures
There are a variety of successful lures you can use. I'm using the jig-head with plastic bait. There are a variety of types of jig-heads and plastic baits by different manufacturers, there is also the DOA shrimp which must be slowly fished. For now I'm using the DOA paddletail- because other successful fisherman use it. The paddletail covers more ground and is an excellent search lure.

The other two types of lures that work well are topwaters, and jerk-baits. Topwater lures include Zara Spook and Poppa-gator. Suspending jerkbaits and shallow running crankbaits are the other successful lure types. Eventually I'll experiment more with different lures.

Techniques
I'll just give the jig-head techniques for now. Most of the better fisherman use light jigs; 1/8 oz. or 1/16 oz. If you are casting in the wind or you want the jig to stay down near the bottom, use 1/4 or 3/8 weight jigheads. If you're fishing in rough water or the Ocean you may want to us 1/2 oz or heavier. Some like chartreuse color jigheads some red. My neighbor uses unpainted jigheads.

If the wind is strong you want to cast into or with the wind. The only way you can cast with the wind (wind is at your back) is to fish on different sides of the Lagoon depending on the direction of the wind. If the wind is Easterly you would fish on the East side (near the Ocean) -- then the wind would be at your back and you can cast farther.

If you cast cross-wind, there will be a bow in your line and you won't have much or any feel of the jighead. It's hard to keep the jig near the bottom. If it's not very windy - it doesn't matter which direction you cast.

When you cast with your spinning reel, just before the lure hits the water, with your left hand, flip the bail wire on the top of the spool so that it engages (closes) the reel face (so you can now reel it in). As soon as the jig hits the water you are ready to reel the line in. Lift the tip of the rod slightly so it creates some tension and spools the line on tightly. When you do this you also feel the jig immediately. This is very important because sometimes a fish will take the lure as soon as it hits or on the way down. If you have contact with the jig as soon as it hits you can hook-set immediately and you will catch more fish. Make sure the line is spooling correctly and there is not excess slack in the line which causes back-lashes.

The jig moves more freely with a non-slip loop knot. You can learn how to tie this easily (got to you-tube for examples of how to tie this knot). I feel the lure when it hits the water then I lift it up and twitch it. I may twitch it more than once. It gives the lure more action and holds it in place.

If you are fishing for trout or redfish- slow the retrieve down. You want the jig-head to crawl near the bottom- bouncing off the bottom, structure, and grass. You want it to pull through the top of the grass without getting mired in it. After I learned how to catch trout, I realized that I was previously fishing where the trout were but I was moving the lure too quickly and would only catch an occasional trout.

When you feel a tap or a bump try to stop the lure from moving but gently lifting the rod tip. If the fish is on you can tell and set the hook. Sometimes the fish will have missed the lure or be mouthing it and you'll jerk the lure away from them. When you feel the line get heavy and stop moving- set the hook. It takes time to become sensitive when the trout has the lure.

Wind and Tide
No wind is bad, too much wind is bad. Check the weather report (http://www.tides4fishing.com/us/florida-east-coast/st-lucie) and find out which way the wind will be blowing and about how many mph. If you fish the East shore (Bear Point, Mud Creek) on an Easterly wind, it will be at your back. It will also be at calmer around the Eastern shoreline.

In general the wind is always calmer at sunrise, and sometime as sunset. Usually the wind picks up around 10am and by noon it's really blowing. When a storm blows through the wind picks up, and it will die down some after the storm passes.

Check the tide (http://www.tides4fishing.com/us/florida-east-coast/st-lucie), if it's for the ocean add 3 hours for the Lagoon tide. the tide may determine what type of fish you will be catching. If the tide is high you can fish for snook and redfish around piers and along the mangroves.  However the tide may be too high to fish for trout because it will be too deep where they are to reach them (assuming you are wading).

When the tide is slack (between low and high; high and low) the fish don't bite as well. They actively feed better when the water is moving and the baitfish, shrimp and crabs are moving. Figure there's an hour of poor fishing between tides.

Time of year, time of day
Certain fish are in certain places at different times of the year. That's the reason for this blog- to document what the fish are doing. In general the best times of day to fish are dawn and dusk. Some fish (snook) feed mainly at night.

*  *  *  *

This is a quick study of what I do to catch fish- I am learning more every day.

Exploration North and the Quest for No-Catch-Ems

Hi,

Today was the day of the quest for the no-catch-ems and my journey to the North. Just as explorer Robert E. Peary did in 1909 I decided I'd explore the North regions -- but of Walton Rd, north of Walton Scrub that is- up to the two piers.When I got to the piers I did not erect a flag claiming the area. Instead, I cast around the piers, only to discover nothing was biting there.

The no-catch-ems are named after the no-see-ums. These fish bite the tails off DOA plastic baits. But can you catch em? Find out if I did below. No-see-ems are biting midges,  scientific name: Culicoides spp. (Insecta: Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). I've only encountered them once wading- no fun, and I had the bite marks to prove it!!!

What are the no-catch-ems?? I don't know but there is a pic below. Eventually I'll figure out what the name of the no-catch-ems is!!

Fishing Report 6-4-15 Walton Scrub. Water clear almost dead low tide to incoming tide. 8:30 am, wind out of Northeast about 5mph then windy at 12-15mph.

I went out deep, there was a boat fishing the 3rd weed-bed and someone fishing down at Walton. The boat fishing the third weed-bed was coming my way. I waded out as deep as the boat and cast randomly to the 2nd weedbed. on the 5th cast I got a trout bite but it missed and I started heading South for the 3rd weed-bed. The three people standing and casting from the boat saw me and they slowly went deeper then left to the East shore. They didn't catch anything in the 15 minutes they were there.

I fished to the 4 white poles and hadn't got another bite. Finally, I made it to the edge of the 3rd weed-bed and faced South as I cast out with the wind. I got a trout bite but it didn't take it and I never set the hook. Suddlenly, I felt some weight and the fish started swimming with it!! Hook-set, fish on. This was nice trout, not a dink like many of the ones I caught the last two days. I pulled out my camera, it splashed, I tried to take a pic but the camera didn't work- not again!!!

I pulled in the 18 1/2" trout and measured it then released it back to the weeds. i checked my camera, switched the battery around, switched it back, then it worked. Dunno??!!

I cast around and couldn't get a another bite. I worked South then threw shallow. Wham!! Fish on, it really stuck the lure and I kept my rod tip low as it leaded in the air. I pulled up my camera, turned it on and tried to squeeze a couple shots while I brought it in:


2nd trout, fighting on top, 17 1/2" the smallest of the day (click pic to enlarge)

Finally, I got the trout up to me, still fighting:

                                                               2nd trout, a nice one

I thought maybe I was on the fish but, no, I didn't get bit for another 10 casts. When I did I set the hook, fish-on!!! Fish-off, dunno what happened. Another trout struck on top when I pulled the lure out- missed it.

I cast far as possible shallow. Half-way In another nice trout slammed it. It jumped, I kept my rod tip down. It fought and swam around shallow, I pulled it in. I tried to shake it off it couldn't get off and I lifted it up and measured it, 18", before letting it go. "3 nice ones," I thought.

I looked at the first pier. Here's the view of the first pier from the 3rd weed-bed:

                                            View from 3rd weed-bed at lowish tide.

I cast shallow, then cast deep and pulled a trout directly up, out of the water, and into the air- then off the hook. Lost another nice one!!! I cast back in the same spot and got bit, hook-set and pulled another good trout in, a whopping 19"- all 4 were big!!!

I went to the South part of the 3rd weed-bed, the fish that were there were gone- they just weren't there today. I decided to head north- all the way to the two piers, almost a mile. I went shallow and fished the first pier (pic above)- nothing. I went along the sandbar back then started casting as I went- nothing. I went through the dead-zone, nothing finally I hit the 1st weed bed, which is just a flat that extends from the sandbar. There are spots of weeds.

I cast deep and felt some weight- hook-set fish on!! This was a big trout and I could see it was way over 20". I got my camera out:

                                The largest trout of the day- a whopping 25" (click pic to enlarge)

I started fishing the patches of grass. I got a couple taps and strikes then I caught my sixth trout, an 18" that I pulled up to the top and it stayed up until it got near me. I swung it around and shook it off. 

I continued fishing North along the sandbar and getting little pecks and strikes that pulled the tail off. After a while I could tell they weren't trout, but they bit off the tail of 4 paddlebaits in 10 casts. So I stuck the tail of an old paddlebait on --it was about 2" long. And- viola, I caught one of the no-catch-ems. The are reddish panfish with small mouths and are shaped like bluegill (Lane Snappers). I snapped a pic but it's hard to see the no-catch-em well:

                                         My first no-catch-em (click pic to enlarge)


I kept fishing East of the sand bar until I got near the first pier. The water started getting deep so I went shallower but it was deep for at least 50 yards. I made it the piers and fished both of them but no snook!!!

I headed back went shallow and fish some. I caught one more no-catch-em and then I got off the water as soon as possible- I'd fished for almost 3 hours- 2 hours were my exploration North and my quest for no-catch-ems.

My totals: 6 trout (all over 17" and one nearly 25") and 2 no-catch-ems (Lane Snappers). A great day on the water. (By the way, Lane Snappers grow bigger in the Ocean- and I've see pics of 16" fish).

Fishing Report 2 (6-4-15) Walton Scrub 5:15pm to 6:45pm. Outgoing tide- lots of wind from northeast, 2 foot waves.

My neighbor Jim wanted to go. He's been fishing here for 17 years and is a good fisherman. We went out for about an hour. I caught 4 trout (one got off near me) and he caught this nice snook:

                                                 Jim and his snook (click to enlarge)

Today's total: I caught 10 trout total and 2 no-catch-ems. Jim caught a snook.

Eighteen: And I Don't Know What I Want- Fishing Report

Hi,

Went fairly early and stayed way too long. Electric chicken got me singing this song:

Eighteen, and I don't know what I want,
Eighteen I just don’t know what I want
Eighteen I gotta get away
I gotta get out of this place
I’ll go runnin’ in outer space oh yeah (Alice Cooper)

I'm thankful that it took an "electric chicken" color paddletail to get trout number eighteen. And not only that, it was 18" long, so it didn't know what it wanted but it got a mouthful of electric chicken (sorry Alice). Today was another slightly bizarre and almost disappointing day.

Fishing Report 6-3-15 Walton Scrub, water clear, wind then no wind, then too much wind out of Northeast. Various DOA plastic baits thrown on a 1/8 jighead. Low tide, incoming.

I got there at slack low tide. There was a nice ripple on the water from a gentle Northeast breeze. The osprey came out for a while, then disappeared. There were pelicans on the piers and a few on the water. No fish activity or signs of feeding fish.  I went deep past the sandbar and cast for 10 minutes nothing. I charged the battery of my camera so at least today I could get some pics. But now no fish were biting. I got ready to move then I got strike as I pulled the bait up- fish on. Since it was near my rod tip it pulled drag and turned me around in a circle- it was a Jack, not very big, but it was a fish. I pulled my camera out to take a pic, it didn't work!!

I released the jack and checked my camera- I had put the battery in backwards, good thing it was a Jack and not a big trout or snook. I finally got a trout bite and missed it, then waded South into "the dead Zone," an unproductive stretch of water. Could I conjure a trout from the "dead zone?" Not today!!! I did conjure another Jack who struck the lure just as it hit the water:


    2nd Jack, about 2 lbs splashing (click pic to enlarge)

I went past the 4 posts to the edge of the productive 3rd weedbed located out from the first (white) pier. I cast deep and got a trout bite, but it didn't take it. I cast again and got bit, this time it pulled the tail off. Will I ever catch a trout??

I moved closer to the 3rd weedbed. I cast deep, tap, tap, hook-set, trout on!! I pulled the trout up and it swam right at me. I grabbed my camera:


 First trout, 3rd weedbed. (Click pic to enlarge)

I caught another smaller trout the next cast and a bigger one the next cast. "3 fish 3 casts," I thought, maybe I'd found them." I got one more bite there and it pulled the tail off of the bait but I missed it. I started to move directly out from the white pier.

I caught another jack and then 2 more trout, then something peculiar happened: the wind died. It just stopped, the water was dead calm, and. . . the fish wouldn't bite. It was, however, cool to see the bottom of the Lagoon in 4 1/2 foot of water. The water was crystal clear-- I could clearly see my tennis shoes!!

I changed colors twice, nothing happened. After 30 minutes the wind started picking up and it blew like before. I caught a trout deep, missed one deep then I changed to forked tail and caught a trout shallow. I was through fishing the 3rd wed bed - I caught 7 trout and 1 Jack there in over an hour. Not good. I had now been on the water for over 90 minutes.

I went fishing for snook shallow, but just like yesterday, nothing was going on. The wind started to really blow now at 12-15mph. I fished the three piers and went deep to fish the 4th weed-bed. A trout grabbed the tail of my last white paddletail but I couldn't catch a fish there. I headed for the 5th weed-bed directly out (a little South) from Walton Rd. where I caught 14 trout yesterday in 25 minutes. Would they be there!!??

I cast out and felt a bump and another bump very shallow. Trout?? I wondered. I cast again and got bit but didn't set the hook. A trout followed my lure in and tried to take it when I pulled it out of the water. Trout!!

I caught a good sized trout on the next cast and the bite was on. They were mostly small trout with 3 keeper slots out of 9. I had 16 total trout. I lost at least 3 there that came off after they were hooked. I headed for the last pier and the hopes of a snook.

I put on a fork-tail watermelon color DOA because it's darker and longer. "Maybe a snook will want this," I thought. I cast under the pier for 15 minutes- nothing. I cast shallow and got a slap and a miss by a snook. Twitched the lure, strike two-- I pulled it to the top, strike three and you're out!! Yes, that snook did not bite again. I did manage to get a strike later but it was a jack. I fought it and when I pulled it up, no snook- how disappointing!!!

I headed back. I had been out for over 3 hours and it was a long way to go. A guy pulled up in a boat fishing the 5th weedbed. He was using live shrimp on a bobber with two poles. He caught three fish while I was there trying to catch number 17. I finally got a strike and pulled in number 17 but I was tired and started to go back.

I cast shallow on the way back- nothing. I decided I really needed one more trout (to catch 18, I don't know what I want!!!). I went out in the third weed bed and missed one, lost one. Missed another one, lost the tail. Put on an "electric chicken" color and caught number 18-- and it was 18 inches long. I took a pic:


18, I don't know what I want-- see the waves now!! Don't be scared that the earth is slanting off its axis. That was just me- not holding the camera str8!!! Just tilt your head to the right and everything is OK!!!

I headed in shallow trying in vain to catch a snook. I didn't. This was it for me, over 4 hours. It takes a long time to make it to the last pier and back!!!

My totals: 18 trout (18 and I like it), 4 jack. A great day on the water!!!

30 And Still Counting: Fishing Report 6-3-15

Hi,

No I'm not 30 although I wish I was. But I am still counting! Today I needed a calculator or Jim Bohrer to count my trout. If I stayed in the last spot where I caught 14 trout- I'd still be there- and I'd still be counting!!! They were biting when I left!!!

It rained this morning and it looked kinda ify but I went fishing anyway. Turned out to be a great day, no rain, just some heavy wind and waves.

Fishing report 6-3-15 10:00am Walton Scrub- to Walton over 3 1/2 hours of fishing- woah! Tide incoming, then later outgoing. Wind Northeast to southeast to East overcast with some sun later. Water very clear. CAL 1/8 jig with DOA paddlebait.

It was by all accounts a strange day. The weather was gr8- it never rained but everything else made no sense. I went out from Walton Scrub, the water was fairly deep shallow but I went deep to catch trout. Nothing was going on at all for 20 minutes and I was wondering where the fish were. I was getting ready to move when I hooked my first trout:

                                              Fish on!!! (click photo to enlarge)

                                   Pulling up first trout of the day, a 15" slot (click to enlarge)

"Well, I caught one," I thought, "this is going to be a slow day." I decided I'd need to move South until I found some fish. I looked over my shoulder back at Walton Scrub. A guy crawled down the bank with a bucket. He waded around the shallow water, got out, put the bucket down and left. He never came back. The bucket was still there when I got off the water.

I went into "the dead zone" (an area of unproductive water South of Walton Scrub), and had no luck. I would have to raise a fish from "the dead zone," like I'd done the last two days. Sure enough before I got to the 4 white posts, I got a tap, hook-set, fish on! This trout stayed down and was around 20" but I never got to measure it because my camera decided to not work. I tried to get a pic three times and finally the fish had enough and flipped off. Haha!! Serves me right !! I put my camera away in my backpack- I guess the battery was low- but it didn't work.

Two bites- two fish, but only two bites. I went into the always productive 3rd weedbed. It wasn't productive-- at first! I finally caught a nice 17" trout after missing one deep. "3 trout, 4 bites." I saw guy in a small boat with a small engine and trolling motor come into the shallows. The wind blew him towards the first white pier where I was "out deep." He was using his trolling motor and a cast net to catch bait. He blew right into the first white pier, put his hand on the dock to keep from bumping it and threw his net. I wasn't going to fish that pier now!!

I moved South to the spot just South of the third pier. The guy in the boat kept going to the third pier!!! He went under it and on to the fourth pier. Finally, he cast his net and caught some bait. He pulled up his trolling motor, started his motor and off he went across the Lagoon headed Northeast.

I missed a trout deep, and kept moving South. Then I found them. The trout were shallow and almost all small but they were hungry. I had a total of 3 before I got there and when I left there to fish shallow for snook I had 16. This doesn't count the ones I missed or jumped off!! Only a few of those were 15" but it was fun for awhile. While I was fishing a V-shaped boat came motoring from the South in three feet of water with the engine tilted to prevent it from hitting mud and weeds. Two scuba divers with tanks and fins dangled their legs of the front. When they got to the white pier one of them jumped off and started swimming under the water- it's only two foot deep there!!!?! What was she thinking- and. . . there's weeds everywhere!!?? After a minute she stood up and they pulled her back on the boat and drove off. Another of the day's mysteries!!?!

It was time to catch a snook!! I switched to a "Cal Shad" color (green with glitter) paddletail and cast around the shallow piers (4th and 5th piers)- nothing. I headed across the flat weedy area in front of the mangroves a good spot. With the wind to my back I made long casts near the shore and pulled the jig over the weeds. It would have worked except for one thing- the snook weren't there or if they were, they weren't biting!!! The water was so clear you could see them- and I didn't see anything- but there were a lot of weeds so they could have been down in the weeds but I don't think so.

Before I got to the six pier I had a hard strike by the white pilings of a fallen pier and the fish leaped from the water- lady fish!! It jumped 5 times and pulled drag before I could unhook it, this was a big one (over 2 1/2 pounds). I went out to the sixth pier and had one strike under the pier- probably a small snook - I could see the fish flash-- it wasn't big. I then went out to the fourth weedbed and switched to an "electric chicken" colored paddletail. I got a strike that pulled my bait tail off. Then I looked at the last pier, the best pier at Walton- "Should I stay or should I go." I looked at my jig and my line, my line was getting torn up- "Should I retie?? I can always just play the fish more," I thought.

I went shallow for snook and worked down to the last pier- not a hit. I switched colors to opaque glitter, a better snook color. The sun was now out and it seemed like it was dead high (slack) tide. I made it to the pier and stayed 60 feet out and cast to the pilings. I made 20 casts but the 21st was awesome- whammmm, huge strike!!! Big snook on!!!

My line took off going 60 mph straight east, I felt the weight of the fish and backed off a little so it wouldn't bust my line- a second or two later my jig popped out. Four seconds of excitement. My heart was pumping. "Why didn't I retie??!!?? Who knows if it mattered or if I could keep the big snook from heading back under the pier and breaking me off anyway. I'll never know."

I was bummed and cast some more around the pier but got nothing so I went deep. It's shallower off the end of the pier than the middle!! I started casting my way back North. The tide was going out now and the wind was now out of the Southeast. When I got back near Walton Rd. I got a strike. I cast again and caught a small trout- number 17. I went a little farther North and it got shallower. I got a strike near my rod-tip when I pulled my jig out of the water.

I cast deep, trout on, it came up and shook the lure off, missed that fish! I pulled my paddletail in fast to check my bait- trout on!!! Another trout took it while I was reeling in!! I pulled it in and shook it off. I cast again tap, hook-set miss, tap trout on!! The trout were everywhere- they were as far as I could cast deep and as close as 12 feet from my rod tip. Most of them were 25 feet out and when I cast I'd slow down when I got to 25 feet out. I caught seven small trout then a nice keeper.

Two guys climbed down the bank with bobbers and were throwing "the deadly combo." They saw me catching fish after fish and headed North. I was still counting, finally I got to 29 trout. Catching one more should be easy. Cast out, tap hookset fish on, fish off. He threw it when he came up. Cast shallower- a little trout grabbed it when it hit- and flew in the air on the hookset and flew off the hook. 5 casts later I got number thirty, a keeper sized slot- I was done. I had gone through 4 DOA glitter baits and was down to a stub of pearl white, about 2 inches long. I headed back.

I talked to the two guys which were now three guys fishing past the 6th pier. They were fishing on top of the sandbar!! Clearly they had no clue. I asked them what they were fishing for, one guy said, "Snook, trout and redfish." I told then to go back to where I was and catch some trout, but get off the sandbar." I went around them and threw a couple cast here and there. I was tired, walked along the sandbar casting, and got off the water.

My totals: 30 trout (and still counting) and one lady fish. And... one giant snook that got away!!!

Stuck on 13; Fishing report 6-2-15

Hi,

Do you ever feel like you're stuck on 13? Well I did today. Because I was stuck on 13 for over and hour and the whole day went that way.

Fishing Report 6-2-15 Walton Scrub, 8:15am. Lowish tide incoming. Water very clear. Wind out of South a little East. Not windy at first then very windy. 1/8 oz CAL Jig on 4" DOA paddletails.

The day didn't start out unlucky, it just ended up that way. Not that a day of fishing in the Lagoon is unlucky. I went down the bank to the water and there was a guy fishing shallow only 150 yards North of me. This was upsetting in itself and I didn't know whether to try and talk to him or fish. I fished.

There was no activity shallow, just glass minnows, a few mullet jumping and baitfish, but nothing feeding on them. I went deep. The other guy stayed shallow. The water was clear and there were only a few ripples on the water from a gentle breeze. Third cast I felt a tap and hookset- trout on!! I pulled it up and it splashed across the calm surface. I pulled the small slot (15") trout to me and measured him on my rod (I put tape at 15", 20" and 28" on my fishing rod yesterday, to be able to tell the length of the fish accurately). I turned and looked back-- the other guy fishing was watching me. I released the fish- I had forgotten about my camera.

I cast North and then South and I had a hit- bigger fish!!! I pulled it up and it jumped a nice 18" trout! I pulled it down and it went around me I pulled it up and tried to take shot with my camera- I missed. I pulled it up and it shook it's head on the surface, insta-release. The guy fishing shallow was still watching me. He turned and started fishing North. I decided to go South- my usual pattern.

I went into "the dead-zone," recently an unproductive area, but yesterday I caught three big trout there. After 100 yards I had a hit, hook-set- miss. I should have had that fish!! I was working my way to the 4 white posts and I fell something- my jig stopped. I lifted my rod tip felt some weight- hook-set, fish on!!! Woah, this was a nice one. It didn't jump and just shook it's head from side to side and I applied more pressure. I reached for my camera and turned it on. It came up and I took a shot of it--"big trout" I thought:


           Biggest trout of the day, 24", splashing

I pulled it around, it jumped but not all the way out of the water- I took another shot and pulled it to me:

            My biggest trout today (click to enlarge)

I measured it on my pole- it was about half-way between 20" and 28" so we'll say it was 24"- a nice trout.
I released it and fished the area- nothing. I was heading South out of the dead-zone to the 3rd weed-bed out from the first pier.

Just like yesterday there was nothing on the North side of the 3rd weed-bed. I fished South and finally caught a small trout out from the 3rd pier. I decided to go fish shallow so I fished the first and third piers- nothing. A boat was stopped out from the 3rd pier in one of my spots. A guy was casting off the back. I went out from the pier and he saw me and immediately cranked his engine and moved across the Lagoon- strange. I then went out deep off the third pier.

When I cast to the same spot in front of the 1st pier, cross wind (there's some bow on the line)- I got a strike. Next cast I caught a trout. Then 2 more. They were all in the same area. I moved South casting in the wind. My plastic paddlebait was all torn up so I shortened it an inch- now it was a 3" lure.  Then I caught a nice trout deep (that was 7 total) and lost one ten feet way (didn't count that one).

I moved to the South part of the weed-bed, it had been very active.  I caught nothing but when I moved a little further South- fish on!!! A small trout came up and shook its head. I pulled it across the water and released it. A bigger trout struck my lure just 15 feet out- I had it on but just for 2 seconds- can't count that one, I didn't even see it! I caught a small fish and lost one on the hook-set. almost every cast there was a fish. When I caught number thirteen I thought, "I'll catch one more (I ain't superstitious but a black cat just crossed my trail!) and then go shallow." I lost one on hook-set. I lost another one that struck near me and never got hooked. I pulled my jig up- tap, tap, miss. "Oh well" I thought, "time to catch a snook!"

I went shallow and pulled the jig along the weed tops. It was 3 1/2 feet deep and very clear but wavy. When I got to the 4th pier I cast along the East side and wham!! snook on. It jumped it was small and it threw the hook. Not much you can do about that!!

I fished the 4th and 5th piers and the shallow flat. The wind was really blowing now and it was hard to cast unless you went into the wind or with the wind. I shed up to the six pier nothing. I went out to the 4th weed bed- nothing. I was stuck on 13 fish!!! And no snook!!

I decided to go back North but fish shallow. The wind made it really rough and I got tired of the dense weeds near the 3rd sandbar. I went back over the sandbar and fished deep. There was a spot I caught two yesterday. The wind was bowing my line but I cast deep away and waded back North facing North. Suddenly I got a hit, then it stopped. I cast back and felt one tap- fish on- then off. Stuck on 13.

Two cast later I got some weight on my line, hook -set and fish on, finally, number 14. I took a photo:

                                           Number 14 at last !!! (Click to enlarge)

Still no snook!!! I went back and fished the 1st pier, then fished shallow for a ways- nothing. I went out to my spot on the 2nd weed-bed to try it before I left. Tap, tap, hook-set miss. Next cast tap, tap, hookset, miss- took the tail off!! two cast later tap tap hookset- trout on!! Number 15 came all the way in and flipped off when I was trying to release it.

I had fished over 3 hours- I was beat, no snook caught and I missed at least 12 trout today, and only caught  one big one. Oh well, some days you just get stuck on 13.

My totals: 15 trout (one over 20"), lost a small snook when it jumped. Still- a great day on the water!!!

Trout-o-rama: Fishing Report 6-1-15

Hi,

Today was the day of the trout. It was supposed to be the day of the snook but I went deep early and stayed there for most of the day. The weather was bea-u-ti-ful in the morning and windy by mid-day. When slack tide hit I didn't get a bite for 40 minutes. Today was the day I caught the most trout- and, some of the biggest.

I got a couple fishing shirts so I wouldn't fry my forearms in the sun. They are actually cooler than wearing a t-shirt. Here I am, ready for action:

                                                         The Lagooner


Fishing Report 6-1-15: Walton Scrub. Incoming tide, close to high tide then to slack, then outgoing. Started with very little wind to windy out of SE. Fishing 1/8 CAL jig on DOA paddletail, white.

When I got there around 9:30 there was almost no wind. The water was up and the tide incoming. The water was very clear and I could see my shoes wading in 3 1/2 feet of water as I worked my way to the sandbar. There was nothing happening shallow- the glass minnows were still there but no activity at all. I was going to fish shallow but I went deep past the sandbar.

When I got to the edge of the 2nd weed-bed the water was still and clear. I went out as far as I could without getting my camera wet (it's waterproof and hangs around my shoulder and neck right below my armpit. To take a pic I pull it up and turn it on- pretty easy!! Taking a pic of a moving, jumping fish while you are bringing it in- pretty difficult!!).

The first few casts I got nothing. Then I got a tap and missed. Next cast I caught a small trout, who skied in on the surface with his mouth open. I started moving South into "the dead zone." I cast back to where I was and got another strike but missed.

I was working south and a gentle breeze started blowing- there was just a ripple on the water and I saw an osprey circling far in the distance. He lives in a tree up on the bluff. Sometimes he flies over me to see how I'm doing and I watch him careen, at 100 miles an hour, into the water to catch a fish. Like me, he misses a lot of fish, but sometimes he'll catch a fish almost as heavy as he is. He'll struggle to get the fish to the third pier. I looked South, a guide boat with trolling motor was working the fourth weed-bed, far, far in the distance.

I was in "the dead zone" a lightly weeded strip of water between Walton Scrub and the first pier. It's not always the dead zone but the last three weeks almost nothing has been biting there- I caught one trout and a couple small Jack but that's it. After working 75 yards I hadn't got a strike-- then I felt something heavy on my line, a sure sign of a trout mouthing the lure. I lifted the tip to feel it- the fish was swimming away. I set the hook- fish on!!! This was no little fish and it took some line. It felt like a trout but it didn't come up- it just pulled, then I saw it:

            Big trout splashes the surface (click to enlarge)

Big trout!! Woah!! It jumped and splashed and I got a pic(see above). I thought I might lose her and she pulled drag and went shallow. Then I pulled her up:


     Come to me baby!! (click to enlarge)

She was well hooked and I lifted her up for a pic:


   Second trout, a whopping 28" inches (Click to enlarge)

What a start- and from the dead zone too! This fish was probably the 2nd longest trout I've caught and I guesstimated her to be 28". I have caught one longer and much heavier but this was a long fish!!! I cast again and wham!! hard strike - fish on!!! Another deep puller and maybe another big trout. It came in and I saw it was a trout too. I grabbed my camera and missed a nice jump. I pulled her up:

                                 Another big trout probably 26" (Click to enlarge)

Then two casts later I caught this trout, 23"er easy:


                  Third big trout in about 5 casts.

These were caught before the 4 white posts and in "the dead zone." All the trout were larger than normal and all stayed down and jumped when they got near. I looked up at the guide boat that was far South was getting nearer. I wanted to get to the 3rd pier, but if I didn't leave they'd be fishing that weed-bed in 5 minutes. I left the area and crossed the 4 white posts to the edge of the 3rd weed-bed. The guide in the boat saw me and they went back out and around me- a classy thing to do. They started casting to the 2nd weed-bed where I had started. They went North a 100 yards and stayed in fairly shallow, then 30 minutes later they left.

I was expecting good things at the 3rd weed-bed; the trout had been here for three weeks- every time at least a few would be there. I was disappointed however--no trout bites on the edge. I moved South past the white pier and cast deep- thump, tap- hookset- trout on. A normal sized slot, about 17" leaped in the air. I pulled it in and released her. I got a couple taps by no takers, then lost a tail. I rebaited and cast behind me shallower. Fish on!!! Another nice trout took my lure only 20 feet from my rod tip. I had her well-hooked, lifted my camera and got a close-up:


    Another good trout, about 20"- my fourth today --woah!!!

This was my 6th trout and my 4th big one. I moved south and caught a small trout right in front of me as I pulled the lure up to lift it out. When I got to the third pier the bite turned on- it was almost high tide and the windy started to blow.

I caught six small- to small slot trout in the next 8 minutes- then slam, I had bid one on. When it jumped I found out why it pulled so hard- ladyfish. I moved past the third pier and caught two more small trout then went shallow to catch a snook. I fished the first pier the the end of the second- nothing, the third pier- nothing. The water shallow was moving and choppy. Under the pier were schools of glass minnows. I went to the shorter 4th and 5th piers- nothing.

One of the best spots in that area is a grassy flat in front of several mangrove trees. I cast along then wham- snook on. It jumped then took off pulling drag, and I saw it was a nice 24" fish. I grabbed my camera:

      Snook fighting in the shallows (Click to enlarge)

I took 4 shots while I was fighting it and missed on all four- even this shot you can't see the fish well!!! I pulled him in and got a close up:


                         Smile Mr. Snook!!!

I had one more snook bite in that area but it missed the jig. I fished the next pier then decided to got back deep. I fished the fourth weed-bed which is South of the long 6th pier. When I went deep I got a tap and missed then lost a tail, then caught a nice 18" trout. I got one more bite before I decided to head back. I caught another small trout in the same area, number 16 and cast my way back- there was nothing as I worked along the 3rd sandbar. Suddenly I hit a spot and pulled two more trout up one got off near me but I counted it, that was 18. I need two more for 20 trout. With two good spots left I was optimistic. The tide however was dead slack tide and I could get a bite in the 3rd weed-bed where I caught 12 trout- woah.

Then I hit the four white poles and into "the dead zone" where I caught the three big trout earlier-- nothing. I had fished 40 minutes without even a strike. I could tell he tide was starting to go out now- but I wasn't catching anything.

"Two more trout and I'll have 20," I said to myself. When I got to Walton Scrub and the 2nd weed-bed spot I saw another wader not far down who was fishing the first weed-bed. I cast three times and then half-way in I felt some weight, hook-set, trout on!!! I skied the little trout to me and he shook off- that's 19!!! One more!!!

Two cast's later, I felt a tap, I waited, I lifted my rod tip and felt something, hook-set. . . trout on!! It flew out of the water, not big but number 20, I got him near me and he flipped off. Count it?? Well, I guess. Number 20!!!!

I looked at the guy fishing North of me- he hadn't got bit since I saw him. I thought I might fish over to him, maybe say, "Hello," but he started moving North away from me. I hooked another trout- this time- a nice 16"er and brought him in- that's number 21!!!

I headed off the water. I had fished over 3 hours and was tired. My right arm felt the hundreds of casts and the 23 fish I had caught. I straightened it out- woah!! not good. I made a couple casts in the shallows on the way back- nothing.

What a trout-o-rama day!! My best trout total yet. And-- I was going fishing for snook when I started!!! How wrong can I be!!

My totals: 21 trout with 4 over 20" and two of the four were over 26", one lady fish and one 24" snook. What a day on the water!!!