Windy and Warm: Fishing Report 6-12-15

Hi,

I met Ken Turner at Walton Scrub early to avoid the wind. Guess what?!! The wind was already blowing hard- What?@#$% It was just like Chet Atkin's instrumental "Windy and Warm." It was also blowing Southeast and the tide was high!!! Conditions couldn't be much worse. We couldn't fish deep for trout and there was only one good place shallow that I knew. After that, we had to wait for the tide to go out.

At least I brought my camera, with a good battery!!! And. . .I caught a snook!!!

Fishing Report: Walton Scrub, 6-12-15, around 7am, very wind Southeast, cloudy then sunshine. High tide- slack high tide, then outgoing. Ken was throwing a 5" white fork-tail on a 1/8 oz jighead. I was throwing a paddletail different colors.

I knew the wind was trouble. It was almost high tide and we went deep past the sandbar. It was too windy to fish the 2nd weed-bed so I went to the first weed-bed which is a shallow flat just past the sandbar. It was shallow enough we could fish with the wind to our backs. It was hard to get deep and keep the wind to our backs. I knew from my marker (a stake sticking from the water) that we were a little too far West. We started fishing the weed-bed anyway. I got a tap and nothing. After 10 casts I hooked a small trout deep and it came off after a couple seconds. I should have stayed there but nothing much was happening so I told Ken we need to fish shallow until the tide went out some. I fished my way up to the first pier and waited for Ken to follow me. He went shallow then deep into the Dead Zone, an unproductive area before the 1st pier.

Nothing was biting at the 1st pier so I went to the 3rd pier and started casting under the pilings. After 10 casts-- fish on!!! A nice snook grabbed my jig!! I pulled him away from the pier and he jumped high in the air then splashed around to me:


           My fish fish of the day, a 23" snook!!! (click pic to enlarge)

We continued fishing shallow, with no luck and after the six pier I went deep, but after a few casts went back shallow. Ken stayed deep and had a strike but no fish. I fished the last pier and Ken lost a screw off his spinning reel and couldn't fish. He left the water, bye Ken!!!

I decided to go back deep to the 5th weed-bed. I immediately got a hard strike but the fish missed, then I got a trout tap but it missed. Finally, I caught a trout:


            My first trout of the day, a 12"er.

I cast out several times then I felt some weight-- despite the 2 foot waves. Hook-set, trout on!!! My second trout came flying in the air. I skated the small trout to me and released it. That's 2!!!

It was too windy to fish that spot and too deep. I went to the third weed-bed and got out as far as I could and fished with the wind to my back. It worked. I hooked a nice trout but lost it when it jumped. I hooked another nice slot and pulled it in and measured it - 17". About 8 casts later, tap, tap, hook-set fish on!! fish off!! I missed two of the three bites at the 3rd weed-bed.

I fished my way back to the second weed-bed but it was still too hard to fish so I continued to the 1st weed-bed where we started. As I was pulled the lure close to me I got a strike, another strike, a splash, then fish on:

                                                 A nice Jack (click pic to enlarge)

I was surprised that the 2 lb. Jack had taken the lure so quickly around me. I got a pic and pulled it in and released it. I cast deep and got a hit, then another hit,  trout on!!


My second trout from the 1st weed-bed, who remains unseen but heard!!!

I cast deep again, trout on!!! This trout came up and I lost it when it jumped. The trout were here!!! I cast deeper, strike, tap, then it grabbed it, trout on:



 My third trout from the 1st weed-bed, just under 18". What a fighter!!!

I continued to get bites and more trout. Then I got another trout and pulled it up for a pic:


 Another trout comes in, the 7th total.

The tenth trout was the largest and I measured it twice but it wasn't quite 20":

                                       My largest trout, a 19 1/2" beauty. (Click to enlarge)

I was getting tired but the trout were biting. I hooked another one that pulled off when it jumped. I decided to get off the water, I'd been fishing around 4 hours. Catching anything today was not easy!!! Not when it's windy and warm.

My totals: 1 snook, 1 jack, 10 trout. A difficult day on the water!!!

A Beautiful Morning: Fishing Report 6-11-15

Hi,

I got up early and went to the Snook Nook. I found some of my favorite color paddletails- yes!!! I was ready for action.

It was overcast most of the morning and almost cold- crazy for this time of year. I put an old battery in my camera (there are two re-chargeable ones) but I didn't check it before I left- it was dead but I didn't know it. No pics today. There weren't any remarkable fish but there were a lot of them. Everywhere that should have had fish, had fish. So I ended up catching 29 fish in just over 3 hours- a very active day.

Fishing Report: Walton Scrub 6-11-15, 7:30am cloudy after heavy rains the evening before. Tide was lowish and outgoing. Water very clear. Wind: Northeast then Southeast. Fishing 1/8 oz. CAL jig with different DOA paddletails.

The water was calm with a gentle breeze from the Northeast. The sunrise had been obscured by smooth thick gray clouds. I immediately went deep past the sandbar to the edge of the 2nd weed-bed and on the third cast felt a tap, hook-set, a trout burst into the morning air. It was a dandy and I pulled in closer and grabbed my camera- the camera didn't work. I played the fish some and swung it to me - a good 17" and it flipped off as I reached for it.

Next cast in the same place- I felt weight, hook-set, another nice trout on*. It too jumped and skated across the water. I grabbed my camera again- it still didn't work. I pulled the fish up, grabbed my pliers and released it. This one I measured- 18", a nice speckled trout. I fooled with my camera for a couple minutes and figured the battery was dead. I cast back there- nothing. I cast South deep and wham- fish-on. This one was a puller and after a bit I could tell it was a Jack, but a nice one, over 2 lbs.

There were fish feeding shallow by the sand bar. I cast nearby and wham- another nice Jack slammed my jig. Jack are hard fighters and they usually stay down and pull laterally- in circles. I cast deep, nothing then shallow- trout on- this was a small 12"er and it flipped off right as I pulled it up. That's 3 trout, 2 jacks.

I keep throwing deep and finally got a tap, tap, hook-set, my 4th trout came up. I pulled it up and measured it against my rod (which has marks at 15", 20" and 28"), just over 15".  Another nice Jack grabbed my lure as I pulled it up- it splashed the surface then pulled drag and I swung it around to me. I caught a small trout deep and decided to move South into the Dead zone, an unproductive area.

The Dead Zone was dead. I got to the third weed-bed and just as the last three days got nothing on the North edge. When I got even with the first pier I got my first strike deep- tap nothing tap, hook-set, miss. I threw back there- tap, hook-set, trout on. When I pulled it up a half-eaten shrimp feel out of his mouth- hungry rascal!!

I went shallow and fished the first pier- nothing- the water was too shallow and calm. The weather and tides haven't been right to fish the piers for two weeks. I went back deep and caught another trout after a dozen casts. Went I moved South the wind changed - now it was blowing from the Southeast- crazy. And-- it was starting to blow hard, 12mph with waves. I saw some bait and felt like there were fish there. I caught a good Jack on the first cast. "That's a good sign," I thought, "he was chasing bait."

Then I started catching trout. In 10 minutes I caught 7 trout: including one very small one and two slots. I thought about going South but instead I headed back to fish a little North of Walton Scrub. On the way I caught a very nice trout in the Dead Zone, number 15.

When I got back to Walton Scrub, the fish now weren't biting so I worked my way North. I caught two trout casting parallel to shore on the 1st weed-bed. I couldn't believe all the activity- everywhere minnows were surfacing and occasionally a fish was chasing them. I saw a splash behind me then turned and cast to the shore. Tap, tap hook-set, miss; tap, hook-set, fish on. A trout plowed along the surface to me. Number 16 was about 14".

On almost every cast in that area I'd get bit or catch a trout. Only two of them were slots (15-20 inches). When I was done I had caught 24 total trout. I headed back to the 2nd weed-bed for a couple casts and caught another Jack, that was 5 Jacks.

As I got off the water I met a friend who wades in that area coming through the shallows. The tide was almost low slack. The sun was out and the wind had calmed down- crazy weather. He told me had caught a redfish in the North shallows yesterday. I got off the water- I was tired and my right arm was worn out.


My totals: 24 trout (none over 20"), 5 Jack (all around 2 lbs). A gr8 day on the water!!!

*Catching a fish excites the fish in the area, the way feeding fish do. If you fish fast, it will keep the bite turned on!!!

Slow Day on the Water- Fishing Report 6-10-15

Hi,

Just a slow day- filled with folly. First I forgot my tennis shoes. When I got there I tried going out in flip-flops. I took two steps and both flip-flops got stuck!!! I drove back home and got my shoes. On the way back, there was a car accident. Walton Road was blocked off!! It took a few minutes to figure out how to by-pass the accident, eventually I got back on Walton.

I finally made it on the water. What a nice sunny day-- except the sun was in your eyes. Someone was already wading North shallow and another guy came on after me and went shallow North. The tide was outgoing and getting low. It started off very promising but ended in disappointment.

Fishing Report 6-10-15 Walton Scrub. 8:15am-- Water clear, tide outgoing, gentle wind from Southwest. Using 1/8 oz. CAL jig with a variety of DOA paddletail/forktails.

I went str8 out deep past the sandbar. I fished slightly North of the 2nd weed-bed then cast straight off from Walton Scrub. I was way out very deep and cast as far East as I could. On my second cast I felt some weight and knew a fish has taken it hook-set, fish on- a big trout came up and jumped half-way out of the water and the lure came off. Oh!!! What happened!!??! I thought, "Maybe I set the hook too fast." But the next cast was heart-breaking.

I cast out maybe 20 feet North of the last cast and again...the line was heavy- a fish had taken it. Hook-set and a huge trout came up- I have caught one 5 lber and this one was all of that and more. It shook it's head and I kept the pressure on. The fish went down and the lure popped off. I was stunned but I knew there were big trout there so I immediately cast out in the same spot- trout on. This was not big and I took a pic and measured it- just over 15":

                                        First caught trout of the day (click to enlarge)

I spent a long time on that fish (pic, pliers, release) and got nothing on the next few casts. I moved South and hooked another small slot that was well hooked and also needed pliers to release.  I cast a few more times and had another hard bite- missed it!! Then I had a tap shallow- it didn't take it. More casts-- the bite there was over.

I went into the dead-zone, a stretch of unproductive water- it was dead. I crossed the 4 white posts to the edge of the 3rd weed-bed. It had been slow here the last few days but I always caught a fish there. I fan cast and got a strike but missed the hook-set. Slightly South, and far out I saw a fish chase some minnows. I cast and missed by 20 feet- nothing. I cast over it and wham- fish on. It was a good fish whatever it was and soon it jumped and I saw it was a nice trout. I got  a pic of it coming in:


              21" trout splashing, my third fish

I got a couple pics of it and measured it- a whopping 21". My third big trout of the morning but the first one I actually caught.

                                                          I'm starting to pull it to me.

                                             Getting ready to measure and release

I couldn't get much action on the 3rd weed-bed. I cast shallow and hooked a small trout and released it, my 4th trout. I fished the first pier for snook- nothing. I fished the 3rd weed-bed, nothing. Then I headed through the 2nd dead-zone to the 4th weed-bed. It was dead too.

I made it to the 4th weed-bed and got a strike, it ripped the tail off my last good color paddletail. I might have been a no-catch-em (Lane Snapper) which are little reddish snappers that peck at the tails of the lure. Their mouths are too small to take the whole 4" lure (there are bigger ones in the Ocean, I've seen pics of them around 16").

 I got another strike but headed for the 5th weed-bed which has been hot lately. I was using an electric-chicken color paddletail and got a couple strikes but no takers. I switched to a black and silver color and finally caught a small trout. I got a couple more misses and then switched to a fork-tail.

I was pulling it in fairly fast when wham- fish on. This was no dinky trout and after it went sideways and around me i saw it was a nice 2 lb jack. I got a quick pic:

                                                     Nice jack (click to enlarge)

I looked up, the wind was from the west now and slower but some black clouds were heading my way. I had to go back in case it got worse. The wind blew a huge rainstorm in front of me but it was far away- but not that far!!!

I got moving and went casting back to Walton Scrub. Some baitfish were surfacing and occasionally a bigger fish would chase them- mostly it was the bait. In the second dead zone I cast over some bait- fish on!!! Fish off!!! I felt it but it was only on for a second. I went back to the 3rd weed-bed. It was dead low tide and the storm was right in front of me. If I slowed down it would blow by me. After a couple minutes I got a strike and it missed, I pulled the jig up- the fish hit it on the surface, it missed again. I pulled the jig slightly out of the water when it went in the water- fish on!!! Fish off!!! I'm pretty sure that was a jack, but I'll never know.

The storm passed in front of me and the wind changed direction and was blowing North!!! Crazy!!! I went through the first dead-zone, nothing. I stopped at the 2nd weed-bed edge and cast for the big trout that were there earlier. No trout, but an nice 2-3 lb jack grabbed my lure and put a strain on my line.

As I released it, I looked up- more black clouds were coming!! Time to get off the water.

My totals: 5 trout (1 over 20") and two lost big trout, 2 Jack. A great day on the water!!!

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!!!