Today was not perfect by no means. But I had two guys that were fun to have on board, and eager to learn and were interesting too.
Left out about 9:30am, and met up with Manny & Dan. Headed up into the backwaters, to where Kirk and I had a ton of action yesterday. But, we were pushing the tide, (being a tad too early) but at least the tide was falling.....I mean more like screamin'. A good acclimation spot seeing Dan from N.Y. never Float-rigged before, but Manny had. So I had time to really go over the in's and out's. Dan of course was the first to hook a few, some small Trout, Redfish and Bluefish. Then, Manny
scored a Flounder.But like most of my favorite spots, as the tide got right I could just tell something wasn't right.
We did have what felt like a hard south wind, maybe that was it, because the amount of Reds or Trout and size just wasn't coming. Even after a slight anchor adjustment.
The current was so screamin' fast with the wind behind it, I had the guys using my heavier float-rig rods, that could hold a two ounce Trout lead, and larger Float. So our presentation would be better. A bit of over-kill for the small Reds and Trout that usually are the first to bite on this spot. But I'll take presenting the bait right, to get the bite over battling the current and having a bad presentation, any day. I personally will use my heavy duty float rig tackle even for small fish, many times. Because it's all about catchin', not feeling good.
Dis-appointed, I headed on to the jetties. I surely had no reason, as I did yesterday in the nasty weather to put all my time into just one spot, especially if I could tell something was goofy.
I choose the south Jetty. And HOLY CRAP, was it a washing machine. I told Manny and Dan, "Its gonna be rock & roll boys!" But, they didn't mind if it meant bending a rod.
And easterly swell, and I'm talking 4 foot or larger. With a nasty wind chop from the south west on top of it all. So I ran out and dropped anchor way far away and made sure I had enough scope out to really hold us. The seas rolled over the tip of the jetty in true winter form. Helped along with the surging falling tide, that was ripping between the North and South Jetty.
We set the H.D. Float rig rods relatively deep because there was no backing up on anchor to get close to the rocks....no way. Not near the tip where we were. So the guys set out and made some drifts. Dan, the rookie float fisherman hit the first few. And they were small Yellowmouth Trout. The bites were pretty steady, and the fish were only 12-15". So the larger they were, the quicker they headed into the fish box. Then Dan scored a good size Sheepshead.
I had a good feeling we should catch a big Redfish, and maybe a few big Specks. But Yellowmouths it was, and only the one Sheepshead. And I gave it plenty of time, as we sat fumbling all over the boat, in the washing machine seas. We left out of there with 12 Yellowmouths and a 5 pound Sheepshead.
No photos. Sorry, I could hardly stand up. So taking pictures was out of the question.
So we headed over to the North Jetty. Ahhhh....it's actually calmer!! But it also had a evil side too. I anchored up and it ended being all wrong, but I quickly pointed out too Manny & Dan, they'll be into a whole new set of challenges.
It was Jigging Time!
So I showed them what to do, and made a cast up to the rocks. And of course as I showed them how to feel the rocks, and work the jig-n-shrimp combo meal I felt.....tick,tick!
I dropped my rod tip, took a reel, and set the hook and handed Manny the rod. ZZZZZ.... goes the drag and Manny's hooked up on the first cast to a 25" Redfish.
But as I said, we were anchored all wrong. The sea was sucking us into the jetty rocks, and we were really close. One rouge swell or weird gust of wind and we would be eating granite. So I pulled anchor and attempted to get it right. The wind was bucking the current, the end of the jetties was crashing with monster swells, but we were just going up and down and in and out with the sea....right into the jetty rocks!
The second time I went to pull anchor, the seas dragged the anchor (not a jetty anchor) into the rocks, and I couldn't get the anchor out. It's been a long time since I lost an anchor out there. And I could just feel "today was my day!"
So before the guys could really fish the spot, I had to cut the anchor line and leave an anchor, a swivel, and an 8' piece of chain in the rocks. Damn, I hate that!!
So we headed in to clean our catch.
12 - Yellow-mouths
1-Flounder
1- 25" Red
1-5# Sheepshead
So in the last week, I sat through 29 degree bone chilling freezing 20 knot winds, then gale force west winds and burning cold. 20-25 knots N.E. winds and dreary moist cold, and then today that started off as sunny and breezy, and ended up cool, windy, rough as a cob and then loosing all my ground tackle to the rocks.
Whewww...I caught fish in the 29 degree weather, and I couldn't believe we did as good as we did, I cancelled one trip and 30 minutes later, gained another. Caught hardly no fish on Friday in the gale, then had a blast catching a whole bunch in the crappiest weather Saturday. Then had decent weather today, but lost $50 worth of anchor equipment, but did catch some fish, just not enough.
And it's all in a weeks work, in the winter time.
And just think every stuck in an office employee who owns a boat and thinks he knows how to fish real good wants to take my job, or ever retired executive with too much time on his hands want to take my job from me. If this was really easy........Everyone could and would do it. It certainly isn't no walk in the park that's for sure. I earned ever penny this week.
Have a happy Holiday......I'm here for all your Sport fishing needs.
Next up pre-scheduled: 28th & 31st
