Monday, January 7, 2008

1/7/08 - I can't believe it!!!!!!!

Remember me saying how I was so looking forward to fishing up in Simpson's Creek with DOA ROB, since it's been years since I had a boat small enough to make it in there?

Well, today was the day we planned on going.

Weather.....Perfect
Wind......Perfect
Temp......Perfect
I was so psych'd up last night. Especially after having such a great day with Kirk M. on board.

So I called Rob, and we figured out the tide and what time to leave. He had been up in Simpsons creek on Sunday too. So I said, "I hope ya have them all penned up for me." and he replied, " I had a great day today, the Reds were going off......"
I was so fired up, I was like a lil' kid and had a hard time sleeping!
This particular creek we were going to is a "local knowledge only creek". Because like most of the area it's filling in with continent sized sand bars. And it's for shallow draft boats only. And getting in and out is reserved for the people who frequent it, all the time to watch the changes.
I was once one of those people.
I used to fish it in my 17' Carolina Skiff, and my 22' bay boats I ran for Caps Marine. And had some great days up in there. Mostly tossing lures, as in MirrOlures and DOA shrimp. Hence DOA Rob's nick name. It's about all he uses. The only lure that has the perfect fake shrimp posture, profile and fish ability. I used to use them enough, that I got a bulk discount from the manufacture, even. So, I don't feel like I'm a rookie user. But DOA Rob has taken it to a new level.....almost the same level as Mark Nichols the inventor and owner of DOA Lures. Rob just does it on a local level in his boat and kayak. Mark, does it globally!!
So here we are. In the creek we always refer to as and "Ocean creek" because of it's proximity to the Ocean on both ends of it. Clean clear water abounds, especially in the winter. And so does BIG Speckled Trout, for the regular angler. DOA Rob, is that regular angler. Like I have names for certain jetty rocks and can tell ya' what tide and time of year that I've caught what size Trout or Redfish, so does DOA Rob. Each lil' feeder that dumps into Simpsons creek, he can remember what size Trout he caught there, and when.
That's called, LOCAL KNOWLEDGE!
We no sooner get into position for a drift with assistance from his trolling motor on his 'customized' McKee Craft 17 footer, than he catches the first Speck of the morning. We're using nothing but "almost" matching DOA Shrimp lures. His is a 1/4 oz. grey colored really almost black. Mine is a 1/2 oz. a tad larger, but not by much, and is Black with silver fleck.

He always throws the 1/4 oz. on a fairy wand spinning rig. And I always throw a 1/2 oz. dark in color, (doesn't really matter to me just as long as it's dark) and I was using a light bait casting rig.
The DOA shrimp is a great lure. IF you just use it the way its intended. It's a do nothing lure.
Just cast it to the right spot, and pull it along the bottom. No jigging, no hopping, or jerking. Because a naturally swimming shrimp neither jigs, hops, or jerks. Go to the bait shop and look at the live shrimp in the tanks. They "HOVER"....like waterbourne helicopters. They swim forward with the use of their finlets, located under their tails, and use the planers on their heads for up and down. Kind of like a submarine. Natures, lil' submarines is how they swim. And only kick and go backwards when attacked by a predator. A DOA shrimp is designed to look like a swimming shrimp.....ready to be attacked by a predator. Like a Speckled Trout.

Rob hooks up with probably 5 small trout in the first hour. I get one bite. Mind you, that we're both casting the same banks littered with oyster beds that have drop offs, where Trout lurk. Now, it's two hours into our day and Rob's got the first keeper Trout, I got 3 bites, and not a single taker.



I'm starting to wonder what the hell is going on?
I've been in this same creek, this same time of year, throwing the same DOA shrimp and caught loads of Trout. JUST AS ROB, IS DOING!

So, I continue. But one thing I do know, is that Rob knows the area way better than me. Hell, he was just here yesterday too! And secondly, the first cast into a good spot, usually nabs the aggressive single Trout. And who gets first dibs?

The person running the trolling motor!!!!
I was in the back of the boat. So I had to search my own spot to make a cast, at high tide, not having a clue of the topography of the bottom. Just relying on my own instinct. But it never helped. So I changed my DOA shrimp and put on another, with a lighter Fluorocarbon leader.
Still Rob was "wack happy", catching a Trout off of every little spot, it seemed. And I still could even get a bite! So I went to a MirrOlure
Catch 2000. A slow sinking or suspending mullet imitator. And finally got a bite, now 3 hours or more into our drift down the creek. But Rob kept waxin' me. And now had released at least 7 or 8, and put 3 in the box up to 4 pounds! Plus, he had a pup sized Redfish or two. Along with tons of bites.
We did bring live shrimp, just in case. And I even tried the float-rig, but have ya ever fished a Float-rig as the boats driving around on a Trolling motor?? It can't be done, correctly.
Pissed ain't the word.....
I said after I finally caught a 12 inch Trout on a
3-1/4" MirrOlure, "Geez Rob, this is why I got up at 5am this morning!"


My frustration was hurting. Especially after I've been here before, done this very successfully before many times, and was so excited last night.
That's what really hurt. The dreams I had of a great day!

Rob and I just couldn't figure out what was wrong. I was just not meant to be here today or any other day, I suppose.

And the funny thing was that I'm not some guy that fishes once a year. If Rob was in the charter biz, and this was happening. Holy crap, I can't imagine what a client would think.

And I was thinking also about all the charter guides I see fishing their asses off up on the front deck on the trolling motor, as they catch one fish after another. Sometimes looking oblivious that they actually have paying customers standing behind them that aren't expert casters, or fisherman.
We fished our way out of the creek, because we had to get out before the tide got to low to do so.
But not after Rob catches a nice Redfish off a shell bar, that I probably casted too a few times also with the MirrOlure and never had a bite.
After the Red, we moved on... and out after even running into a few sand bars because the water was so low.

We went to a second area that I have float-rigged before with another friend Nick, in his 17' skiff and that day we caught 4 trout, but the gnats ran us off before we could really enjoy the spot.
This area has Trout written all over it. Deeper swifter moving water. And Rob catches more Trout, while I get a tap on my DOA Shrimp, and that was all.
I switched to the float-rig and a live shrimp....pretty much futile in a moving boat, but I did catch a pinfish and another 12 inch Trout....sort of a mercy fish.
We leave there, run up another creek on the way home, and Rob catches only one big Trout there....I get one or two hits on my DOA.
Then, we run back the intra-coastal waterway back to the St. Johns River. And stop by White Shell rocks. I catch a 12" Trout there on a MirrOlure, Rob catches a few Trout on his DOA.
We left as the tide went dead, because I had to be home and on to an engagement by 5pm. And Rob ended up with 7 big fat Specks and a 23" Redfish in the box and probably caught damn near 20 of various sizes, to my 3 tiny yearlings.
So, what do you think the deal was today?
I certainly don't know for sure, but can guess....
If it's at all possible for a 1/4 oz. Grey/black "non" silver flecked DOA shrimp, to be all that different than a 1/2 oz. Black with silver fleck DOA shrimp?
I know local knowledge has it's benefits.....but I didn't fall off the mullet truck yesterday, either. I should have at least connected a few times with my DOA shrimp.
Was the cards not in my favor after catching a big fat Trout yesterday with my client Kirk?
(and just so you know our agreement is that I fish along with him....99.99% of the time, this fishing guide does not fish with his clients)
I really don't know....but if you'd like some 1/2 oz black with silver fleck DOA Shrimp lures. You can have them. I'll stick to my Salmon Stalker Float, and live shrimp, behind an anchored boat in perfect current. I won't wear out my casting arm that way, and will always catch me some dinner.
And you will too!!
Float-Freak, over and out!

Sunday, January 6, 2008

01/6/08 - A GLORIOUS DAY!

Okay......I'll admit, I went out on Saturday by myself and didn't do a Blog report.
ecause it was cold, and I had a lot of just plain "funk" all over me. I left out too late, it was cold as all get out on the river, it was windy, and all I caught was a bunch of 14-3/4 inch Trout and one small Sheepshead. It was basically the first day after the gale force winds, and freezing cold we got slammed with. But I just had to go. And nothing was worth discussing here.

So today was a day I had planned with Kirk M. to fish, since we were actually scheduled to go on that first day of sub zero temps. And I told Kirk.....I don't think it'll happen. Even though we have fished together in 20-25 knot winds in 30 degrees before and caught a load of Reds in Dec.

Kirk is local #1, and he's a good angler #2, and he does a charter right #3. What do I mean by does it right? He wants "one on one" guided fishing trips. Kinda the way I always envisioned this business would be. Ya know, like a Fly fishing flats guide in the keys. But what are a lot of the calls I get? Well, I had one call today for 12 people, and another for 4 passengers offshore.

I don't have a boat the size of the Queen Mary, and secondly......I don't fish offshore! I inshore fishing, period.


And here's good reason:

Kirk & I caught fish, after fish. 2.5 miles from the boat ramp where we left from. Bait was in the water 90% of the time. And we fished a whopping two areas and came back with limits of Speckled Trout to 7 pounds, Yellowmouth Trout, 3-Black Drum to 6 pounds and 2-Sheepshead to 6 pounds. ON LIGHT TACKLE.

We had so much fun that in another country it might be illegal.
NO LONG runs to a distant land. Real easy to make a pit stop,
and I even had too. So we ran back and I visited Mayport Marine's
facilities, next door to the boat ramp. And then we soft peddled our way right on back out to the inlet.

This is what I live for. And this is the way it always seems to be when Kirk's out with me. We have great days together.

Live shrimp and a Float-rig, Trout and Sheepshead. And the action was constant as long as the tide was moving. Then, we finished
up the shrimp on 3 - Black Drum.



We even got one of those "us" in the boat photos.


















Here's my "redemption" from a bad day on Saturday.
My 7 pound, 26" Speck!














I think this is the most pictures I've tried to jam on to this
space.
If you're gonna let the good weather report this week
pass you by......oh well. But if you want to go out and give
this a try.
CALL ME!

Remember.....I always believe in Photos say a thousand words. If it's happening, you'll SEE it here.

Friday, January 4, 2008

1/4/08 - Cramping my style

I'm never prepared for this. Especially mentally. And it's a sure sign, "I'm getting older".

THIS WEATHER IS SEVERELY CRAMPING MY STYLE!

Wind Direction (WDIR):
NE ( 40 deg true )

Wind Speed (WSPD):
15.0 kts

Atmospheric Pressure (PRES):
30.67 in

Air Temperature (ATMP):
49.6 °F

Wind Chill (CHILL):
43.7 °F


I want to go fishing. Hell, I have shrimp in my live well covered up with a blanket and the well sitting on a heating pad jacked up to maximum warp heat. But, can I muster the strength. Knowing all too well that the wind speed is 15 knots, but in reality more like 20 knots when I get out there. (something ya learn as you get older and wiser)

I'd go out and fool around, if the wind would die off. I bet it can cut ya like a fillet knife. Especially, when you're not used to such cold.

I don't mind the cold that much and can dress for it. But that wind is making me very apprehensive.

Here's a few pics of last year in late January and in February, when I was told I looked like "Yukon Cornelius" on vacation!



It was bone chilling this day too. But ZERO wind!

I have a charter on Sunday. The weather guessers say by this weekend, it should be bearable. I'll have Kirk M. with me....
Mr. N. Dakota.

He's obviously immune to all chill. But then again, I'm sitting here right now and freezing behind my desk! The heat in the house is running and just won't stop. I live in an ole Florida house, not really good for anything less that 40 degrees.
Unless I spent several thousand dollars in upgrading it. IE: insulation, windows, doors etc.

And the friends I have that live up in Mass. and Maine can't believe Floridians get "cabin fever", but I can tell ya that the first signs of it are coming.

Fever or not, I'm getting e-mail after e-mail for charters. Or "tire kickers" as I refer to them as. From all over, but I only take seriously, PHONE CALLS!

Most E-mailers, I never hear hide nor hair outa them ever again. But they want, something? And all this info here and on my web site ain't enough, I guess. (that's Amazing!!!!)

I'm sure we'll bounce outa this freeze soon enough. But what concerns me is big changes. I like to keep up with my fish, and visit them often. And I just can't muster the strength to go out today in this burning wind and cold.


I'm another year older.....and maybe smarter???

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

1/2/2008 - His name is D.O.A

Well, not much to report....all ya have to do is walk outside. And that's yer report.
The huge weather occurrences are obviously easy to forecast, ever notice that?
But the slight things, like wind direction, speed are the tough ones. So, the weather guessers surely got this one right. It's really really cold.

I was standing in front of B&M bait and tackle yesterday, along with 50 other people on "customer appreciation day", which is always New Years day. Eating some of the best food I've ever eaten out-of-doors. Fried Grouper, Snapper, bbq ribs, greens, salads, beef, venison, chicken, corn bread, tater salad, brownies, cookies, stews, you name it....Each year I look forward to this on New Years day. The B&M folks, Rusty, Tracy and Patsy do it up right, along with help from customers who bring some superlative dishes for everyone.

If you're reading the blog, but not from here. Today was the start of a massive cold blast to hit Fla. Winds are gusting to gale force, the high temp is 40 on my back porch, and this morning it was even colder. The wind gusts have the temp feeling like it's 30 degrees...this morning it must have felt like in the teens. I've fished in some cold windy days (which can be seen here on this reports blog) but C'C',on....This morning had to brutal.

Not what we're used too. And 99.999% of us don't fish in. Because we're too used to nice warm days. (60 degree at least)

Yesterday, while at B&M bait and tackle, I was standing there talking to all my friends with a long sleeved T-shirt on and shorts. AND SWEATING in the sun.

I was invited to go fishing with a friend yesterday. Not even thinking about the cold and wind, I replied, "I have errands to run, or I'd go". Well, I just got back from B&M where I stopped in to say hello. Come to find out, this guy went fishing!!! According to J.B. that works at the bait shop.

"Dave, your cohort went fishing this morning", said J.B.
"WHAT????" I replied.
"Yep, and he left out real early, like 15 minutes after we opened this morning at 6am." said J.B.
"Holy Crap. Yeah, he invited me and I told him I could go after 9am, but he said that was too late. I said to him, man it's gonna be cold and he said, Oh well I'm gonna run the boat, anyhow"
"So how did he do?" I asked J.B.
"he's crazy.....But he caught himself some Trout!!!"
"Wow, that's one tough dude" I replied. "almost makes me wish I could have gone too."

His nick name; "D.O.A. Rob"

He's a fellow year round Speckled Trout chaser, and has now gained even more respect of mine.

He's my kinda guy.