Monday, February 2, 2009

2/1 - Hard to get a "groove" on.

Had Peter F. take advantage of my "Super-bowl Sunday" charter I had announced earlier that I discounted....."because I'm usually out there alone, on super bowl Sunday's".
It's a serious "couch potato", party day for most folks, I guess.

So I met Pete and his daughter Nicki, and we took off to the ICW. There was one heck of a weak incoming tide today. With a SW cold wind inshore. But I gambled at heading to an incoming tide spot I fished on Friday, with good success with Dave C. just as the tide was moving in.

I went through the "everything you need to know about Float-rig fishing , but was afraid to ask" session, so Nicki knew what we were doing. Since she was the newbie on the deck, today.

The current was perfect, everything looked great. But we never lost a single shrimp to fish lips!
So I made a move, tried it again....still ZIP. Hmmmm, just three days prior this spot was a I.G. - instantaneous gratification location.

"Oh geez, it's not gonna be one of these days is it?" I thought. And in the back of my mind I figured we'd just bottom fish a few places also, since we couldn't keep any Trout. But since we didn't catch any....I was wide open to about anything.

We ended up at the jetties, caught a few Yellowmouth's, a few small sand Trout on the high tide, and couldn't get a "groove on" there either. It was cold and the winds chill was a burner. Pete & Nicki could have had on about 3 more layers on, to be more comfortable during the "on plane" boat travel.

We fished a spot on the North Jetty and caught a decent Speck, and a Flounder, then finally the tide switched. And I had a spot where I wanted to pitch some bottom rigs out and look for some Drum along the rocks. Not the best tide, I'd opt for the absolute last of the falling tide for Drum, "but I had what I had."

Used the cider-block anchor and held along the spot perfectly and pitched out some baits. A super hard area. On my color 12" bottom machine, it's solid red. Hard, like lime rock, which it probably is. Swept clean from the current. Pock marked with holes and voids that I can easily see. But I've never bottom fished here....so we were doing some R&D on the spot.

It may have been the tide, the 57 degree water temp. who the hell knows. But we caught TOADFISH. Then, Black Seabass. I told Peter and Nicki, that Toads are the lowest on the totem pole, if they're able and biting it's because no one else is. But at the same time, you are probably fishing some serious "crag-nasty" bottom if you're away from the jetty itself, and still catching them. But, we stayed and continued to see what would happen after the current really started rolling along.

The good current came. and then nothing happened. The bites stopped completely. And it was getting late and really cold, so we headed back to the dock.

I'm not giving up on this "PHB"-patch of hard bottom. But will try it again, on another day at a lower tide. I find so many places as I work along the rocks float-rig fishing. Usually I see things as I'm slowly cruising along from Trout spot to Trout spot. And having a really good bottom machine is invaluable. This was one of those areas. When I see "RED" like that, I have to drop down on it. (bright red and thick, = a really strong signal return from my bottom scope.) Just like you see on an offshore reef. And as the saying goes;
H-A-R-D means, F-I-S-H.

Except for today, obviously. But I don't give up all that easy on an area. Give me a month or two and I'll know every square inch of that spot. I've already caught a decent Trout there. And believe it's where I'll find some Gators in the 18' of water, come Spring.

No matter how hard I tried today, it was hard to get a groove going. And now that I look back, I should have stayed in the ICW or river during the falling tide, instead of going to the jetties. But I hate second guessing myself. But we all do it.

Pete and Nicki learned a thing or two today. We went over plenty of the details.

But I'm waiting for the day I find them monster Yellowmouth Trout (up to 5# plus). And get in a rally of them, that makes everyone all smiles, and lasts for an entire tide. They're a cold February day at the jetties, "Day Saver" for sure.

--------------------------
BTW....the Shimano Tekota 300's casting reels, I have for sale on the side bar of this page are now on E-bay. So if you've been thinking you may want one at this deeply discounted price. Call or email me.
-------------------------