Ran to the jetties first thing so I could dump my bait-well water and get fresh clean Ocean water in the tanks. Don't want anything to do with the river water right now. My bait was pretty happy, and so was I.
So while there, we float-rigged the jetty rocks for awhile. Man, was it basically, DEAD.
A couple Mangrove Snappers and a few Black Margates. And the Mangroves seem to be fading off a bit, where we were fishing. They surely are not like they were weeks ago. At the high water you could whack some super studs and many of them.
When they are 14-18 inches, boy do they make for some serious pan fried fillets. As good a eating as any fish out there. And a breeze to clean.....and ya know " I likes that!".
We moved around and still came up with not much. Saw a few "crowd pleaser" sized Tarpon rolling near our floats and live shrimp. And of course them finicky bastards weren't out to please us by no means. I hooked one last Tuesday while out goofing around...but that day was basically a wash with the west winds and comatose shrimp, because of the river's fresh water.
So myself and the two Don's headed down river and tried for a keeper size red in the river. Burning up some frozen crabs I had left. Don Sr. got one Red to the boat, a 28-1/2 incher. We lost another good bite, before all the crabs were gone.
I really was wanting a few Black Drum off the spot, since I've caught some real nice ones here before. But now with the crabs gone we moved on and tried a few Trout spots, but the tide wasn't right. It was screaming, when I needed a slow soft ebbing tide instead.
We ended up by the Navy base. Where on a falling tide has been EL TORO CENTRAL. Jacks, and I mean Jacks, pouring through willing to test your light tackle, my charter's skills, and while eating hooks and leaders like candy!
The two Don's went in the black when it came to getting all that bit, to the boat. And in between all the dang Ladyfish, one could stand. I actually tied on hooks and leaders and grab for the net most of the time. I did get a chance to take a few sets of pictures in of a few Jacks that made it to the boat.
I told Don Jr. here's where you can get long hard battle experience. Trout don't give this to you because Trout fishing/catching is more finesse fishing (which is why I love it). But Jacks won't cut you no slack. They expose what you still need to work on, when it comes to a fish that burns drag, bows rod's into horse shoe shapes and gives you some burn in the arms. Especially on my light Ugly Stik Striper rods. The guys were using. It was fun watching the rods bend, though.
We saved a few small Ladyfish for cut bait, and then tried for a "keeper" sized Redbass. And again, after approx. five 4 oz. bank sinkers and 8 leaders we finally got one to the boat. The nasty bottom we were fishing, and lost fish via slam dunk bites and blistering drag runs, had my light bottom tackle ripped to shreds. But we got what we came for.
Bottom fishing means a lot of tackle just plain lost to the river", that's why I love float fishing. But each time we tried it, we did get our "Targeted species", which was a good thing. Size of the Reds, is just the problem right now. It's hard to find that under 27 incher, where I fish.
We sure hooked alot of fish today. And if they all made it to the boat, it would have been pretty impressive. But that's the way the wake splashes.
I'm usually impressed if half make it to the net. Which would be a good ratio. Remember, folks.....these ain't the same as Billy Big Mouth Bass. They pull so you have too, or they'll find the motor, the bottom of the boat, a rock, you name it. Then, all ya have is the distant memory of the fish that got away, instead of that nice tasty fillet. Which is always a reminder of that great catch.
Although it was kinda a funky day's fishing. We sure had fun!
"Our fish have bad attitudes."
