AND IT WAS!
(I hope everyone that visit's my blog, knows that each day follows the next most of the time. So if you fail to scroll down......you'll usually be left behind. Kinda like potato chips, you can eat just one.)
Things today went in a precession. First thing was the "POS" digital camera I have. Which happens to be a replacement for the same camera 3 camera's ago! Guess, I have to give up and get a new one.
You'll notice that the photos are all washed out looking. That's adobe photoshop corrections to photos that were so damn dark, you couldn't see any detail at all.....so bare with me.
First fish of the day was a pupper Redbass. Second fish of the day came on a bottom line I had out, while float-rig fishing. I had the float go down, at the same time that my bottom line took off bending that rod double. During the last of the falling tide. It was a BIG Pompano! Two or three pounds. And I lost it as it got wrapped up in my float rig line. Fishing two rods is great fun, getting bites on both is great fun. Loosing a big Pompano, is not great fun. And the spot I was fishing is personally famous for jetty Pompano. This had to be the 6th or 7th one caught here....usually I get them on the float-rig!
Remember, when I offered what no one else offers? And that was the chance to get a single passenger, weekday charter at 1/2 off? Ya remember that post here? Remember when I said, "this gets you out for some of those "EPIC" weekday, with no one around?"
KEEP READING!
Well, after the pupper Redbass, and loosing the nice Pompano I continued on. Tossing out a bottom line. Whole working the float-rig with a live shrimp. The bottom line with a dead shrimp caught Whiting. And then came the first Trout of the day. So far so good....."everythings going as planned".
Not a whopper by no means. But a keeper. So I kept fishing the first spot I dropped anchor. And then I caught a Spiney Boxfish. Always a cute fish to admire. And admire "how the heck does this guy fight this current?"
This was a "here's your sign", fish. The current went from smoking fast to damn near nothing in a matter of minutes. So I picked up the anchor and made a move.
Actually, during the tide change I like to go try places that I may not have fished in a long, long time. Or try a spot I've had my eye on. Just to get the feel of it, when the tide isn't screaming. And that's what I did. And of course, I had no success. But that's okay. I wasn't planning on catching much during the slack of the tide anyhow. But I had a damn good feeling that when the tide changes....."it's gonna be a Barn Burner!"
No one was around. There was a few boats at the tip of the north jetty as usual, and few trolling motorists fishing for Sheepshead. And that was it. A PICTURE PERFECT MONDAY. Exactly 5 days before the new moon. And what's the ole rule of thumb? Ya mean you didn't know, there was a rule?
The rule is 3-5 days before the moon and 3-5 days after the moon. Is when YOU want to be out there on the hunt. The hunt for what? All of them. But especially TROUT!
Why?
The tide, my friends. As I said in yesterday's post. TODAY, was the day you'd want to fish. The tide was a perfection 4.4 feet between low and high. According to the Florida Sportsman Tide planner, I faithfully use daily. Not too strong, and certainly not too weak. Just right!
I arrived at my next locale, and the tide was just starting to push. And the bites started slowly. And ended up being a Redbass Blast! From pupper sizers (15-17") to Reds in the too big catagory (28-30"). The big ones in my book take too long to catch. I could possibly catch 3 Trout in the time it takes to get one of these to the boat! I know charters love them. But I'm not here to catch big Reds, I'm here to catch big Trout.
So I worked through the litl' puppers, and the string stretchers, of which several I couldn't even stop.
It took 10-12 Reds, small ones and large ones before I finally caught one perfect for the fish box. And if I have my druthers, perfect for the fish box when it comes to Redbass for me is, 18-22".
But then again, "who cares", because I was also getting some seriously nice Specks in the mix.
Then, finally came that perfect Redbass for the fish box.
The Reds finally stopped biting behind the boat, so I started pitching to a spot up ahead of the boat, and that's where the Speckled Trout fest began. Three times, I was reeling in a fat Speck and had other specks chasing it to the boat. THEY WERE THAT THICK! As you can see, I knew something was wrong with this "POS" camera. In between the last Redbass, and the Trout clinic, I stopped and messed with it a bit. I'm a bit anal, so I just had to try and get the damned thing to work right.
I only kept the fattest ones, except the first one I caught. Which was the smallest. Easily boxing my measily limit of (5). And it feels like I'm back in the saddle again......Finally. After this summer and last winter, I can't even begin to tell you what glory I was in. But then again, all ya have to do is read the posts from January till now to realize how Trout starved I have been. It really did feel as if I wasn't going to see my Speck friends there for a while. This is what makes Dave tick. Float-rigging the jetties and whacking fattie Specks.
I got kinda lucky too. I had two fish that were around 20 inches. (limits are: one fish "over" 20 inches of your five) One was just barely 20" and another was dead on. So they both meet Mr. Coleman cooler.
I caught at least 10-15 Redbass, largest 30 inches. And played and played with the Specks catching at least 20 of them. Lost that one Pompano, which was a really nice fish. And caught a few Whiting, also. Along with the Spiney Boxfish. I had only two little Seabass, and only two rock blennies....to round out the trash list. I know I had allot of Sheepshead bites. But it really isn't time yet, to catch many of them on the float-rig. The water was 74 degrees basically, on my temp gauge....2 degrees down from last Thursday, which seemed like allot.
Are you sure you don't want to be added to my weekday roster? Single passenger, weekdays (no holiday weeks) at half price. You will be asked to commit to four charter days though, to get in on the deal.
Yep, there's two things that make for successful days, like today. Commitment & Timing. If you're retired and love fishing and love catching, but want to learn and learn allot. This could be the best "Groupon like" deal you'll ever be offered.
I'm looking for that local person, that wants to fish those perfect days, during the week. And the offer ends, March 30th. I cannot offer anything like this past then. So, jump on the Jettywolf, while the fish are chewin'.
When I was heading in today. I took this photo of a really bad ass shrimp boat. This is a boat right out of Glouster Mass. And the movie "The Perfect Storm". Quite possibly a Northern Long-liner boat converted into a shrimp boat. The red, really made it stand out.
As of now here's the up coming weather:
THURSDAY: NORTHWEST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. SEAS 3 TO 5 FEET. INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.
THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY: NORTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS. SEAS 5 TO 7 FEET. INLAND WATERS CHOPPY.
Good luck this weekend......couple those winds with the tides we'll be having associated with the new moon, (Saturday 6.2') and you'll need it.
I have Tuesday (11/9), as the tide backs off, pre-scheduled.
At least it will be COOLER.......
