The weather guessers got this right for sure. When giant oaks are blowing around, there is no doubt. This is a windy day.
I had Tom and his girlfriend booked for a week now. I told Tom who had ONE day to fish, "I have a feeling Sunday is gonna be bad."
As I talked to him on the phone on Saturday afternoon, I said. "I have a plan for us. I've been holding on to a spot jus' for this kind of occasion....astronomically high tide with the New moon, and a gusting gale force N.E. wind. So pack your wind breakers, your gonna need it."
I pulled into the boat ramp at 8am, and right behind me was Tom and Sue........over a 1/2 hour early!!! Now that's what I'm talkin' about. Ready to go, and dressed for success. The winds brought some cooler air along with it. And that's one thing I'll never complain about.
Tom's fished before, but Sue has never fished or even caught a fish. And what a day to be a "FIRST-TIMER". We ran down river and like usual, I was putting all my marbles in one sack. This area I was heading too, had to work. We didn't have all that many alternatives. And it was mandatory, Sue had to have FUN, and catch her first fish.
Float-rigging live shrimp, over shallow shell bars, out of the major wind, as the tide rises. This was the plan.
And it worked!!
Tom caught the first Trout a 1/2 inch short of legal. But it was a start.
It wasn't like the action was "wackin & stackin" them, with Instantaneous Gratification. But soon after Sue caught her first ever fish, on her first ever fishing trip!
We worked two areas no deeper than 3 feet, with "pegged" Float-rigs. And started putting all legal Specks in the box, a throw back thin Flounder, and Sue even caught a decent Croaker on her float.
My crew was on a road-trip from S. Florida, heading back home to Nebraska. So the plan was to "fuel-up" on Fresh Fried Trout cooked up at Singletons Seafood Shack, before hitting the road again. And that boring ride west on I-10, with the next stop Tallahassee, then New Orleans, before heading Northward.
The fish box started piling up with Trout, from 15 to 17". "Better than a sharp stick in the eye", I always say! I was just so glad to see a plan come together, especially in these conditions. We stayed out of the major wind, but still keeping the boat from pulling and dragging the anchor was a chore.
I could not believe we didn't catch the first Redbass! I didn't care if it would be just a 16" pupper. Just wanted Tom to see one at least. I've caught them before on lures in this exact spot. Bait was everywhere, glass minnows, small mullet, birds diving....but no Reds.
The fish went from biting pretty good to an all out shut down at the high point of the tide, with us still trying it wasn't like making a major move to another area made any sense. So we stayed at it for another hour, and then said, "Let's go, and clean up dinner."
With two limits in the fish box, my crew had the making for a good fish fry at Singletons. The wind never really let off the whole day. And you wouldn't believe the number of boats that were out. I guess with it being a Sunday, the Monday to Friday work force just doesn't care. They're going anyhow. Kind of like I have too.....but then again, NOT.
As I write this report, it's 7am on Monday morning and it's now raining pretty hard. Surprised I'm not booked with a crew that has just Monday as a day to fish, and I'm not heading out in it.
Guess, I'm catching a break? hahahahahaha
(Have float-rigs, will travel. Now that I have a newer more powerful truck to pull my boat and not even feel it back behind me. I'll be heading north-ward to fish soon. R&D a completely different area, jus for fun. So stand by for pics and video.)
