5/7 - Great Crew...Really Bad Forecast

Had Jason and Robin on board today from Bozeman, Montana. Talk about Landscape and probably Culture shock!

The forecast for the day was SUN, HIGH UV RAYS, WARM, 10 KNOTS OF WESTERLY WIND.

REALLY???? 

Where was that at????

We headed out early this morning at 7am. Rising tide. First thing I did, was taste the water at the boat ramp. Since this was my first day out since the storm.

I tasted NO salt.

So we headed down river. Robin caught two small Trout and a Bluefish at spot one. Spot two we didn't get bit. And on spot three....(we were doing the world tour already)....more Bluefish. Spot four, nothing. Spot five, wind was heinous!! And just wasn't working. Spot six, completely fed up already with the weather, it was a hide away from the wind spot. And there is where Robin caught the first keeper Trout.

But on this spot I quickly noticed a huge change. Last time I fished here NO Mangrove Snappers. Now?
Jason and Robin's shrimp were equally and relentlessly murdered constantly. And as I tried my luck, so was mine.

Time to shinny-up those "stopper knots" and get the live shrimp higher and away from the bottom. It didn't work. But I did catch a decent 17 incher.

The Mangrove's sent us packing. So we moved, but not far. And by now it was raining. The same ole story. When there's "weather", the game fish quit and here comes the bait snatchers. Personally, I was sick and tired of it already. Sick and tired of leaving the dock with no predictable weather or known action. Or let me say, I know what the deal is. So there's no mystery. But that's this time of year, that's for sure.

Has me already longing for deep winter days along the jetty rocks, again. At least I know what we're in for then.

And now add in the Mangrove Snappers, OMG!

We fished our way back, and Robin and Jason and I caught a few more small trout, a few Ladyfish, and a mini 1/8th pound Jack Crevalle....Whoa! Variety!

So our day ended with two keeper Trout in the box out of 8 dozen live shrimp. YOU do the math.

Jason was actually "schooled" by his low key, and secretly intense wife. And she was great to have along. Because if it was just jason and I, we would have quit from boredom. But Robin kept a pace.

We had fun, but the weather guessers were so wrong, and that's what really pissed me off. I was so looking forward to a kick butt day after cancellations and reschedules because of the forced weeks vacation I had.....Loosing too much $$, because of it.

No video, No photos. Too busy working to put a fish in the cooler.

5/6 - The HD Croaker float...."its time"

TECH-TIP:

Welcome again to the Wolf Den for a Tech-Tip. It's time to build a few more HD Croaker Floats for summer.

Here's how I do it:

.051 heavy SS lure wire - Obtained on Ebay always from seller:
(edgara1106salguero on Ebay)

4" Pear Floats - In bulks can be obtained at:
www.floatsunlimited.com - Comal

A few beads, and a heavy swivel to be used as weight to get float to stand straight up.
A vice is handy.

A live 3-4" Croaker, or a large Mullet and you're ready.

This is just "ONE" way of rigging a float for the job. SURE, there's loads of other options. I just like these, because I've used them for Croaker fishing to chunking baits to 100 pound Blacktip sharks, behind a shrimp boat over the nets. Emphasis is on "H.D."

(disregard "time stamp" on video. I was using a brand new Sports-Vue 360 HD, and had not cleared the un-wanted menu items just yet)

5/5 - ABSOLUTE POLICY

Well, my Sunday charter didn't want to go. They called last night and in the midst of serious down pours. They don't know the weather as well as "their Guide does". I told them, "I was still on. I have faith it's over on Sunday according to all forecasts." But they didn't want to go.

And as it turned out....I was correct. We could have gone today, on Sunday 5/5!!

So....Here's the new policy:

NO charters will be cancelled or rescheduled because of weather, until the morning of. So, unless notified by Capt Dave, via telephone call. Be prepared to stay with plans and show up at the boat ramp, 15 minutes prior to departure time. And no matter what, come prepared with proper attire, because you will be in the great outdoors.

5/4 - Will it ever end?

GO the hell
AWAY!