Sunday, April 1, 2007
4/1 - ...."its blowin again"....April fools!
It was Brian & Matt, wanting to go fishing.
They said they were hung-over, had a wild night but really wanted to go fishing. They called around and ended up with my phone number, from a friend already out fishing.
Well, ya know how I love "last minute" phone calls for charters. So I told them I too am sitting here waking up slowly while still in my BVD's.
But they didn't hem or haw, they wanted to go and laid a Visa on me with no gripes. (usually these types of calls never work out....not because of me, but because fishing was just a whim)
But not these two guys.
So I said, "Okay, meet me at 11am at the dock". I scurried and got my act together, loaded the boat and just knew it was gonna be a cone-a-rama out on the river, and it was! The ramp was full, the river was full, and there was people wall to wall everywhere you looked.
And ya know how I just love fishing in and around other people. I DON'T, I HATE IT!
(It's heredity. My Grand father was incredibly unsocialable when he fished so my dad tells me and he says; "you're just like your grandfather, if he saw a single body standing on the beach when he went surf fishing, he'd pack up and leave that entire stretch of ocean.")
But that was back in the 1950's, he'd just flip if he was alive and trying to fish these days, without seeing a soul.
I got a good word that the jetties were heinous, big seas and big wind. And yes, it was windy when we left, too. So my 2 crew members didn't want any parts of rockin & rollin' so we turned left out of the boat ramp towards inshore waters.
My options were pretty limited starting late and with so many people everywhere, so we went to the closest place I know we can hide-out.
We were early on the spot, but I didn't care. I had to stake claim or loose it to the unknowing weekend crowds.
The tide started to drop, and the bites came.
First fish was a small 14" pup Redfish. Then a Flounder, then a good pull on the rod lost to a user error. Then another Redfish, a 22 incher. Then more traffic coming thru screwing us over, then some small Trout, then a keeper, then another lost good puller, then a few more small trout.
Then our current died....Time to move on.
But as we were fishing the wind was worse and worse. South at a good 20 knots easy!
April fools!!!!! Ya'll who listened to the weather guessers, really got bent over the rail today. (personally I never even looked at it and didn't care. I had a feeling nothing would change from the rest of the last 30 days.)
Is that why the river was a July like festival of boats, because the weather guessers, said it was gonna be nice? Sure was nice. NICE AND WINDY.
So we looked around, and it got to the point where a boat was on every spot, the wind was bad everywhere, and the river was so rough it was like being offshore during a gale.
So we pretty much went back to the creek, caught a few more dinks at dead low tide, and then headed in.
We had a pretty good day considering a late start, too many people, and to much south wind. Keeping one Trout, one Flounder and one Redfish for take home.
Now I have Monday thru Thursday reserved...and will not be fishing next weekend probably.
5 days in a row, and if I have to fight the wind I'll really be tired of it. But according to the forecast:
- MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT SOUTHWEST WINDS 10 KNOTS. SEAS 2 FEET OR LESS. INLAND WATERS A LIGHT CHOP.
I guess I may get a breather from the wind burn.Because as of now the whole week looks good.
My News page is where you can find what dates are "pre-reserved", in case your interested in booking a day of float-riggin, aboard the CaptDaves.com boat. Along with other pertinent dates.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
3/31 - Blustery, overcast, WHO CARES?
Friday, March 30, 2007
3/30 - Ya' should have been here...a few days ago.
I'd hate to know the ratio of reserved trips on "Iffy" versus "good" weather days, so far in 2007.
So, the theme of this weekend and UGLY MARCH is the photo to the right. Because calm waters....slick seas, and low wind, where the fish are has been hit & miss this month. I no sooner have a big time game plan and then get shut out, for Friday (rescheduled to Monday) and I'll have to see what's up for tomorrow......but we're going anyhow.
I truly believe I have rescheduled more trips in March that I ever did in January & February.
I think we're on the 17 day with Easterly or N.E. winds, and tough fishing conditions.
"and people ask why I do not fish offshore any more", include me in a trust fund and I'll go right back to it any time. It's hard enough making a living fishing the river. I'm not a part-timer! This is what I do.
But, each month has it's challenges. And so, I procceed on.
This is just a weather FYI, incase your trapped in a cubical with no windows. (UHG)
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
3/27 - They came ready to rumble!!!!!!
Friday, March 23, 2007
3/23 - Renewed Vitality "Spring has Sprung"
Alrighty...Finally a day where the East winds weren't the center of my world! The wind was there, a bit more N.E. and not as strong as it has been. We could actually F-I-S-H.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
3/22 - Leave it up to March
Monday, March 19, 2007
3/19 - More Spring Breakers and EAST winds
3/19 - Special Request.....how-to
Sunday, March 18, 2007
3/18 - Quick time tide......
Had Chuck R. and two boys out today. They were here along with all the girls for a Cheer leading competition down town. And as Chuck said; "We are not hanging around to watch all that...."
Saturday, March 17, 2007
3/17 - step back.....take a look....reschedule....
Friday, March 16, 2007
3/16 - MORE WIND! (how much can I actually take?)
Thursday, March 15, 2007
3/15 - Not a great day for the Speck Hunter...but rather the 'spot' Hunter
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
3/13 - A New Face & Giant Shrimp Vs. T-routz
Sunday, March 11, 2007
3/11 - Early Rising...Blurry eyed and Fogged
Saturday, March 10, 2007
3/10 - Late day falling tide, BLITZ
Took Tom W. out today for a late day falling tide whammo. The breeze from the N.E. was still up, but nothing like yesterday. Although it was still chilly.
3/9 - Cold & Windy, and a follow-up story.
More like, "an airborne attack from the North East, at 20 knots Skipper, should we drive up the sails??"
I was out early. And should have just stayed home. Because my heart just wasn't into it. It was a waste of shrimp and fuel for me today, I just wasn't in the mood for fighting the weather once again. It seems that's all I do any more.
At high tide I went and caught a bunch of small Trout on a MirrOlure on a submerged Mud flat, and that was about it. And constantly wonder why this spot never holds a single Trout over 14 inches, no matter what. So I'm Xing it off of my Map.
But, to FOLLOW-UP on a previous story....
I was catching zero, and ready to go home, by the tide got low'ish. And Nick who fished with me last week to get some "pointers & tips", comes on by in his 17' SeaChaser the Red Drummer.
We talk as I sat on a rock hard spot, with two lines out with light lead looking to get a Sheepshead bite...(waiting on the falling tide) in which I received zero. So Nick took off and went float fishing in a creek, and later called and said he caught an 18" Flounder. But his float rig wouldn't stand up for some reason. Since my power of observation is very keen, I noticed his big ole Float was too big for his trout lead when he came by earlier. I said, "Your floats to big for your lead, that's why....come over here and get a lead off me."
I was wanting to pack it up and go home. So Nick pulled up minutes later and I gave him a few weights to try. Because when Float rigging, your float must stand up straight, on the drift. (It's a trial and error thing, because 99% of the floats out there do not tell ya what size lead to use. The only ones that do are Salmon Stalkers, by Premier Plastics found in Cabelas.)
So, as Nick and I shot the bull for a few more minutes, I pointed to an area that he ought to try. I said, "You need to go over there.....and anchor up along that bank in 8-9 foot of water because if you don't I might." Since EVERYTHING....EVERYTHING lately is about the low tide, there ought to be some Trout in there.
So Nick takes off, and I go home. I get a call a a few hours later, while slopping together some thing that resembles a supper for myself. It was Nick, and he said he caught Trout, some small, some good keepers. I said EMAIL A PIC TO ME. And I'll do a follow-up story.
PICTURED ABOVE...a 25 incher. That has to be a 5 pound Gator Trout?
Man, was I happy for him, and sad I didn't go over to that spot I sent him too, myself.
But the point is, a day or two of "Coaching" can go a long way....a very long way. Although there was still some coaching going on today too, the guidance he received on our two trips together was worth their weight in gold. I hope, Nick is on his way to being a Full Time Float Freak now. He's got good tackle, he bought a G. Loomis Popping rod, and a Abu Garcia Chrome rocket reel. He's got a good fishing boat, that drafts no water, but has BIG water capabilities too. And now he's got an idea pf what to follow to find his own good spots, and get his own groove going.
And best of all, when he buys two dozen shrimp for a 1/2 day trip after work, he'll come home with Fish, not with two dozen shrimp still in his live well.
This is what a Private one person weekday charter can do for you. If you want to improve on your skills......FAST!
I get a lot of e-mails, and people think it's a magic spot, a magic day. There's no such thing as Magic, you have to learn to make your own magic. And that's called local fishing knowledge.
Or you can do what one guy does to me, and others. He follows me around all the time. His name I think is Doug, and we call him "the shadow". He knows just enough to be dangerous and maybe someday he'll get his boat shot with a flare gun and sunk at the jetties, if he keeps pissing people off. THAT IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT.
Nick's another happy angler on his way to "float-freakdom". Now maybe he can teach me to play the Bongo's or something. Since he is drummer (percussionist).
Thursday, March 8, 2007
3/8/07 The Weather Guessers
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
3/7/07 - Another beautiful day.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
3/6- Wonderful weather.....You Choose.
Out wackin them like the GUZZINO BOYS last March.....or walkin' the nasty streets of Blizzardville?
Have ya'll looked outside???
Wind Direction (WDIR):
NNW ( 330 deg true )
Wind Speed (WSPD):
6.0 kts
Wind Gust (GST):
9.9 kts
Atmospheric Pressure (PRES):
30.35 in
Air Temperature (ATMP):
58.3 °F
Water Temperature (WTMP):
59.2 °F
Wind Chill (CHILL):
55.0 °F
SUN-LEVEL (fish-ability, and makes ya feel really good inside)
100%
C'mon people.....this is it. Don't call in July and think the inshore fishing is gonna be as good as it is right now.
Monday, March 5, 2007
3/5 - Figure this.....
Sunday, March 4, 2007
3/4-Blowing so hard there was seas in the creek
Friday, March 2, 2007
3/2 - Reschedules, New's Page, and Your replies.
(Capt Dave & Long Time client Ken Simpson pictured)
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