Tarpon Quest 2! August 17,11

    .
    Tarpon Quest 2! August 17, 2011

I couldn't resist chasing the tarpons around Wednesday morning! I did not have a partner to fish with which is not the best idea but I took a chance. I glassed a number of bait pods and finally settled on one with some nervous bait after studying them for a bit I was able to see several tarpon roll in them. I grabbed my gear and put in.

There was a pretty good swell and the surface was a little rough which made finding the bait once I got out there a little hard.

The action was real good! I snagged a pogy and casted him back in the pod. Within 10 minutes I got a strike and the line started heading east. I set the hook and a slob of a tarpon in the 140-150# range rocketed skyward. He thru the hook on the first jump which was probable a good thing since I was by myself. I snagged another pogy and immediately had that one stripped from the hook. The next bait got the same result.

The next pogy made it about 5 minutes before the line started to leave. I set the hook and pulled the pogy right out of his mouth without ever sticking him?

Once again I snagged another pogy and heaved him back into the middle of the school. In just a few minutes the rod pulled down and I set the hook, grabbed the camera and was able to just catch her first and only jump.





The tarpon immediately headed east for deep water. I hooked her in 18' and in 12 minutes we were in 45' with 3-4' swells but remarkably the fight was over at that point. I tugged her on board for some pics and turned her loose.





I was a little uncomfortable with the conditions, especially since the fish had almost pulled me over trying to get the pictures. I decided not to push my luck and headed for the beach.

The tarpon action is really great right now but no telling how long it might last.

    Good Luck,
    Larry S.

PS, I have several people inquire about which PFD I am using. It is a pretty decent vest and has held up well. It gets a little hot but that is probably true for the others as well. This one is a Bass Pro Shops vest. It is reasonably priced and here is a link where you can find out more about it.......

Fishing Report 6/12/11 - Mosquito Lagoon

. 

Mosquito Lagoon Sun.  June 12, 2011
Moon - 3 days past first quarter
M.F.=  7:40 am
Temp.: Low 69 at daylight,  86 at 2:30
wind: NNW @ <5  mph early, laid flat at 10:00am then switched to E at 8-10 mph
pressure: 29.98 (Steady to slightly rising)

humidity: 88% at 6:00am, 51% at noon   

rain: 0

Mostly Sunny

This morning I decided to go back to one of my favorite spots on the east side of Mosquito Lagoon. I haven't been there in about 3 weeks and the conditions have really changed. I was the first Person through the gate this morning and was launched just after 6:00am.  I had noticed a lot of bait near the launch last time I was there so I did a little plugging with the 17mr and picked off a real nice 17" flounder the first crack out of the box. I flipped him in the boat and he shook off the hook and landed in my lap....Man that was close!

I paddled on looking for tailing redfish but all the flats I had seen fish on last time were so shallow the grass was exposed. To make things worse, the grass was shedding and the dead grass had floated up in to a thick mat way out and fish, particularly trout, couldn't get to the sand holes I intended to fish if they wanted to. I found some lady fish here and there but if was slim pickin's.

I decided to go on the hunt and paddle south looking for signs of life.

After about a mile and a half I came into a little deeper water with a mixed bottom but more grass than sand. Shortly after, a swirl up ahead caught my attention and I grabbed my plug rod and made a cast. As fish closed on the quartering plug , all of a sudden they exploded, I felt a solid thump and the reel started singing. After a short tour of the flat I finally got the big red boat side and got my hand on him......29 1/4"! A heck of a nice fish.

By the time all this was over and the picture taking was done I realized I was in the middle of a big school of fish. At first I thought they were small reds pushing but I believe it was just catfish with big mullet. I did hook another large redfish in a flats jig tipped with a tiny bit of ladyfish but he straightened the hook and tore off. I hate it when a fish gets off like that.

I pushed on south and ended up about 2 1/2 miles below the launch before I turned around and started heading back.

As I was paddling back I caught a glimpse of something dark, above the water and about 4ft. long. "I sure hope that was a manatee" I thought ! I decided to check it out. Being that I was in a 12' plastic boat I approached the spot cautiously. There was a big muddy spot and I was paying close attention. Unfortunately, I did not see the one on my right and paddled up a little to close. About the time I noticed it...it noticed me! Lucky for me he did not try to go under the boat and went around but I still got rocked pretty good....man that was close.

Well, about a quarter mile from the launch I noticed a manatee nose poke up out of the water. You guessed it.....I paddled over for a closer look! I readied my camera for a picture. I came alongside, parallel and dropped my paddle to the bottom to keep the wind from pushing me on top of them. About then the pair noticed I was there and did not like it. They both beat their tail violently in the shallow and headed for deeper water. The amount of water they displaced was incredible and I was able to get a little bit of a picture. I don't think I have ever seen such spooky manatees. They wouldn't try to hurt you but you could get flipped pretty easy.

I guess the total catch for the day was (35) ladyfish, (1) 29 1/4" redfish ((1) big one lost), (1) 17" flounder and (3) ambitious pin fish, zero trout.

I 'm still not excited about the fish I have found for the up coming tournament but this red would have been a contender!

A rod for every occasion!

Larry

Fishing Report 5/24/11 - Pellicer Flats

.
Pellicer Fishing Report
Tues.  May 24, 2011
Moon - Last Quarter today
M.F.=  5:05 pm
Temp.:  84
wind: SSE @ 10-12  mph, (pretty windy)
pressure: 29.98

humidity:   

rain: 0

sunny

Notes: Barometer was slightly falling thru the day 30.05-29.98! Light chop, water clarity low.

I loaded up and headed for Pellicer flats this afternoon. I got a little later start than I wanted due to a client stopping by. When I got to the launch I couldn't believe how low the water was! There was already 16" of water gone out and many oyster bars were well out of the water. I expect the Southerly wind had help the tide extra low.

The wind was blowing right down the river which made paddling in a little more of a chore. I fished my way in one of the cuts leading to the flats and picked up a nice 16" trout off a point at a tee in the creek. The trout smashed a 5m18 floater on the deeper side of the creek, along the mangrove bushes. He never came up to fan the top of the  water like a trout but it was a good fight and I thought it might be the start of a good afternoon. I have really been wanting to get into some top water trout action. Fooling a big trout into striking a top water plug is as exciting as fishing can get.

Well, I paddled for the flats from there, to a little area with channels and oyster bars that has been good to me in the past. Unfortunately, this day would not be one of those days. I never drew another strike for the rest of the evening. Other than some active bait (mostly mullet) the flat was pretty dead and I never saw any striking activity.

I also fished a curly tail chartreuse jig with no success. After the last trip which I had some trout activity on, I expected to see some action. I will say the tide was pretty low and had been going out for probably and hour and a half by the time I got there.

I had planned to go tomorrow but I may hold off on going back for now. The tide will be better but it has just been so windy it almost takes the fun out of it.

Here's a couple nice pictures anyway,

Larry S.