12/12 - ROCK RIOT!
If you read Monday's report (12/10/07) things looked rather dim at the jetties for a float rig freak like me. Yeah, I was all upset, and could tell I was kinda pissy. But as an update to that report, I'd like to add...."I really think the moon had a lot to do with the bite." And since I'm up at 5am-6am, and usually start my fishing days early. I may have not given Monday a full chance. And got disgusted and went home too early.....actually started too early, and gave up too early, is what it was.
I live and breath the tides. Which in turn is also the current. As a float-rig fisherman. Tossing a jig or lure can have its good and bad tides. But basically, you can cast a jig or lure any ole time on any ole tide. But as a float man, I pay close attention to the details of the tide, like current speed, tide height: how low is the low tide, how high is the high? Because I'm kinda locked in to the current flow, even when jetty fishing.
So now that today was 3 days after the New moon, "I saw the tiny sliver of white on the moon tonight". It only made sense to me that when I went out early this morning, that I'd be cussing and moaning till low tide, that seemed to take forever to come. And I caught damn near zero all day n the incoming, and only got into fish, as the tide got really low.....just like I always do on a full moon too.
So I didn't even pay attention to my "own" Full & New Moon rule, these last few days!!
-Only fish the last 4 hours or so of the low tide!!
Why do I forget my own rules? I'll tell ya why.....I go too early, because I like being out there in my boat, but end up kicking myself in the pants, because at the jetties it's all about that low tide on the New & Full moons. And today the tide got really low!
So, I arrived to find a buddy sitting along the rocks after I went and jigged a spot with not a single bite, except Bluefish. I couldn't believe it. But he said he was getting some Yellowmouth trout, so I'll try that too. It was pretty much "I.G." - (Instantaneous Gratification) as I tossed my shrimp up to the jetty rocks. "Okay, things are looking up!" Then came the Speckled Trout.
And this one, too. That had not a spot on its body, just on its fins.
As the tide got lower and lower, I started catching either a Speck or a Yellowmouth on every single pitch up to the rocks!
So I tried, looking for bigger fish. And casting out deeper. BINGO.....bigger Specks out deeper.
And Yellowmouths up tight to the rocks!
By now, I had my limit of yellowmouths 15-18"and 4 Specks from 15-18". And was waiting for a bigger Speck.....and my float went down! The drag peeled, and this fish was what I was hunting for, and it came from out deeper. BIG SPECK....I could see it, so I grabbed the net. Looks to be a 5 pounder at least! BAM...it pulled off the hook right as I was reaching down to dip it up in the net! So, my largest Trout ended up being this exact 20 incher.
Okay....the Trout fishing is on fire. I have my limit. So what do I do now? Go in? NOT!
After Monday's disgusting trip. I'm catching me a lot of fish. So I continued to catch some Trout behind the boat. But things were looking kinda sweet in front of where I was anchored, now.
The rocks were all exposed, and I was learning something very valuable about the Jetty rocks where I was parked, in relation to where the fish were. I could find a distinct edge! Up in too tight, no bites, just outside a bit, a lot of bites, out deeper yet, bigger Trout. Now let's see if the proven area in front of my boat has the same thing going on??
So I jumped up on my bow deck, and made a long bomb cast, right on that same edge. SLAM DUNK!!!!!!! Wheww, my float went down instantly and I just had my name engraved on a silver platter! "That was a BIG fish!"....And it broke me off in the rocks. So I tied on another hook, and made a pitch right to the same spot with a fresh shrimp. Again....INSTANT HOOK-UP! And I'm not using my bigger fish float-rig rod and reel. A long battle gave up a nice big 31" Redbass! Then another, then another, then another.....Can ya see where I'm going with this?
I had Reds, back to back, taking a breather about every two Reds, to catch a Trout off the stern of the boat, till I had caught (15) Reds from 27" to 33". IT WAS A LIGHT-TACKLE FISH RIOT!
And a classic Full or New moon kind of bite. I've been here before and had the same thing happen. ( I had so many I tried holding up the number of fingers of how many fish, I caught)
These weren't lil pup reds either, they were all brusiers, with one that measured 27" exactly., That went in the fish box. And it never entered my mind that I had a heavier rod and reel sitting in my rod rack, that I bought just for these big mean jetty Reds.
I was using a set-up that is really addictive for Float-rig fishing. Its a G. Loomis 8'2" Greenwater rod, matched up with a Shimano Curado DSV 300, a "low profile reel" that has a 6.3:1 gear ratio but holds well over 190 yards of 50# super braid line, if the diameter is that of 14# mono. No other light weight, low profile reel holds that much line. And let me tell ya, this ain't no wimpy Bass reel. It man handles these big Reds as well or better than a Abu Garcia 6500. If I can some day afford more, there will be 4 more in my reel arsenal. I'm that impressed!
I first heard of this high line capacity saltwater/freshwater low profile Shimano reel on my favorite fishing show, Larry Dalhberg's 'Hunt For Big Fish' Where Larry and a Shimano guy where using them for Golden Dorado below a damn in Venezuela. And these fish are a combination of as Redfish, Snook, and Tarpon all rolled into one, and weigh 50-7o pounds! Of course, I fell for the shows "objective", when I had to get me no less than two of them, ASAP. And I'm glad I did. I've fished them now for 6 months without doing a damn thing to either of them....just a wipe with a clean wet rag.
The lightness of my entire Float-rig setup is so nice to fish with all day long. Now, I wish Shimano would come out with a BIG game version, of this reel, just a tad larger, larger counter-balanced handle, and even more line capacity.
As I continued catching these Reds, taking out revenge for having such a crappy day on Monday
it started to take it's toll. I was getting tired!
Can ya believe that. But really the rod was a little light for all this pulling and tugging. But the "burn" did feel good, I'll admit.
As you can see, just holding the fish up like I did in the first few photos wasn't working out as planned. And I was hurrying. But, I wanted some good Reports Blog material, for ya'll.
People ask me all the time, "If your alone, how do you get those pictures?" Never buy a Camera that doesn't come with a timer, if your a fisherman, I tell them. I set the timer and jump in front of the camera. I learned this trick off an ole friend, who always fished alone and always had plenty of self portraits.
I tried to give a "sign" after I took a picture of number 5 because there was no way to hold up 6 or 7 fingers and the fish at the same time.
I certainly hope that potential clients find all this hard work, informative (yeah, it's work doing these reports after fishing all day.) Because I certainly do not see anything nearly as thorough on any other fishing guides web sites. I've tried it all. Doing magazine articles (Jax Fisherman Magazine for 6 years), my own fishing videos (which can be found at the local Gander Mountain and on my tackle shop web page) and Saturday morning radio shows (WNNR AM 970 & WNZS/ESPN SPORTS 1460 AM) I have to say, this daily reports blog is cheapest to do, by far.
I had about a 1/2 dozen shrimp left and could have kept on going.....but after (30-40) Trout, and the (15) big Reds , I felt that enough revenge was sought, so I pitched the shrimp over the side, packed everything up, and headed back to the boat ramp. Feeling like, I never come out here without learning something new, or at least reminded of how I sometimes don't even take my own advise. Which is; "fish the right tides and save yourself a lot of frustration and time" But it was another beautiful day out there. Makes me feel good to be able to appreciate it, even though things are slow now right before Christmas.
Hey, treat yourself! Give me a call and we'll go try and get you into a fish riot of your own.
