8/1 - August Nor'easter already????
Yep, if the temp was lower, if I had on my Grundens fisherman's fleece, and the shrimp were bigger......I'd almost swear it was February, or March at the inlet today.
Nasty, slop choppy seas, high North East winds and a fun swell. Ahhhhh, my kinda day matey's.
I was almost not gonna go, but what the hell I thought, "go try your luck...I mean, "skills".
So after getting maybe 12 usable size shrimp in my 6 dozen I hit the river and headed straight towards the jetties. Yeah, I got 6 dozen and maybe 12 were of usable size. The rest were either 2 inches long or dead already. Bait frustration again.
I wanted to see if I could bend the "whoop-ass rod" on something badly. I've been out on days like this in the middle of the summer before, when we get a rouge Noreaster. And have hooked as many as 5 tarpon in that kind of sea. So don't cancel out any big fish when it's nasty. A full moon incoming tide, white caps and froth gets things all stirred up.
But anchoring where the "stirring" is happening, can be the trick O' the day. I pitched my anchor and it held for 5 minutes. Just long enough for me to catch a 31" Redbass that weighed in at 10 pounds plus. Then the anchor would get snatched free of the jetty rocks and I'd get a case of haul-ass and drift away.......
So I re-anchored again. This time I caught a 19" Flounder. Then the anchor would get snatched free of the jetty rocks and I'd get a case of haul-ass and drift away....
I re-anchored again........I know what your saying! Get a better anchor, or put out more scope, right? NAW...I couldn't put out more scope and my customized JettyWolf anchors are okay. It was windy, lots of current, lots of swell and the water was breaking over the jetty rocks, (SEE PHOTO) as I tried my best to get the boat to stay in a 50 foot circle of space along the rocks. This has happened before, it'll happen again....I thought as I repeated out load SERENITY NOW.....SERENITY NOW, attempting to not get mad.
So I re-anchored again, this time paying as much attention to technique and strategic placement of the anchor as I could. It held! Long enough for me to work the area again a few times. Making perfect drifts with my big float-rig and usable size shrimp.
Float goes down behind a swell and never comes up. I reel and come back with all 9 foot of the whoop-ass rod and drag peels. The fish goes from 28' of water straight to the jetty. I could see my float being dragged across the surface fast. I put this 9 foot rod where it needs to be...In the shape of a horse shoe, cranking fast and pulling hard. And I can see it's a good size Jack Cravalle. Against the "BIG" rod it wears out quickly. And into the net it goes. A solid 10 pounder.
Then guess what happens???? The anchor gets snatched free from the jetty rocks, and I'd get a case of haul ass and drift away....one mo' time. Just for fun!
I anchored no less that 12 times along the jetty rocks today. Pulling in that 12-14 pound anchor and 8 foot of heavy chain, another 8-10 pounds. Reeled in a 10 pound Redfish, and a 10 pound Jack, and I wasn't out there but maybe 2 hours, so far.
WHAT'S YOUR DESCRIPTION OF A GOOD DAY??
Yeah, this wasn't what I'd describe as a great day either.
I was down to maybe 2 usable size shrimp by now, so I moved down to the south jam where it was much calmer, and tried 4-6 feet of water. Nothing was happening. So I pulled the anchor loose myself and headed up river.
I went into a creek no one ever goes in any more (except for me) I've been fishing this creek for what seems as long as I've lived in J-ville. I used to live in this creek when I had my 14' Aluma-craft boat. And man, has it changed since then.
The NE wind was absolutely howling by now and the tide was just starting to ebb in the river as I entered my oldest of "stomping grounds".
I picked and poked around, having the wind give me a serious fit, but managed (2) 14-3/4 inch Trout, and (2) small Mangrove snappers up in there.....on shrimp that were so small they made my "TINY" #8 hook look tooooooooo big.
I about had it at that point, most of the shrimp were dead and I had my fun at the jetties doing the, re-anchor, catch a fish, re-anchor, catch a fish, re-anchor, catch a fish.
So there ya have it.
SOOOOOO glad I didn't have a charter today, not because of the weather really, but because I know how people burn baits. And if I had a 6 hr. trip, the bait would have lasted 2 hours maybe. I made what I had last 5 hours.....that's the difference.
Tomorrow it's supposed to be due EAST, then come around to the south for Friday. (so they say)
