FLORIDA FISHING REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING 4/12/08
by
Capt. Butch Rickey
It was supposed to be a week of five trips beginning on Sunday. But, I canceled Sunday's trip with Bob White to reschedule later based upon the best prevailing information from NOAA and NWS. The rain never materialized, and although the wind did really kick later in the morning, it turned out to be a much nicer day than forecasted. Oh, well. You have to do what you think is right.
Monday, I had my first trip with Pete Michel and his long-time friend Ray Povia, of Cape Coral and Ft. Myers. I met Pete when he bought some stuff I had listed on Craig's List, and we got to talking about fishing and other stuff. Heck of a nice guy. One thing led to another. This trip was actually a surprise for Ray, and he didn't know anything about it until that morning.
I fully expected a tough day right after the front, and it certainly began that way. I was concerned about getting bait, but we got plenty of beautiful shiners at Tarpon Bay. Lack of bait at least would not be an issue.
We took our bait and headed up into the east side of the Sound in search of snook and redfish. We stopped along the way to see if we could jig up some ladyfish. I figured that might be the only bait we could catch a redfish with after the front, but the ladyfish didn't want to bite. We only managed to put 1 into the boat, although we did left a half dozen escape our hooks. Well, I figured we could turn the ladyfish into half dozen reds if they would eat later in the tide.
For the next couple hours we fished hard in quite a few spots, and virtually every bait we tossed was scaled by snook. But, not one fish actually ate a bait, and we found ourselves fishless to that point. I knew it would be hard, but I wasn't looking for a skunk!
It was time for a big move and a strategy change. But, when I got to my chosen area there was a boat sitting close enough to the area I wanted to fish that I couldn't approach without bothering him. So, we kept on going.
I settled on another area that I have fished very little over the last few years. It's funny how fishing spots change with the years and fall from favor with both angler and fish. But, my gut was telling me I needed to fish this spot, and I listened.
Well, from the time we arrived until after the tide had turned we were on fish, and catching redish and snook on virtually every cast for a couple of hours. It was a great bite, all on our live shiners, and when we were all done and ready to head home, Pete and Ray had bagged some 35 redfish and a dozen snook. We never even considered steaking up our ladyfish. It just wasn't his time!
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
What had started as a tough day finished as an incredible day. Pete, Ray, and I had a blast, and although our brand of shiner fishing is not easy to adapt to for most, the boys quickly got in the groove and put a whoopin' on 'em.
Tuesday brought the same kind of conditions and tide for my trip with Bruce Boardman, of Saint Clair Shore, Michigan and Bonita Springs, and his good friend Bill Holland, of Elk Rapids, Michigan and Bonita Springs. I've fished with Bruce and Bill for several years now, but we missed last year because of scheduling problems. I was looking forward to seeing them again, as we've always had fun.
Knowing we had good bait at Tarpon Bay, we headed straight there and went to work on it. With Bruce chumming we had plenty of bait for a day of fishing, and were on our way to see if we could catch some ladyfish. I still thought the ladyfish would be a better ticket to the big reds I've been catching over the past few weeks. The ladys were slow again, but after an hour or so we did have a couple to present to the big redfish.
Our first snook stop gave up only two snook. A very slow start, but we were a couple of fish ahead of the previous day. At the next stop we had lots of bites and scaled baits, but only managed one more snook. They were still playing hard to get. With the water getting right, I decided to turn our attention to redfish.
After a short ride, we were easing our way into the area that has been giving me some great redfish. We would be steaking our ladyfish up for bait. I knew the fish were there, and could only hope they would eat. I steaked up the first ladyfish, and put out three baits; two spread 90 degrees in the deck mounted rodholders, and one down the middle with Bruce and Bill alternating being a rod holder.
It wasn't long before we had our first redfish action. Bruce struck first gold. Then Bill. The boys put half dozen nice reds in the boat, and suddenly it was over as quickly as it had started. We stayed with it for a while, to make sure it was really over before leaving to chase other fish.
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
As I approached the same flat I'd found the fish on the day before, I decided to toss some chum far from where I'd found the fish then. When several of the chum were immediately devoured in a swirl of water that is classic redfish, I knew we were on the fish again. So, for the next hour or so we fished until they slowed, and then moved up about the distance and got on them again. We did that several times, each time getting back in the fish. By the time we were ready for lunch, Bill and Bruce had bagged nearly two dozen of the redfish, and a number of snook. We didn't keep a hard count, but it was a good bite, that made for a good day.
We now had company on our spot, and decided to leave it with them and head to the Waterfront Restaurant. We had a fabulous lunch and good conversation to cap off the day, before heading to the ramp to clean fish.
Wednesday was the first of two trips with Rick Hubbs and his good friend Bob Murphy, of Cape May, New Jersey. I first fished with Rick back in January, which is one of the two toughest months of the year. He's a very interesting and fun guy, and I had a blast with him. In January we fished artificials. These two days would be very different, as we would be live shiner fishing.
Once Rick and Bob were aboard and situated, we headed off to Tarpon Bay for bait. Bait had not been hard this week, but with the re-injury to my back I could hardly move around each day after catching bait. Handling and throwing the castnet repeatedly really aggravates the situation. With Bob chumming we had a good load of bait in an hour or so, and were ready to take on the day.
Our tides were a bit higher each day, which was giving us more water earlier. They were also not as strong. We headed to a spot where we would spend some slack tide time hoping to catch anything. But, nothing was biting. We had one ladyfish along with our bait. By the time the water began to move, it was already high enough to think about chasing redfish on the flats.
We made a move and went to work. Oddly, it didn't take long for Rick to score the first big red; a beautiful 29 inch fish. I thought me might be in for a good bite on the big fish. But, the second fish was an 18 inch fish, and then they quit. Cold! We couldn't get them to bite, again.
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
Not wanting to waste any more of the tide, we made another move to some snook grounds. The first stop gave up one small fish, but we were a little early. A quick move put us on some fish. Rick quickly put a 29 inch snook into the boat, and both the guys put some smaller fish into the boat. We never really had the hot bite of the previous two days, but we just kept moving and catching a few fish at each stop.
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
By the time the tide was done, along with the bite, we had put together a pretty good day with fewer numbers but some quality fish. We headed back to Punta Rassa to clean fish and get ready for Thursday.
Thursday morning Rick and Bob were quick to tell me that the snook they'd prepared on the grill was some of the best fish they'd ever had. No surprise, as it is wonderful on the table and is highly sought after for that and its fighting abilities.
We were ready for a new day. I hoped for a better bite. I really wanted to put Rick and Bob on a redfish bite. So, once we had bait in the boat at Tarpon Bay with Rick chumming, we headed off to try our hand at putting some ladyfish in the well.
We headed up to the power lines, and tied on some TerrorEyez jigs. We caught quite a few trout, mostly small, and were ribbing each other about catching the wrong kind of fish. But, eventually we found a pod of ladyfish, and got the hang of hooking them, and put four nice ones in the well. Now, we had plenty of bait for the big reds, if they would just eat.
But, we had to wait a bit on the water to move, and went off in search of snook, first. We drew a goose egg at the first stop, and moving north from there everywhere I went there were boats sitting close enough to keep me out of where I wanted to fish. I went quite far north into the Sound and there was traffic everywhere.
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
We headed back south a found a favorite spot of mine seemingly unmolested. Rick struck pay dirt first with a very nice redfish, but that was it. We had plenty of baits scaled by the snook there, but they wouldn't eat.
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
We moved on to another redfish spot, and worked it over well. Rick boated another redfish there, followed by several nice snook by both of the guys. After working the area over well, we moved on still in search of a redfish bite.
When I got to the next stop there was a boat in the area, but we were able to get to my spot without bothering him. We were soon on a good snook bite, but there wasn't a redfish to be seen. We finished the trip right there with a total of nearly two dozen snook, two redfish, and the trout from early in the day for the Slam. It had been a pretty good day, and Bob, who had limited fishing experience, had really put things together in the second day.
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
All in all it had been two good days of fishing with a couple of great guys. The fun for me had only been tarnished by the relentless pain from my back. I was afraid I might have been a bit bitchy, and apologized to the guys for that. Bob, said I was a sweetheart compared to some of his coaches! Rick vowed to be back for more fishing, and I hope Bob will be with him.
IS IT REALLY SPRING?
Well, that was the week. On balance, a lot of snook and redfish over four days, and a lot of fun with great friends and customers. That's what makes this such a great business to be in.
Be sure to check out www.BestFishingBooks.com, Books and gifts for fishermen from my friend Jim Dicken!