We continue to catch 25 inch plus trout, but with Spring Break on us look for the traffic to move the larger trout from the shorelines and out a little deeper. Returning last Wed. I was able to get in 4 days on the water before the WIND FANS started!!!!! Wish I could say we caught numbers of 25" plus but with Spring Break on us the traffic has started! I just wish folks who have scooter boats would NOT BURN the shore lines but run a little deeper. All they do is scatter the fish from shore line structure. Oh well! We just have to live with the ill-informed!
Last Wed. was a good day with large numbers of upper slot reds and numerous trout. The largest 2 trout were twenty-eight and twenty-eight and a half inches, weighing in in the low sevens. Most of our fish came from two to two and a half feet along grass edges fishing dark colored soft plastics. We had twenty to twenty-five MPH south winds which blew the bait up against the back side of a small point. Getting my boys to stand in one spot and not wade thru them was a chore but after twenty minutes and numerous reds with a number of larger trout thrown in for good measure they planted themselves and caught fish the next 2 hours.
Thursday and Friday was a repeat of Wednesday. Fish were stacked up on the point with the wind keeping the bait cornered. Reds continued good along with one good trout twenty-nine and close to nine pounds. Just couldn't make her break the nine pound mark BUT CLOSE. We continued to catch eighteen to twenty-three inch trout. Again dark colored soft plastics.
Saturday and Sunday were a repeat of the previous days with HIGH WINDS but the fish still cooperated with us. We caught good reds and solid trout from seventeen to twenty-three inches. But as I said earlier, the traffic increased due to Spring Break and the SHORE LINE BURNERS!!!! And the better trout have started their move to more secluded spots away from 35 MPH Props! Looks like we will be going to the more out of the way spots not normally fished. Those big trout just do not stand up to this much high speed traffic. There are still plenty of fish available along the normal spots--the larger fish will just go into hiding.
Water temp. Has gotten into the 70's so spring has sprung and fishing for numbers will just get better. Fish will be making a move to the sand and grass pot holes along both the East and West sides. Find the bait and the fish will be there and willing to eat.
Colors we have been most successful using have been darker colors on windy off colored days and lighter colors when we get those lite wind days. Look for the wind to be the norm the next 2 months
It will not be long until offshore will be lighting up and I will be spending as much time as I can in blue water. Hopefully the Tarpon will return as good as last year.
I want to thank all who have joined our forum and especially those who are posting not only questions but reports as well. Please feel free to use it as that's what it's for. We want to wish everyone a happy Easter and good family day. We will be taking the weekend off to visit with family and friends.
Capt. Bruce W. Shuler
Get-A-Way Adventures Lodge