JULY 7,06 FISHING

WELL WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY RAIN AND THERE WERE A FEW THAT WANTED RAIN, THEY GOT IT ALL AT ONE TIME. WE NEEDED THE RAIN BUT I AM NOT SURE IF WE NEEDED IT ALL IN ONE WEEK? WARM, RAIN, SUN, HUMIDTY, I LOVE THIS PLACE AND SO DO THE FISH.

COBIA AND KINGS, BIG DOLPHIN AND MUTTON SNAPPERS FOR A START. THE COBIA ARE HANGING ON THE REEFS, IT COULD BE THIRTY FEET OR SIXTY, FISH OF ALL SIZES. ANCHOR THE BOAT OVER A REEF AND LET THE MOTORS IDLE THE FISH WILL COME TO YOU. THE MUTTONS HAVE MOVED IN, GOOD NUMBERS AND SIZE IN DEPTH FROM 40FT OUT. GAG GROUPER AND AJ’S TO TEST YOUR WILL. KINGS IN THE THIRTY POUND CLASS AND SOME BARACUDA THAT WILL MAKE YOU CRAZY, YOU HAVE A BETTER SHOT IF YOU TROLL FOR THE KINGS, START IN THIRTY FEET AND STAY THERE. HAVE YOU TRIED THAT NEW WILLIAMS RIBBON FISH, IT IS KILLER. THE DOLPHIN WILL TEST YOU, BUT WHEN YOU FIND THEM THEY ARE IN THE TWENTY POUND CLASS AND BIGGER. AS MY FRIEND SQUEEKY WOULD SAY "RUN AND GUN" LOOK FOR TEMP LINES, LOOK AT THE WEEDS AND DO NOT SPEND A BUNCH OF TIME ON EITHER. LOOK FOR ACTIVITY, BAIT, FISH AND THING. WHATS THE TEMP, WHAT WERE THE TEMPS WHERE YOU CAUGHT YOUR LAST DOLPHIN, PAY ATTENTION COUSE YOU WILL FIND THEM AND THEY WILL BE OF EXCELLENT SIZE. HAD ONE THIS WEEK FROM 200’ AT SIXTY THREE POUNDS, IT WAS HIS ONLY CATCH. YES, WE HAVE SAIL FISH AND "BONITA FEST 2006" WILL MAKE YOU ALMOST AS CRAZY AND THE BARRACUDAS.

SMALL BOATS RUNNING THE SURF HAVEALL THE TARPON THEY CAN HANDLE, SQUEEKY HAD ONE ANGLER ON ONE FISH FOR THREE HOURS AND THE FISH NEVER GAVE UP. THREE HOURS INTO THE FIGHT MR. TARPON JUMPED FIVE FEET IN THE AIR AND RAN A HUNDRED YARDS OF LINE OFF. THE FISH WAS TO THE BOAT SEVERAL TIMES BUT NEVER GAVE UP KNOWING HE WOULD WEAR THE SIXTY POUND LEADER. ONE FOR THE FISH, ZERO FOR THE ANGLER, I LOVE WHEN THE FISH WIN. JACKS IN THE THIRTY POUND CLASS AND THE SNOOK HAVE MOVED IN TO SPAWN. ANGLERS STANDING ON THE BEACH HAVE HAD AN EXCELLENT WEEK. EARLY MORNING IS THE TIME CASTING LARGE RATTLING TOP WATER PLUGS, JACKS AND TARPON TURN ON THEM QUICK. SNOOK LIKE THE SMALLER SINKING PLUGS, DRAG THEM IN THE SAND IN THE FIRST TROUGH AND HANG ON, THEY HIT HARD. PLENTY OF WHITING AND CROAKERS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY BRING THE ICE.

RIVER ANGLERS, WATER TEMPS ARE HIGH; YOU NEED TO BE IN THE WATER BEFORE SUN UP. THAT IS WHEN THE BEST NUMBERS ARE WORKING. TOP WATER IN THE SKINNY WATER, REDS, TROUT AND SNOOK TOP THE CATCH LIST. THERE ARE PLENTY OTHERS BUT THIS GROUP MAKES UP THE GREATEST PART. YES THE FISH HANG OUT IN FIVE FEET OF WATER AND THAT IS WHERE THEY GO AFTER THE SUN COMES UP. BRIDGE ANGLERS FISH THE EARLY HOURS AND THE LATE HOURS THAT WILL BE YOUR BUSY TIME.

TILL NEXT WEEK, ENOUGH RAIN……