SEPT. 18, 07 FISHING

YES, IT IS SNOOK SEASON AND THE BITE IS ON, LOTS AND LOTS OF CATCHING BUT NOT MUCH KEEPING. THE NEW SLOT, 28"/32" MAY BE GOOD FOR THE FISH AND NUMBERS WE MAY SEE BUT THAT 4" SLOT IS A TOUGH NUMBER TO FIND. WE HAVE A VERY GOOD POPULATION OF SNOOK AND I AM MORE THAN SURE THAT THE NUMBERS WILL GO UP AND IT IS NICE TO SEE THE FWC BE PROACTIVE RATHER THAN REACTIVE ON THE ISSUE BUT? WE HAVE MANGROVES AND SHALLOWS WITH GRASS NOT AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE BUT STILL PLENTY OF NURSERY FOR THE BABY SNOOK TO BAD THE OTHER AREAS DID NOT TAKE CARE OF THEIR NURSERY SO WE WILL BITE THE BULLET FOR THE BEST OF THE SPECIES AND KEEP CATCHING WITH NOT MUCH KEEPING. THE SNOOK BITE HAS BEEN EXCELLENT WETHER FROM A BOAT, WALKING THE SURF OR THE BRIDGES THE CATCH LIST IS LONG AND PLENTY OF BIG FISH. WALKING THE SURF USING CHROME TOP WATER, SPOON OR LIVE MULLET THE ACTION HAS BEEN BUSY, EARLY HAS BEEN THE PREMIUM HOURS. THESE FISH ARE IN CLOSE, YOU ARE FISHING NORTH AND SOUTH NOT EAST. THE SOOK ARE IN THE TROUGH LOOKING FOR WHITING AND CROAKER OR ANY LITTLE FISH LOOKING THING ANDTHAT IS WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. THE TRICK IS TO CAST PARALLEL TO THE BEACH AND GET AS MUCH PRESENTATION TIME AS POSSIBLE, MOST OF THESE FISH WILL BE WELL OVER THE SLOT SO BRING THE CAMERA. LIVE BAIT FANS CHECK OUT THE CIRCLE HOOKS AT YOUR LOCAL TACKLE SHOP AND ASK THE PROPER WAY TO FISH THESE HOOK. LURE FANS GET THE BARBS OFF IF YOUR LURE HAS TWO SETS OF HOOK THINK ABOUT REMOVING THE MID SECTION, I PROMISE YOU WILL STILL CATCH AND NOT MISS. BRIDGES, LOW LIGHT AND DARK HOURS IS THE TIME FOR THESE LOCATION. WITH PLENTY OF BRIDGES ANDALL THE PILINGS THE FISH HAVE LOTS OF AMBUSH POINTS, BEING LAZY AS THEY ARE IT IS EASY TO SEE WHY THEY LIKE THE BRIDGES. SHADOW LINES, DEEP WATER, SHALLOW AND THE NARROWS MOST BRIDGES ARE BUILT ON MAKE FOR JUST THAT EASY TO GET DINNER. FOR THE ANGLER THE FISH WILL FEED INTO THE CURRENT SO PRESENT YOUR BAIT WITH THE TIDAL FLOW, CLOSE TO THE BOTTOM AND CLOSE TO THE PILINGS AND STILL THESE FISH WILL BE OVER THE SLOT SO BRING THE OTHER CAMERA AND PLEASE DO NOT TAKE A KNIFE TO THE GUN FIGHT, BIG TACKLE, YOU WILL HAVE TO GET THE FISH AWAY FROM THE STRUCTURE. NOW FOR THE FLATS, THIS IS WHERE YOU FIND SNOOK OVER AND UNDER AND EVEN IN THE SLOT. GRASS EDGES, DOCKS, CHANNELS COMING INTO THE RIVER ARE ALL GREAT SPOTS. FISH ON THE BOTTOM THAT’S WHERE THE FISH ARE AND YOU ARE TAKING DINNER TO THE FISH. LOW LIGHT HOURS AND DARK ARE MOST PRODUCTIVE BUT YOU MAY FIND THE FISH WATING FOR LUNCH YOU JUST NEED TO PUT IN YOUR TIME.

SURF ANGLERS IT HAS BEEN AMIXED BAG OF FISH FROM TARPON TO SAND PERCH, YOU PICK THE TIME AND THE FISH WILL BE THERE. EARLY FOR THE TARPON AND SNOOK, MID MORNING TILL MID AFTERNOON FOR THE WHITING, CROAKER AND A MIX OF BLUES, MAC’S EVEN A FEW POMPANO NOT TO FORGET THE BIG JACKS ARE THERE ALL DAY.

TROUT FISHING CONTINUES TO BE EXCELLENT WITH FISH WELL OVER THE SLOT EARLY, ON BIG TOP WATER PLUGS. THE RIVER HAS BEEN EXCELLENT ALL SUMMER, NO RAIN, SALINTY IS HIGH AND THE FISH LOVE IT. REDS AT LOW LIGHT IN THE SHALLOWEST OF WATER, FISH THE MANGROVES, IF YOU ARE NOT CATCHING TREES YOU ARE NOT CLOSE ENOUGH. FROM HERMANS BAY NORTH TO BEAR POINT IS THEIR ZONE WITH PLENTY OF TARPON AT THE POWER PLANT. JACKS, BLUES AND MAC’S TO KEEP YOU ON YOUR TOES, WITH LADY FISH, A FEW FLOUNDER AND STILL A FEW TRIPLE TAIL ON THE CHANNEL MARKERS. FOR YOU ANGLERS THAT SAY WHAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A BOAT, THESE FISH HAD TO PASS UNDER A BRIDGE TO GET WHERE THEY ARE AND WE HAVE BRIDGES.

OFF SHORE, WELL STILL WAITING FOR THE DOLPHIN BUT THEIR NAME HAS SHOWED ON THE CATCH LIST MORE THIS MONTH THAN LAST. AUGUST WAS NOT A BIG MONTH FOR DOLPHIN WITH ANGLERS WANTING TO KNOW WHERE AND HOW TO FIND THEM. LAST MONTH ONE HERE AND ONE THERE, NO PATTERN BUT NOW IT HAS BEEN TWO HERE AND THREE THERE, STILL NO PATTERN BUT STILL WE HAVE CATCH TO REPORT. THE NICE PART HAS BEEN CATCHS REPORTED HAVE BEEN IN THE 100’ MARK; LIVE OR TROLLED BAITS HAVE CAUGHT FISH. DOLPHINS BEING THE HARD FIND A LOT OF ANGLERS MOVED TO PULLING BAITS DEEP AND THE WAHOO DID NOT DISAPPOINT THEM. WE SAW NO MONSTERS BUT A LOT OF NICE FISH AND PLENTY OF WEHOO’S, PERFECT FOR STEAKING AND THE GRILL. FISH WERE FROM 80’ TO 200’ ON TROLLED BALLY AND DEEP PLUGS, WENT THROUGH A LOT OF TROLLING WEIGHTS FROM SIXTEEN TO THIRTY TWO ONCE LEAD, TAKING BAITS TO THE FISH. SAIL FISH CONTINUE FROM 40’ OUT AND THESE ARE RESIDENT FISH MUCH LARGER THAN OUR WINTER MIGRATING SCHOOL. THIS HAS BEEN AN EXCELLENT YEAR FOR THE SAIL FISH ANGLERS, FISH FROM 40’ OUT. KINGS HAVE SAVED MANY TRIPS, LOTS OF KINGS ALSO FROM 40’; FROM SNAKES TO SMOKERS THEY ARE THERE. SWORDS FROM 900’ FEET OUT AND THE BITE HAS BEEN RESONABLE WITH NOT MANY ANGLERS TARGETING THE FISH I THINK IS THE NIGHT BITE THAT KEEPS MANY FROM THE SPECIES. NEW THING IS DAY TIME FISHING FOR SWORDS, I’LL KEEP YOU POSTED. THE BOTTOM BITE HAS BEEN GOOD STARTING AT 60’. WEIGHTED A FIFTY POUND GOUPER OVER THE WEEK END, THAT WAS A BIG UGLY FISH AND THE ANGLER ALL OF THIRTEEN WAS AS PROUD AS COULD BE, WATCH FOR THE PICTURE. MUTTON HAVE MADE A GOOD SHOW BUT IF IT A BIG MUTTON TRY THAT LONG LEADER, 15’ PLUS, IT WORKS…………

WATCH THAT SLOT 28" TO 32" HARD FIND BUT STILL LOTS OF FISH, THE FELLA AT PERKS BAIT AND TACKLE GAVE ME THE "LOTS OF CATHING, NOT MUCH KEEPING". WHERE IS THE CAMERA?