5.30.14
Water Temp 82
Nancy and I were eager to try to go get the cobia that are biting so well. We planned a quick trip out on a cobia run only to be thwarted by the 20 mph ese wind that hammered us yesterday.
So much for 1-2 footers that was predicted by NOAA. That isn't unusual.
We finally idled in behind Shell Point reef and made a few passes. We landed a bunch of 13" trout on jerk baits and idled back in to Rock Landing after a good washing machine ride.
Whew!
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Grand Slam!!
5.22.14
What can I say? The fishing is on fire right now. We have lived here for 7 years and it is the best I have ever seen. This includes my observations and the observation of working at the marina and talking to other fellow fishermen.
Here are the pictures from an outstanding day in which every hole we hit had fish all over it. From the inshore markers to off shore structure around the 24 marker and the Ochlockonee Shoals.
The best part is we fished and had a great time with family!
What can I say? The fishing is on fire right now. We have lived here for 7 years and it is the best I have ever seen. This includes my observations and the observation of working at the marina and talking to other fellow fishermen.
Here are the pictures from an outstanding day in which every hole we hit had fish all over it. From the inshore markers to off shore structure around the 24 marker and the Ochlockonee Shoals.
The best part is we fished and had a great time with family!
 |
| Fish Bites Put This Nice Flounder In The Box |
 |
| Nancy Added This 21" Trout With A Chartreuse Bass Assassin Jerk Bait |
 |
| The Cobia Are Everywhere. Willie Was Bowed Up Everywhere We Went With Cobia Eating His Pinfish |
 |
| The Result...Grand Slam! |
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Ochlockonee Shoals Trout Run
5.19.14
After my friends Larry and Phil left town to got back to North Georgia, the weather layed down.
No offense guys, but thanks for leaving. I was getting tired of the storms and 7 foot seas you bring every time you come down:-)
Willie and Patty came in to town and we headed out for a near shore-off shore adventure. We wanted to bag some cobia and catch some trout out at the shoals. I figured they had to be out there since the mouth of the river fishing that I tried with Larry and Phil was non existent.
We drifted Rotary reef for some cobia, but with no results other than a non keeper gag that Willie summoned up on a pinfish.
I wanted to go out to the 24 marker and try to bag a cobe but the water was rolling into 3 footers by the time we got there and we decided it was best to hit the calmer water of the shoals.
It was an excellent choice as the trout and blues kept our lines stretched for a few hours.
The fish were in about 5 feet of water and bit like they were starving right at low tide.
It was fun as we hooked up with everything we threw, top water, jerk baits, fat boys and off course white gulp shrimp.
We ended up bringing home 14 trout and threw back many fish that were right at keeping size.
I also lost some really nice fish on topwater. Just couldn't make it back to the boat without coming unbuttoned.
After my friends Larry and Phil left town to got back to North Georgia, the weather layed down.
No offense guys, but thanks for leaving. I was getting tired of the storms and 7 foot seas you bring every time you come down:-)
Willie and Patty came in to town and we headed out for a near shore-off shore adventure. We wanted to bag some cobia and catch some trout out at the shoals. I figured they had to be out there since the mouth of the river fishing that I tried with Larry and Phil was non existent.
We drifted Rotary reef for some cobia, but with no results other than a non keeper gag that Willie summoned up on a pinfish.
I wanted to go out to the 24 marker and try to bag a cobe but the water was rolling into 3 footers by the time we got there and we decided it was best to hit the calmer water of the shoals.
It was an excellent choice as the trout and blues kept our lines stretched for a few hours.
The fish were in about 5 feet of water and bit like they were starving right at low tide.
It was fun as we hooked up with everything we threw, top water, jerk baits, fat boys and off course white gulp shrimp.
We ended up bringing home 14 trout and threw back many fish that were right at keeping size.
I also lost some really nice fish on topwater. Just couldn't make it back to the boat without coming unbuttoned.
We decided to try a cobia run back to the hill and hit our usual holes on the way in. This worked to some degree as two cobia and two shark came boat side. Unfortunately the cobia were undersized and got to go back into the Gulf after Willie tangled with them for a while.
So it goes, another great day on the water at the Forgotten Coast!
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
That Was A Nice Boat Ride and the Upside Down Moon
5.6.14
Finally got nice enough to put the old Seacraft in the water. It's May for goodness sakes!
The weather has reminded me of when I lived in Ohio and didn't get the boat out tip May also. That ain't right.
After wishing my Mom happy birthday we headed down to the Carrabelle ramp with the idea to fish for pompano and then try some offshore spots and maybe grab a grouper or AJ.
We did all of those things minus catching the fish.
It was an easy ride to the west end of Dog Island and three boats were anchored up closely and catching pomps. We never could get in line with them and just watched them catching them while we wore out the ladyfish unfortunately.
A school of spanish came through and promptly cut my jig off, so we decided to head off shore towards O tower as the seas were as flat as we have ever seen.
Stopped and hit some grouper numbers and caught rock bass and grunts but no grouper.
A first for us: we saw a sailfish chasing bait about 6 miles off Dog Island and not much farther saw a monster hammerhead shark cruising on the surface. It was like a National Geographic special on fish in the Gulf of Mexico.
We made it to O tower and tried jigging up some AJ's but all I got was this kingfish for my efforts.
Finally got nice enough to put the old Seacraft in the water. It's May for goodness sakes!
The weather has reminded me of when I lived in Ohio and didn't get the boat out tip May also. That ain't right.
After wishing my Mom happy birthday we headed down to the Carrabelle ramp with the idea to fish for pompano and then try some offshore spots and maybe grab a grouper or AJ.
We did all of those things minus catching the fish.
It was an easy ride to the west end of Dog Island and three boats were anchored up closely and catching pomps. We never could get in line with them and just watched them catching them while we wore out the ladyfish unfortunately.
A school of spanish came through and promptly cut my jig off, so we decided to head off shore towards O tower as the seas were as flat as we have ever seen.
Stopped and hit some grouper numbers and caught rock bass and grunts but no grouper.
A first for us: we saw a sailfish chasing bait about 6 miles off Dog Island and not much farther saw a monster hammerhead shark cruising on the surface. It was like a National Geographic special on fish in the Gulf of Mexico.
We made it to O tower and tried jigging up some AJ's but all I got was this kingfish for my efforts.
As you can see that is some nice smooth water.
Saw some monster kingfish cruising the tower chasing bait, but they didn't want anything we were offering.
Made the run back to Carrabelle and when I was walking up to the truck I looked at the moon which was up in the spring time sky.
The crescent was upside down.
A couple of years ago we were fishing with Hunter and Charlotte out at K tower with not much luck. A fellow came up to K tower in a 16 foot boat with a tiller motor hardly wearing anything but his shorts. He was definitely a sea rat kind of guy. He was puzzled about the bite being off too, but the moon was upside down at the time too, as he pointed out.
He said that that means the water is pouring out of the moon and consequently the fish won't bite.
I think I'm gonna run with that to explain yesterday.
Friday, April 25, 2014
Solo Trip
4.24.14
Water temp. 67 degrees
Headed out into the murky waters at the mouth of the Ochlockonee River.
Ran into a guide and he said that it is the worst he has ever seen it in his years of guiding.
The fog was heavy and kept coming in and out and didn't burn off until around 11 AM.
I started at some of my holes that were close to the ramp as I left my GPS at the house, so I was fishing blind as you couldn't see 100 feet in front of the boat.
I fished a large circle with nothing to show for my efforts.
Finally I ended up at the horseshoe bar hoping for some late magic.
There was a heavy incoming tide and I was fishing the back side of the bar with nothing to show for my efforts.
Said to myself, self, I wonder if they are on the front side.
Slid around there and the flurry of action began.
I ended up with a nice limit of speckled trout in about 20 minutes. Four came to the boat that were in the 18 inch range.
Water temp. 67 degrees
Headed out into the murky waters at the mouth of the Ochlockonee River.
Ran into a guide and he said that it is the worst he has ever seen it in his years of guiding.
The fog was heavy and kept coming in and out and didn't burn off until around 11 AM.
I started at some of my holes that were close to the ramp as I left my GPS at the house, so I was fishing blind as you couldn't see 100 feet in front of the boat.
I fished a large circle with nothing to show for my efforts.
Finally I ended up at the horseshoe bar hoping for some late magic.
There was a heavy incoming tide and I was fishing the back side of the bar with nothing to show for my efforts.
Said to myself, self, I wonder if they are on the front side.
Slid around there and the flurry of action began.
I ended up with a nice limit of speckled trout in about 20 minutes. Four came to the boat that were in the 18 inch range.
And my over 20" fish was this nice 22" speck that but up a heck of a battle in the swift water.
As you can see, all of the fish came on a gold red fin. That lure was taken on my last cast by a blasted Spanish Mackerel. I know that folks love catching the macs, but I hate when they arrive, because I lose a lot of jerk baits to them. But, bass pro shops is happy because I ordered 3 more this morning.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Drifting For Grouper Updated Picture
Patty got home and sent me this picture of her other grouper she caught.
She was rather offended that I posted her little grouper picture in the previous blog.
Sorry Patty and I hope your arms and wrists are feeling better.
She was rather offended that I posted her little grouper picture in the previous blog.
Sorry Patty and I hope your arms and wrists are feeling better.
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Drifting For Grouper
4.11.14
Water Temp 67 degrees
After the big blow, the seas calmed and Patty, Willie and I hooked a ride with Captain Randy on his 25' Parker and headed 40 miles out to try and catch some red grouper and mutton snapper.
The seas were great and the water beautiful as we laif down on one of Randy's numbers and started our drifts for the day.
Patty had the touch today as she landed two nice gag grouper that had her hands and arms hurting by the end of the day. She also had her line broke a couple of times by the big grouper heading back to their rocky homes.
While she was doing that, Willie was loading the box with grunts, porgies and Vermillion snapper.
Randy is pointing to the hot hand Friday.
We made it back to Rock Landing at 6:30 and loaded up our gear and cooler full of fish.
All I can say is we cleaned a lot of fish and the pizza from Big Daddy's tasted real good at 9:30 Friday evening.
So while we didn't get to keep any of the 4 gags we caught because we were in federal waters, the day was fantastic as the weather, company and fish made for a memorable trip.
Water Temp 67 degrees
After the big blow, the seas calmed and Patty, Willie and I hooked a ride with Captain Randy on his 25' Parker and headed 40 miles out to try and catch some red grouper and mutton snapper.
The seas were great and the water beautiful as we laif down on one of Randy's numbers and started our drifts for the day.
Patty had the touch today as she landed two nice gag grouper that had her hands and arms hurting by the end of the day. She also had her line broke a couple of times by the big grouper heading back to their rocky homes.
While she was doing that, Willie was loading the box with grunts, porgies and Vermillion snapper.
Randy is pointing to the hot hand Friday.
We made it back to Rock Landing at 6:30 and loaded up our gear and cooler full of fish.
All I can say is we cleaned a lot of fish and the pizza from Big Daddy's tasted real good at 9:30 Friday evening.
So while we didn't get to keep any of the 4 gags we caught because we were in federal waters, the day was fantastic as the weather, company and fish made for a memorable trip.
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