Hey, Nancy Let Me Catch One Today!

7.31.12

We headed out today to look for cobia and tarpon, but ended up with a 12 pound overslot redfish.

We had a short window of opportunity, the weathermen said a squall line was going to set up around noon and they were correct, except in came earlier than expected.

We caught some bait out at two flat and hit the 2 post and tripod looking for some cobias, but to no avail.

We headed towards Bald Point to look for bait and as we go near Lighthouse Point the wind was really whipping around the corner and storms were building back at the mouth of the Ochlockonee River.

I saw some pelicans diving on bait about a mile offshore and eased over to see if tarpon were in the mix.

Bait was getting busted in the swells that was forming and I thought they were Jack Crevalle.

I threw my DOA Bait Buster in the mix and the first cast brought this nice red to the boat, much to our surprise.

We had to leave after this photo was taken as the weather was turning quickly.  We made a couple of drifts in front of Tradewinds as we watched the storm start to gather momentum

Nancy was shocked as a huge ray jumped out of the water right beside her and flopped beside the boat.

I managed a big sail cat, the rains came, and we headed in to be greeted by pitch black skies and heavy lightning and rain as I finished cleaning the boat.

Wicad!

7.25.12

I went solo today in front of Piney Island and off Mashes Sands point.  Looking for tarpon all morning.  It was very hot and steamy today, I was thinking I was back in ATL.

Only saw one roll today, with a few LY's in the mix they should be there soon.

I have started throwing the Wicad swim bait that my buddy Nick builds.

Yesterday I had some swipes from some big fish, I don't think they were tarpon.

Today, though a black tip shark and a trout wanted some Wicad-ness.

Nice swim bait Nick!!

Jumped One Tarpon

7.24.12

Nancy and I headed out to try and use the DNA kit and swipe a tarpon.
We want to contribute to the fisheries effort to track the tarpon in the area and they sent us this cool DNA kit to do it with.

I have tried it out and found out I'm not related to Steve Jobs.

We found the LY's schooling in 16 feet of water which is pretty far out from the shoreline off Bald Point.

The tarpon were there rolling around in the bait.

Nancy set up on one which hit a grunt under a cork, but he quickly threw the hook.  It would have been a good one to play with because it was in the 70-80 lb. range.

I caught a spinner shark on a DOA bait buster.

Nancy caught numerous sail cats and sharks on grunts and crab knuckles.

She even caught a big sail cat while talking to Hunter on the phone.

She's a pro!  (Sail Catter)

No Grouper Today

7.17.12

Water temp mid eighties

We took the Nan Z out to try and catch a grouper sandwich, but to no avail.

We watched a huge lighting storm from the deck Monday night and wondered if we would be able to go.

Tuesday morning looked better, so we headed out to a ledge that has produced nice grouper in the past.  It was south from Mashes about 22 miles and in 55 feet of water.

We fished all of our humps that have produced there in the past and could not hook up on a grouper.  Only grunts and black sea bass were interested and they did not jump on the hook easily.

So, knowing that their were afternoon t-storms predicted, we headed back in around noon.  About 20 miles out we hit a log in the water.  Slowing down and realizing we didn't do any harm, we kept heading in.
As we viewed the big thunderstorm brewing at Mashes, I was wishing I had a 150HP under my saddle, but the 115 Yamaha was flogged and going 37 mph.

We arrived just in time to view this coming.

White Pelicans

7.11.12

Tried tarpon fishing last week with no success.  Nancy hooked up on a nice spinner shark on Monday down at Mud Cove, but it broke her line on the first jump/spin.

I tried going out Wednesday but didn't get out very long due to storms rolling in and out.

But, I did bump into this flock of white pelicans in Dickson Bay.

When we see them come in in the fall and spring we know the seasons are changing, so I was surprised to see them here in the middle of summer.

New Tune!

Check out a very young Robert Earl Keen singing Five Pound Bass to the right.

SON!!!!

College of Charleston Fishing Team Results

7.2, 4, 5, 2012

Water low eighties.

Very dark and tannic near shore after the heavy TS Debbie rains

Hunter and Charlotte came in to the big town of Panacea for a little fishing and R and R after finishing up some late spring schooling at C of C.

We wanted to scallop but the fresh heavy rain had made the visibility very low and we didn't want to swim around in the water without the ability to see scallops (or sharks).

So, the seas let us fish a few days.

On Monday we wanted to go on a cobia run, but there was a heavy chop and it was like getting in a washing machine every time we tried venturing out to our favorite spots for the cobes, so we tucked in behind Shell Point Reef and in front of Piney island.

The Nan Z managed the usual potpourri of fish; two trout that will become four nice sandwiches coming aboard.

Charlotte started off the week with a keeper trout.

We took a break Tuesday and geared up for a tarpon trip on Wednesday.

While I was trying to catch some pinfish for bait on the clam bar, the crew were busy catching trout.  Some came on white pearl grubs under the tourist rig and others came on spoons.

Charlotte with a tourist rig trout

Ol' Jack Crevalle was wanting onboard too

We tried down at Mud Cove and managed some sail cats and sharks.  We found some tarpon rolling in front of the old KOA, but they were still pretty scattered.

Hunter intensely trying to catch up!  Charlotte with Mr. Slimey

They both have good dentists

Thinking we were gonna have some calm seas, we decided to head out to our snapper hole off Dog Island on Friday.  The seas were calm as we headed south from Mashes Sands but as we turned the corner at Lighthouse Point, I knew it might get a little sloshy for the Nan Z.  A bank of clouds and thunderstorms were out on the horizon.  

Always a Nice View off the Mashes Pier

We managed to make it to K tower, and with one eye on the water spouts forming in the distance and the other eye on the tower, I maneuvered the boat back and forth in front of the tower and let the crew drop down and see what the could bring up.

Nancy quickly got a nice door mat flounder in 55' of water.  That was a good start.  She then connected on a nice Gag.

Cool Gloves!

Hunter caught some spanish and had a cuda or two cut his lures off.

We used up our bait and headed back to the hill as the storms had started to dissipate and a nice ride was welcomed as we accomplished another safe trip off the Forgotten Coast.

The College of Charleston fishing team put up some good numbers this week!

Can't wait til they come back.