 |
The weather couldn’t have been better this week. The water temperature stayed close to eighty degrees. What more could the fish ask for. The water was clear all week. The Tides were low in the morning. These two combinations made conditions for sight fishing ideal. There is plenty of live bait at just about every nook and cranny that you look in. The fish were happy this week so everyone that I talked to was able to catch a few.
I wish that we could put this kind of weather on credit so that we could draw from it when the times are tough. The redfish and snook have been on the bite all week. Most of us are using shiners. Some of the folks have been doing well using live shrimp too. The sheepshead are biting as well. The list of fish goes on and on. All of the species are in high gear. I have been seeing large tarpon as well. Whatever you are doing, cancel it and get out on the water!
Capt. Jeff Brown and Captain Al Keller got to play hooky together this week. They went out on a low tide and sight fished for reds and snook with the fly rod. They each caught redfish and snook. I had several fly fishing trips in the later part of the week and I saw redfish and snook in the shallows at almost every turn on the shoreline. The fish will strike just about any baitfish pattern that is presented correctly.
Stacy Mullendore and I ran a split charter with Ken Main and his family. Each boat caught and released over twenty snook and reds apiece. Many of the fish were of legal size. There is nothing more exciting than seeing a ten year old doing battle with a five pound snook. The children are also receptive to being conservation minded.
John Preeg called and gave me the lowdown on the offshore scene. He said that there are plenty of cobia and permit around. The water is so clear in the Gulf; you can see the wrecks in fifty feet of water. He also said that there are some "smoker" kingfish on the prowl. They are catching grouper and snapper as well.
Now is the time to take advantage of this warm spell that we are having. I have a sneaky suspicion that it is not going to last. The weather shows that we have a cool front coming but that one may be a flash in the pan. We may have a mild winter this year. But why take any chances? Go now while the going is good.