The morning started at 5:00 AM with an annoying alarm. We wanted to be on the water fairly early but there was no rush to beat the sunrise. The car and trailer were loaded the night before without gear so after a quick double check (that wasn't a very good check) we grabbed a couple snacks and were on the road. We planned to meet Tony (Coastie Culture), his wife Crystal, and their son, Jez at the launch around 7:30. We made it there with a relatively quick drive, only to find that while packing the night before I forgot one of our paddles. After quite a bit of scolding from the old man Tony came to the rescue telling us that he had brought an extra paddle. The conditions seemed good and we launched into a nice thick blanket of early morning fog.
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| The heavy fog made for a peaceful paddle |
A short paddle got us to the first cut we planned on fishing. Around the corner we went and we were greeted with the welcoming signs of fish. Bait was moving, and even a couple tails were seen but it was one of those days where these darned reds wouldn't bite a single thing we threw at them. The five of us varied retrieves, switched lures and tried every trick we knew but these fish just wouldn't take a lure. We decided it was time to move on and try to find fish that were willing to bite. After a couple hours and no luck except for a few small flounder spitting the hook at the kayak we decided to make the couple mile paddle and totally relocate. The fog cleared up and we regrouped determined to get on some fish.
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| The Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 fully rigged up |
We were in a little bit shallower water now with scattered oysters and mud bottom. We all spread out through this cut and began flinging our variety of plastics. Dave drifted a shoreline and managed to get three flounder on only to lose all of them inches from the net. I anchored along a grass line that had an abundance of shell running the length of it and began fan casting. I got nothing so decided to switch up the lure. I threw on a brighter plastic that Tony and Crystal were generous enough to give me to try (one of their favorites, made by Reel'em In Lures) and after a few casts I hooked up. Right away I could tell it wasn't anything huge but I was glad to have a fish on the end of my line. It turned out to be a nice little, but legal 16" speckled trout, so we snapped a pic and threw him on the stringer.
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| My 16" Speckled trout |
After another 20 minutes without any good bites we called it a day and paddled back to the launch only to find an empty stringer. I was confused and angry at myself because the spec somehow got off but like always, I learned a new lesson. It definitely wasn't the most successful day catching wise, but we got to fish with some new friends, and enjoyed a nice day on the water.
-Harry
