Back In The Proverbial Saddle Again....

One of my good friends Apollobeach Sam loaned me a 15hp motor he had laying around in his garage. I had to do some modifications to my fuel line to get it to fit the motor and I had to do some modifications to my jack plate since this motor was slightly different than my 25hp yamaha it is temporarily replacing.
I also lowered the jack plate all the way since I dont think Ill be doing much backcountry skinnywater fishing until I get my motor replaced. The 15hp still pushes the Hotrod about 20mph per my handheld GPS. Good enough for the time being anyway.
I went scouting last Friday with a buddy on his Carolina Skiff J14 and we stumbled upon a school of rolling juvenile Tarpon! We managed to jump 5 of them tossing 1/8 oz jigs with rubber tails.
I went back on Sunday with my daughter Emily but there was so much boat traffic I could not get them to bite. I saw a couple rolling but that's all.
This morning I went out there by myself on the Hotrod and tossed a few jigs at them again and hooked up with another but cant seem to get the hook set on them. I had quite a suprise though I hooked what I thought was another. I could tell it was a big fish but it never jumped. Turns out it was a big Jack. It measured 30 inches to the fork in its tail. I think it was one of the biggest jacks I have ever landed.
I cant wait to get back after those little tarpon... (Little...relative to an adult tarpon... the fish I jumped today was easily 36 inches long...)

Waiting for Insurance Companies and Wade Fishing.

Well, I have not been fishing since the accident on Dec 26th because I wanted to stay home in case the insurance company needed to contact me and I didnt want to miss a call to cause even 1 minute of delay of getting the Hotrod back in action.

Finally I was about to give in to my impulses and scheduled a fishing trip for today with one of my fishing buddies, Capt Greg... (Man, I sure got a bunch of buddies that are captains huh?) ...when I finally got the call I have been waiting for. The appraiser wanted to come check out the Hotrod Gheenoe...the next morning... between 10 am and Noon.

So I had to cancel my trip with Capt Greg (darnit) but I called another buddy of mine (who is not a captain...) and asked if he wanted to go wade fishing around Simmons Park. He said sure so we met at 7 am and launched our boatless selves and had a great time catching nice slot trout and small ladyfish on artificials for about an hour until he hooked himself in the thumb on one of the treble hooks in his lure. Unfortunately, his crimped down barb wasnt as crimped down as he thought it was though. He was stuck pretty good. He couldnt decide on whether he should yank it out or push it through and cut it out. It went right into the very center of the pad of his thumb too. So I volunteered to help him remove the hook. I grabbed it gently with a pair of pliers and said "On a count of three... One... Two..." YANK! "Three" He said he never even felt it. That pretty much ended the fishing for the day though. He said that the fish probably felt sorry for him and didnt want him to hook himself again.

So I made it home about 5 minutes after 10 and was worried that the insurance guy had come and left already.... but as I expected, He showed up promptly at 11:30. (I could have fished for another whole hour and a half... grrr.)

He took a couple pictures of the motor, a couple pictures of the Hotrod Gheenoe, took some notes, asked a few questions and said "Thanks. I'll file this report tomorrow and you should hear something soon." I said, "Wait a minute, I have a couple questions for you." "What do you think? and what is gonna happen?"
Basically he said that he would file the report. He thinks that the motor is totalled and he needs to get an estimate on the glass repair work on the Hotrod, if it is too much he would probably total it too. (It's barely scratched for crying out loud....) He said I would most likely get a check for the market value of my motor and the same for the hull if it is totalled. And they would come and get them... No F'in Way are they gonna take my Hotrod! The can have the motor but the hotrod stays. It can be fixed. The other thing is, I said how do they determine fair market value? He said that they have books and charts etc that list those things. I said what if fair market value isnt enough to replace my engine? I told him first of all it is very difficult to find a used 25hp Yamaha 2 stroke for sale and a short shaft like the one on the hotrod is even more difficult to find. (and more expensive too...) He said "Them's the breaks..."

Oh Hell No, I dont think so... In fact I think Im getting a stiff neck... and my spleen hurts...

Stay tuned...

Fickle Weather Woes

A few weeks ago we had a few cold fronts come through, the water temps cooled considerably and the fish were starting to move up into the rivers and other backwater areas. Just when the fishing started to get hot the temps moved back up into the mid 80's (how Florida for you...) and messed up the fishing.
Of course I missed the cold fronts because I was chained to a desk with work and Sea School, and then the Thanksgiving holiday week and sick kids kept me derailed for another week, but I did manage to get out the day after Thanksgiving with my brother and we caught a respectable number of fish. Not being allowed to fish on weekends, I eagerly looked forward to getting back into my regular fishing pattern the following week. On Monday I got out with a friend and we caught lots of snook and I figured I still had the fish pretty much dialed in. However the next 4 days really through me for a loop. Tuesday we caught only redfish in all my snook holes but still managed to find a couple while exploring. Wed, I took my test of course (and passed!) Thursday I took another friend out and we looked for almost 4 hours and only caught 1 snook hanging out under a mangrove bush in a little canal. That should have told me something since I tried every dock on the river. Sure enough in the next canal I checked an overhanging mangrove bush and we proceeded to catch a dozen snook in the next 30 minutes with multiple double hookups. Of course I lost the biggest fish of the bunch but that's a whole other story. Friday, I was invited to join Capt Todd Foucher of SlingN'Bait Charters on the Little Manatee river for a flotilla party targeting the large schools of big Jack Crevalle that hang out there all winter long, but the water had warmed up past their secret temperature threshold and they were nowhere to be found. But they did catch quite a few snook redfish and trout as well as some ladyfish too.
Now another cold front has supposedly moved in, the high today is supposed to be a brisk 65 degrees...but the temp is supposed to get warmer every day... I know its only November...and the Midwest is covered with ice and snow... but I sure wish the weather down here would make up its mind either warm up or get cold. PICK ONE DAMMIT! lol

Success!

I passed my OUPV test on the first try! I scored 97% on the Rules of the Road portion that requires a 90% to pass. I scored 86% on Deck General, 100% on Nav General both of which require only 70% to pass, and I aced plotting with a score of 100% also.
Plotting was the only portion of the test I was worried about. Only 10 questions, lots of math, drawing on charts etc... If your lines aren't perfect you will come up with a wrong answer. If your math isn't correct or you use the wrong formula you will come up with a wrong answer. You have to buy the charts if you want to practice. I didn't buy the charts. I was dreading plotting. It is the only part of the test I didn't study for, because I couldn't. I will be completely honest with you. I managed to figure out 9 out of the 10 answers and was pretty sure that they were correct, so I was confident that I passed before I took the score sheet up to the scorer. But that last question... it was a booger. Figure out the set and drift... First I plotted the wrong coordinates, then when I did the math I came up with an answer that wasn't even close to the choices. So I checked my plotting and realized I had used a coordinate from an earlier problem... duh... (make sure you erase your earlier stuff from the chart real good.) Then after correcting the coordinate I still came up with a weird answer so I cheated... not really cheating mind you, but I decided to figure out the speed since they wanted course and speed for the answer. I used the speed equation kind of. I divided the distance traveled by the time in minutes and then multiplied the result by 60 and came up with 10 knots. Since my engine was turning 9.2 knots, the speed of my drift was .8 knots with favorable seas...so I picked the answer that said .8 knots and it was correct.... I guess there is more than one way to skin a cat... but I probably would end up lost at sea if I had to rely on my plotting skills. lol That's why I have a handheld Garmin GPS and keep plenty of extra batteries on board.
Now I still have to finish up with my sea time documentation, get some character references (3 of them) and take a first aid/cpr class. Then I need to put all my paperwork together, have it looked at by Sea School to make sure it is all in order and then send it off to the Coast Guard and wait for about 6 months to receive my actual license... a sweet bureaucracy
I think I will celebrate by going fishing tomorrow!

Back In The Saddle

Well, I finally got past the classwork and was looking forward to fishing the week of the Thanksgiving holiday. Unfortunately between sick kids, visiting family members and honeydo's I only got to go out on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving with my youngest brother, J.R. and probably every boat owner in Tampa... I still managed to find some bait without having to run all the way to the skyway in the Hotrod Gheenoe although it took nearly an hour of steady chumming to fill the baitwell. I bought a couple dozen shrimp at one of the local baitshops before I launched though just to make sure I wouldn't be baitless...
We managed to catch 20 snook and a catfish between the two of us and we had a nice day of brotherly bonding.
I got to fish again this morning, Monday, Nov 27th with my buddy Mike (RedfishSlayer) Flaschenreim and we caught 15 snook and a redfish. Two were very close to slot but they got into the dock pilings broke themselves off. That's what I get for fishing docks with light tackle... Im think I'm starting to get bored with this area and am looking forward to the weather getting colder so I can play with some cobia at the power plant or some big sheepshead at a couple rockpiles that I haven't visited since last winter.

Help me out...

I want to write a piece on holiday gifts for anglers and would like people to send me me some suggestions for things they would like for gifts this holiday season. Not the obvious things like a 65ft Hatteras, or a Shimano Stella on a G.Loomis GLX... but things you would actually have the possibility of getting from someone who's last name wasn't Trump, Hilton, Gates or Rockefeller.
So just click on comments at the bottom of this and it will email me with your suggestions.Also feel free to comment on any of the other topics presented in the other posts. Your feedback is appreciated.

Whew...I'm Glad That Is Over.

Today I finally got a break. OUPV Class aka Captain's School pretty much sucked. I am so glad it is over. Unfortunately I don't feel as if I got everything that I could have out of the class. Some things are just memorization like the rules of the road, navigation general and deck general, but the plotting is going to be my undoing I fear, unless I can find a way to remember how to work the different problems.
Originally I planned to take the test the day before thanksgiving which would have given me two days to study before the test. Fortunately they are closed that day so I get an extra week. I just hope I can have enough self discipline to actually study. I get distracted so easily lol.
Even after passing the test there is still a shitload of paperwork to be completed before sending off my package to the USCG. I'm starting to wonder why I ever decided to undertake this adventure in the first place. I mean its not gonna make me a better fisherman, I make more money with my regular job than I ever would as a fishing guide. I don't particularly desire to drive a tourboat or diveboat or any other type boat that the license would qualify me for. I could say for the respect and admiration of my peers, but you know what, if you have never taken the class or the test, you have no idea how much of a pain in the rear it is.
Hopefully when I take the test, and "IF" I manage to pass the damn thing I will get a feeling of achievement that will provide the motivation required to finish putting the paperwork together and sending it off.
I could probably sit here and bitch about it for at least 10 more paragraphs but I think I better go study instead...
I really need to go fishing...

Sea School Update

Well, it is Saturday evening. I have received all the information that they are going to be giving and we spent the day taking practice exams. Literally for 8 hours we did nothing but 'Rules Of The Road' practice tests. They require a 90% to pass. Possibly the most difficult part of the OUPV test. The other difficult section is supposed to be plotting, however plotting and the other sections only require a passing score of 70% so I'm not too worried about them. I took 18 practice tests and in the first 14 of them only passed twice. I am proud to say though that I passed the last 3 that I took. Usually I would fail by one or two questions. Some of the guys in the class were excited when they only missed 7 questions even though on each test you are only allowed to miss 3.
So to answer the questions probably going through your mind:
Is it hard? It can be, if you don't or cannot study. I have always been good at reading something and retaining what I have read, and also at taking tests and even find it fun. Kind of a challenge, like a puzzle.
Should I take it? If you just want to take it for the sake of taking it, no. If you want to take it to make you a safer boater? No the CG Auxiliary and Boatsafe.com both offer safe boater courses that are a lot less expensive and don't take near as much time or effort to complete and pass. I would not take the class unless you want to be a fishing guide or want to run a boat commercially and I don't mean just as a fisherman, but as the captain of a vessel. Then I would recommend getting the master license so you would have more possibilities open to you. Even then it doesn't look like the possibilities are all that glamorous, unless you like the idea of being a sea going bus driver or truck driver. But I guess I would rather drive the boat than wash, paint, load and maintain it. I don't mean this as an insult to those involved in maritime professions, but it just doesn't seem like the job for me.
Tomorrow is the last day. So it will be practicing plotting on charts and working the various equations...the I will just have to study on my own and prepare for the test. I wanted to take it this Wednesday but was told the testing center will be closed for Thanksgiving. So I guess I have an extra week to study.

A Star Is Born...

Yesterday evening, Wednesday November 15, 2006 marked my television debut, as I was a guest on Capt. Todd Foucher's show SlingN'Bait TV. (I know I sound like I'm shilling for him but what would you do if you got to be on a television show?) Like I said yesterday, it can be seen on The Sportsman Channel, log on to their website and check the schedule or log on to Capt. Todd's website, its in the links section on the side of this blog..or you can click on Episode 5. <-----click there! Then come back and read some more.

It was a real blast making that show. Capt. Todd and Danny his cameraman, voice over, editor, anchor boy etc. works real hard to get good footage and then assemble it into the finished product. Granted its a little rough around the edges but it gets better every week. Considering they started with absolutely zero experience at all, I think they are doing a great job.

Anyway... Ill post more later, I have to go study my Rules of the Road for my Capt's School and start working on my acceptance speech in case I win any academy awards or something.

Check back soon.

What's Happenin In My Life

Well, I'm at the halfway point through the Sea School OUPV course, also known as Captains School. We have been covering International and Inland Rules of the Road for the last two days and we have another day left of that before we move on to the next subject. This is probably the most important part of the class too as it requires a score of 90% to pass this portion of the test. On the actual test there will be 30 questions so you are allowed to miss 3 answers, so I am studying my tail off.

I am really looking forward to finishing up the class so I can take my test. Then I need to schedule a First Aid and CPR class. The class is offered by several organizations including some fire departments and The American Red Cross. I think I am going to take mine at The American Red Cross, Tampa Bay Chapter. They offer several courses throughout the week. They are about 6 hours long and you have the option of taking a daytime class that goes from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm or an evening class that goes over two evenings from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm the first evening and from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm the second evening. You can get a class and schedule information by going to The American Red Cross Tampa Bay Chapter and clicking on the class schedule.

Once I have completed and passed the U.S. Coast Guard OUPV test and receive my First Aid and CPR cards, and the results of my Drug Test and Physical, then I will have to finish up my paperwork including the documentation of my "Sea Time" and Character References, I will have my paperwork checked over by Sea School and then submit the package to the U.S. Coast Guard. Then I will just have to sit and wait until they issue my OUPV License. I have been told that it can take several months now due to security concerns thanks to Osama bin Laden and Friends. Originally I had hoped to have my OUPV License in time for my birthday in March, but now it looks like I will be shooting for May... Of course I would be happy if I got it sooner but that just gives me more time to practice up on my guiding skills and plan my guiding business.

Also I have just heard that there is a new model of Gheenoe that is a little longer than The Classic, which is what I have now, and also 2 inches wider, runs about 5 mph faster with a 25hp engine, and is also a dryer ride, always important when comfort of passengers is considered, especially in less than perfect conditions. Of course I eventually plan on getting a regular Flat's or Bay type boat, but I am still quite interested in the possibilities of guiding from a Gheenoe.

I haven't had time to fish since last week and the weather has been turning a little cooler every day which means that the fish have been on the move and I haven't been keeping track of them. So I am eagerly looking forward to next week so I can get back after them. Of course next week is also Thanksgiving which means lots of people will be taking the week off as lots of businesses give Thanksgiving and the following day off, since it is Thursday and Friday. So I expect it to be a little more crowded on the water which will make fishing even more of a challenge. But I'm up for it since I took the week off too. Hopefully I will be able to get out on Monday and Tuesday at least.

On another interesting note. Tonite at 8:00 will be a very special episode on SlingN'Bait TV, Capt. Todd Foucher's fishing show on The Sportsman Channel. If you cant watch it on The Sportsman Channel, you can also watch it on the SlingN'Bait TV website after 8:00 pm tonite. It is episode #5. You can watch it by clicking here : SlingN'Bait TV Episodes and then clicking on Episode 5: Alafia Adventures. I will comment on it more in the near future after I watch it, but it should be a good one.

Is There A "New Fishng Stuff" Jinx, Or Is It Just Me?

Is it just me? It seems that almost every time I upgrade something on my boat or get a hot new fishing combo, or some great new sure-fire catch everything lure, that something always gets in the way of me getting to try it out for a couple days. And you can ask anyone who knows me well, patience is not my strong suit. Don't get me wrong, I can fish with a three year old and an 8 year old all day long and not lose my cool. I'm referring to a different type of patience, as in I get all excited about trying out something new and cant wait. Of course it's not just fishing, when I was a kid, I lived up in Michigan for a few years. It seemed every Christmas my coolest present was always something that I couldn't use till the snow melted in like march. For instance, I learned how to ride a skate board in the basement. My mothers washer and dryer were covered with dents from where the skateboard shot out from under my feet and rocketed into them with a loud house shaking Ka-Boom! Later in life, I think my wife got a sadistic pleasure out of buying me a new set of Callaway X16 Irons the before we left for a three day cruise, and of course I could not take them along, effectively making me wait 2 weeks before I could use them. This year, her company is having their annual Christmas party at Captiva Island, we are going to be there all weekend long. Guess who isn't going to be allowed to take a fishing rod...I bet she even buys me one right before we leave.
Anyway back to the matter at hand. I put a brand new depth finder on the Hotrod last Thursday. Fri I fished on someone Else's boat. Saturday and Sunday are non fishing days for me of course. Monday I fished on someone Else's boat. Today my son is home from school sick with a fever. His temperature is .4 degrees above the normal 98.6 so my loving caring wife let him stay home from school so I cant fish today either.
Oh well, it's election day so I guess Ill go vote. Maybe I can fish tomorrow. I'm supposed to get a new trolling motor soon, I wonder how long that will jinx me for?

Showing Off On The Hotrod Gheenoe

I had the distinct pleasure of hosting Capt. Todd Foucher, Local Tampa Fishing Guide and host of SlingN'Bait TV on the Hotrod Gheenoe. SlingN'Bait TV is a new fishing show on The Sportsman Channel that focuses on inshore and back country saltwater fishing in the Tampa Bay area. SlingN'Bait TV is unique among other fishing shows in that not only does SlingN'Bait TV entertain you while he and his guests catch fish, but SlingN'Bait TV also educates you on techniques and tactics for catching various species of fish including Snook, Redfish, Spotted Sea Trout, Spanish Mackerel, Mangrove Snapper and Grouper among others. SlingN'Bait TV also does the unheard of actually giving you specific locations where the fishing was done, including in some cases, GPS coordinates, tide and solunar information. No fishing show has ever done this and SlingN'Bait TV is causing a stir in the guiding industry. Prime fishing locations have long been closely guarded secrets by guides. After all, this is where guides earn their livings. Even recreational anglers keep the locations of their fishing holes close to their vests as they don't want to go fishing and find someone parked at their spot catching "their" fish. Capt Todd thinks these worries are unfounded though because fish migrate and just because they are somewhere today doesn't mean they will be in that exact location tomorrow. Capt Todd's hope is that through SlingN'Bait TV, anglers will be able to learn to find new areas to catch fish by looking at factors like tide, current, terrain features, and weather. It is definitely a new breed of fishing show.

I invited Capt Todd to fish with me on the Hotrod Gheenoe in the Alafia River in Hillsborough County Florida. Although he has fished for years in the South Shore area of Tampa Bay, he has never fished in the Alafia River. Some people would think I am crazy taking a guide out and showing him my hot spots because he will take his clients there and clean out my fish. But I am of the same mind as Capt Todd in that I know that the fish are here now but they wont be for long as they will move farther up the river or back into the various canals and creeks along the river as the weather cools. Then in the spring, when it warms up again they will pass this way again as they move back out to the flats and finally to their spawning areas on the beaches.
We started the day by catching bait, Scaled Sardines, which are plentiful in the river at the moment. Again when the weather cools the bait will all but disappear and I will have to change my fishing tactics to adapt, either using live shrimp or lures. Shrimp is expensive, and lots of non gamefish will eat it as well so I prefer to use lures.
After catching bait we moved into a small creek and began tossing our bait along the mangrove edges catching small snook. Then Capt Todd noticed a large swirl in the water and said he thought there might be a dolphin in the creek. Then there were lots of swirls and he said it looked like a school of big Jack Crevalle and Capt Todd tossed his bait over by the swirls. As soon as the bait hit the water the surface erupted and began to boil and his bait was instantly picked up by a huge Jack Crevalle. Not wanting to miss out I tossed my bait out as well and hooked up with a jack of my own. Unfortunately Capt Todd lost his Jack, breaking off in the roots of the mangroves lining the creek. My fish however was not as fortunate. It was a decent sized fish and towed the Hotrod up the creek and into the mangroves, then it swam out into the middle of the creek and pulled the Hotrod out of the mangroves. After a prolonged action packed battle I finally landed the fish.

After releasing the fish we moved to another location and started working the mouth of another creek. The water was high so we had to get our bait as close to the mangroves as possible to either draw the fish out or have the bait swim into the mangrove roots into the hungry mouth of the waiting fish. Suddenly, both our lines went tight and we had a double hookup. We ended up with two nice over slot redfish.
We fished this area a little longer and then moved to another creek mouth. The tide was now moving out so we fished the end of the creek and the outside edge on the down current side in the river. We caught several more snook including a
nice 30+ inch slot fish. We then started working the banks of the river paying special attention to docks and points and areas with submerged structure like old dock pilings, dead trees, rocks anything that might provide a hiding place for a big predator fish waiting to ambush an unsuspecting bait fish for an easy meal.
We actually found a couple new spots holding fish that I had not found before even though I had been fishing this area for the last two or three weeks. I told Capt Todd that I wanted to take him fishing here to show off what I had learned from him over the last year and a half since
I first fished with him. But I had an ulterior
motive as well. I wanted to take Capt Todd along so he could critique my skills and hopefully help me fine tune my fish finding skills and maybe even find a couple new spots on the river. Needless to say, an unsuspecting Capt Todd fell right into my evil trap... Actually Capt Todd is a great guy and is always willing to help out a fellow angler, whether it is another professional guide, an experienced recreational angler such as myself or even a total beginner such as myself when I first met him.
We finished the day at one of my best producing spots on the river. A dock I found fishing with my 3 year old daughter last week, that has produced dozens of snook over the last several days. Unfortunately due to the tide and the time of day it kind of let me down as it only produced one snook. But what a snook it was, another slot fish over 30 inches long. I guess if your only gonna get one fish if its a big one that makes it all worthwhile.
The trip kind of left me with mixed emotions though. We found and caught lots of fish, but I was just too lucky this time. I would have liked my guest to have caught the big ones. Well maybe not all of them because I would have been a little jealous. I think that I owe much of my success as an angler to Capt Todd and the priceless advice Capt Todd has given me since I first met him.
It was a great trip and an educational experience for both of us. I try to learn something new every time I go on the water. That is what keeps it interesting. Capt Todd hopes to teach his viewers something before they go on the water so they can have more success fishing and enjoy their fishing experience to the fullest.

Capt Todd Foucher can be reached through his website at http://www.slingnbait.com/ or by telephone at (863) 670-1643 and his television show SlingN'Bait TV can be seen Monday at 1130 am, Wednesday at 8 pm, Saturday at 6 pm and Sunday at 330 am on The Sportsman Channel. New episodes are aired on Wednesdays at 8pm.
If you dont have The Sportsman Channel you can also view SlingN'Bait episodes on his shows website, www.tv.slingbait.com. New episodes are available for viewing wednesdays at 8pm followed by a live chat with Capt Todd himself in his live chatroom.

A Great Big Redfish and a Great Big Smile

I took a friend fishing today. We hit some docks in a local river that empties into Tampa Bay. We were drifting by this one dock not intending to stop because I was heading to a different dock and my friend launched a cast as we drifted by. All of a sudden his line goes tight and his rod doubles over and he says "Redfish!". I'm thinking to myself, no big deal, when I see a huge swirl and he says "Big Redfish!". So Turn the boat with the trolling motor and try to slow our drift. I didn't want to drop the anchor as I didn't want this nice red to get tangled in the anchor rope. The current was ripping and the wind was blowing pretty good as well in the same direction as the current so I could barely hold the boat still with the trolling motor on high. It was more like a controlled slow drift. I ended up banging into a dock and the fish took off for the middle of the river, so I turned the boat to chase after it. I drifted next to a piling and reached out and grabbed it to stop the boat from drifting, ready to let go if the fish looked like it was going to try to wrap around it. So with one arm on the piling and the other with my boga grips I tried to help my buddy land his prize. I almost had the fish once but it took off when I touched the line with my free hand. My friend fought the fish to the boat again and once again tried to grab the line and again the fish took off. Finally the fish was wore out and I managed to get the gripper in its mouth. Its head was huge. Possibly the biggest I have seen, and the fish was very fat. I estimated it to be at least 33 inches but when I got it out of the water and measured it it was only 32 1/2 inches long. Needless to say my friend was ecstatic. I think I was just as excited about catching the fish as he was.The rest of the trip turned out pretty good as well. I caught 14 snook. 1 was a 28 1/2 inch keeper which I released for good mojo. I also caught a small redfish (compared to his anyway) and a catfish. My in addition to the redfish, my friend caught a nice 18 inch Spotted Seatrout, 2 catfish and 1 snook. He lost at least 5 snook. But I knew we would get him one. We also had a double hookup on some very large Jack Crevalle but we both got broken off at the boat on our light 20 lb leaders. Turns out that this was also his first inshore slam.
I think the look on his face says it all.
It's a great feeling putting someone on a nice fish like that, and very satisfying as well.

My First Fishing Rant...

Why is it that some people just cant go without stirring up controversy? It seems that when someone asks a question about fishing, or makes a fishing report on a fishing forum, instead of just answering a question or congratulating someone for a job well done there is always someone who has to make a negative comment. Then to make matters worse, another person has to come to the defense of the original poster or disagree with the negative commentor and the next thing you know, you have a full blown cat 5 shit storm.
It seems like when talking fishing there are a couple topics that just cannot be discussed on a fishing forum without evolving into big arguments. Bait vs. Lures and kayaks vs. motor craft are two such topics, much akin to religion and politics in their volatility. These are kind of understandable since they both involve different techniques used by different groups of anglers.

Bait vs. Artificial:
Now a wise angler would think that such discussions should be productive in teaching different approaches to the ultimate goal of catching fish. Sadly this just does not seem to be the case. Someone will always toss a proverbial turd in the punchbowl with some inflammatory remark about bait users not having enough skill to fool a fish with a hunk of steel and plastic. In many cases there could be some truth to this, but I would be willing to bet that the person making the comment started out fishing with bait until they were shown how to use lures. I think it all boils down to one of two things, either the person making the demeaning comments just wants to look like a big shot because they now can catch a fish using a lure, or they are jealous that they aren't catching as many fish as the angler using bait. Both cases most likely the result of an inflated ego.

Kayaks vs. Motor Craft:
This should be another subject full of opportunities to educate. The stealth and shallow water capabilities of a kayak are very powerful tools for fishing in the backwaters and shallow flats areas of Tampa Bay. It has become a very popular and economic way to fish. In addition to these capabilities, it also is very environment friendly as there are no propellers to tear up grass, and no oil or gas to leak out and pollute the environment.
Boating has been popular in Tampa Bay since the beginning. A multitude of boat designs have evolved over the years for specialized fishing from gheenoes, jon boats and small skiffs, to Bay boats and offshore boats for making long runs into the gulf to fish the deep water for grouper and migrating pelagics like kingfish and dolphin.
The argument here once again boils down to egos clashing.

In my opinion everyone seems to think that their particular way to fish is the best way. I tend to believe that an angler is going to try to fish using the most effective technique and equipment at their disposal to provide the most productive results possible. I have seen guys fishing in a cheap jon boat just tearing up the fish while anglers in expensive flats boats decked out with every gadget one could imagine did not catch near the numbers or quality of fish.

My opinion is that the best way to fish is whatever works. If the fish are eating live bait then I am going to use live bait, if they are hitting artificials I will use artificials. If they are hitting hot dogs or chicken liver, well, you get the point.

Unfortunately there is another type of discussion that turns ugly quick too. That is the one where some one has to come in and try to start an argument because they just feel like being an ass. They might bring up a tired old worn out subject and insert it into a pleasant discussion where it doesn't belong in the first place either because they are just an ass, or in an attempt to liven things up in a negative way. This is called being a troll. Trolls are on every Internet forum there is, covering any and every subject conceivable. Why? My money is on the ego thing again. Maybe they need more attention. Maybe they need to start a blog...

Fishing Forums on the Internet can be a good tool for gathering information about fishing a specific area or targetting specific fish. They are also a good place to share comraderie with other anglers and have fun talking about fishing and other things. The best way to keep them fun is to keep things light and your ego in check. As for dealing with trolls, that is tough, as a good troll is very skilled in getting everyone riled up, and that is their sole intention. Your best bet is to let them run their course without responding. It can be very difficult but eventually they will go away. As much as I hate to say it though, it can provide some very entertaining reading though as those with less resolve will try to argue with the troll, but then again, some people like soap operas.

Until next time. Go Fish

Another "Learning Experience"

I went out yesterday after having a really productive trip the day before. I was excited thinking that I knew where the fish were hanging and when they were supposed to be eating etc. In other words, I thought I had them dialed in.
I got out and caught some really nice bait and got to the first spot and we caught ladyfish galore and a couple redfish. I wrote it off as just being a little early. So I went to the next spot. We had better luck there, catching a mangrove snapper and then I kid you not, foul hooking a snook in the tail, get this, on a sardine that I had hooked through the tail. Sometimes you see the craziest stuff.

So I moved off to fish another area and had really slow action. Like it might has well been nothing. Couple redfish, some snook and a trout but nowhere near in the number I was expecting.
When I got back home I talked to some of my friends who were out fishing and they reported really slow trips as well. I got on a web forum and most everyone was reporting poor fishing.
I guess I need to take a couple days off and give the fish a chance to come back. I must have wiped em out. Just kidding. Actually the weather was much warmer yesterday than it has been in almost a week or more, there was barely any wind, and the sky was mostly clear. So that very well could have been the cause.
With everything cooling down to the mid to high 70's the fish are moving into their fall and wintertime hangouts, then all of a sudden the next day its 90 degrees by 9:00 am. I think they get confused and just dont know how to act sometime.
Oh well, we still caught fish and had a good time on the water. And that is all that really matters.

Learned A New Trick

I was contacted by a reader of this blog who asked me if I would take him fishing. I told him sure let me know when you can go and we worked out the details and went this morning.

I kind of took the approach that it would be kind of like a pretend charter, of course I didn't charge him anything because I am not a licensed captain and thus do not really charter, but it can be fun to make believe.

Anyway I met him at the ramp this morning and we launched the Hotrod Gheenoe and went to catch some bait. Then we headed to our first spot. I was kind of nervous that we would not have a good trip since I had not been having much luck the last couple days "scouting" the area, but as luck would have it, on his third cast he caught a nice slot redfish.

That was a nice surprise since I was targeting snook but knew that there were possibly redfish in the area as well. A few casts later I caught a redfish of my own.

We caught several ladyfish at that spot but no more of our targeted species so I decided to move a couple hundred yards and see if we could find more fish. I observed some baitfish getting busted on under a mangrove bush so I set up and we fished that spot for a few minutes. My "charter" caught another nice redfish, and then a smaller "rat" redfish.

We moved again and I caught a very small speckled trout and he caught a small snook, and we both were 1 fish away from an "Inshore Slam". An Inshore Slam is when an angler catches a Snook, a Redfish and a Speckled Trout on one fishing trip. I was pretty sure I would get one as I have been pretty good at getting snook lately and I knew the area we were going to next was loaded.

We both had several hits and misses but were having problems getting the fish to the boat, but at least we were getting some good action. Finally we started catching snook. We both got several to the boat and I completed my inshore slam. Then a few minutes later he landed a nice slot speckled trout.

We then headed back to the ramp but I made one last stop along the way to check out a spot that I have had limited success with and wanted to see how it would do with today's conditions. The water was already pretty high as the incoming tide was almost at its peak. I was having difficulties getting my bait under the mangroves since the water was touching the bottoms of the branches. Then he got a nice hit deep inside the mangroves, but the fish got off. I asked him how he got his bait inside there and he showed me. He was hooking the bait through the tail and casting it to the edge of the mangroves. Then gently tugging on the line, the fish would try to swim away and go right into the target zone. He was literally controlling the baitfish like a puppet.

Today's trip was very satisfying for me. I enjoyed the company and learned a new trick and most of all, I proved to myself that I can find some fish when I am under pressure.

It is totally different fishing with someone you have never met before than fishing with a regular fishing buddy. Of course there was no real pressure as I was not really doing it for compensation, only my reputation was on the line. I think it is good practice though. So if you read this and want to go fishing in the Hotrod Gheenoe, shoot me an email using the comments button and let's go fishing. I can use the practice.

I will be taking the captains license class next month in November and hopefully will have a captains license by February or March. Ill keep you updated on the progress. It might be interesting.

Anticipation....

After not fishing for 5 days, I knew I would be fishing the next morning. So I did my usual night before pre-fishing routine. Get on the computer and check the reports, check the tides and check the solunars for the next day. Go into the garage, check the battery, check the gas, check the tackle to make sure I have plenty of hooks, jigheads, plastics and any topwaters I might want to use. Decide which rods Im going to take. Check their leaders, make sure the have plenty of line, check the guides etc. Fill the tupperware with chum for bait. Check the filter on the baitwell, make sure everything is where it belongs in the boat so I can just hook it up and go.
Then get back on the computer and check the reports...tides...and solunars again just in case I missed something.
The off to bed to toss and turn for a couple hours while I think about what the game plan is for the next day... Where to launch, where to look for bait, where to go first, what if I dont catch catch anything there, next spot...maybe I should check out that other spot first...no...Ill check it out after I go to the first spot...Hmm, I havent been there in a few days, maybe I should check that other spot first...no. Last time the tides were like this I had pretty good luck on the other side over by that dead tree...maybe Ill go there first...I hooked that big snook over there that got off...No stick with the plan. Okay Ill go here first, then Ill work the mangroves to the other spot. Should I go up into that creek? Maybe, if Im not getting anything on the outside. Wait, what about the other side? Ill do that on the way back to the dock. But I want to check it before the wind picks up...okay then Ill start on that side...but then you will miss the start of the solunar at that other spot...ARGHHH!!!
And so it goes until I finally fall asleep...but wait...sleep offers no reprieve from the nightly anguish... The dreams begin... Hey look at that mangrove tunnel...the current is ripping pretty good through there, and it looks like it opens up about 25 yards up inside there. Ive never noticed that before, I think Ill go check it out...Crap! I just snapped off the tip of my $245 rod...I pick it up to look at it and it crumbles in my hands... damn...good thing I got a backup...damn its broke too. Look at all the snook just popping everywhere! and my rods are broken...Oh well. Wait I can still use this one...just the tip is broke... cast out... snag... or a slow motion 10 foot cast or some other crazy dream nonsense.
Man here comes an airboat...how did they get back in here...Oh well Ill go back and fish outside in the creek...and I go back through the tunnel and Im somewhere totally different...
And I wake up and its like 3:30 am and Im wide awake... I manage to get back to sleep to more chaotic fishing dreams and the alarm finally goes off and Im tired as hell...
But I go anyway... thinking I can go to bed early tonite... yeah right Im fishing tomorrow...

Special Report: Tampa Boat Show

(Normally I wont be posting on weekends but I had to because when the muse calls you just have to go with it.)

Well, couldn't go fishing because the schedule was too hectic, so I figured I could squeeze in an hour or so at the boat show downtown. I can do these things pretty quickly because I am usually looking for something in particular and don't even bother to waste time drooling over the high dollar crap I know I will never be able to afford unless I win the lotto...two or three times...

So being the inshore/flats guy that I am I was pretty much concentrating on the flats boats. I kinda want something that will allow me to go to the same areas as the Hotrod but allow me to take two or three anglers instead of just one and still fit in the garage.
Of course I expected the pickins to be a little slim since that is a fairly small niche in the fishing segment but I found a couple. Of course Family Boating was there with there Mavericks and Hewes lines. I liked the HPX but it wasn't the one I wanted to see. It was a 17' and I wanted to see the 15'. My favorite boat in that area was the Hewes 16' Redfisher. Looked like a decent deal too. Of course I would have had to add a few things and then it wouldn't have been much of a deal anymore...lol

I'll tell you though there was another boat that I had not seen before except for in pictures and the pictures don't do it any justice at all. It wont fit in my garage so I wont even consider it but the Maverick Master Angler 21' was a very nice looking boat.

Shearwater had 4 nice boats there. 2 flats boats that pretty much made me drool even though they were way to big for my garage...and a pair of bay boats that were super nice too. Price? If you have to ask, then you cant afford it.

I finally got to see all the ranger boats. They have 4 boats that meet all my criteria too. The Banshee, Ghost and Phantom. The Banshee they had on display at the show had some kind of midget half tower looking thing on it. I didn't really like the look of it but I'm no fool, I'll take functionality over looks any day, so I wont comment negatively on it until I try it. The Ghost and Phantom boats were very nice looking boats. Much more 'finished' than the Banshee which looked much more like a working boat. If I had one of them I would be way to anal retentive about keeping them nice and shiny to actually enjoy them I think. But that pretty much goes for any new boat that costs upwards of $25K. And believe me $25K is not even chump change when looking at the cost of new boats.

There were a few other boats that I saw that might have fit my parameters but they didn't do much for me either visually or from their reputations so although I did look, I didn't spend much time on them.
I did see one boat though that caught my fancy. It was a 16' boat it had almost a 7ft beam, it looked like it would run fairly skinny and my wife even liked it because it was yellow and had seat cushions...
It was the 1600 Fly Caster by Famous Craft. It was a nice looking little boat, with plenty of room for 3 people. I would definitely like to give it another look. Supposedly it drafts 7 - 9 inches and had a 90hp Yamaha with a manual jack plate. It was just begging me to take it home and with a show price of less than $16K I almost fell for it...Of course the trailer wasn't included and that would have been another $1800 and I could tell right off the bat that I would have to add some trim tabs, and a push pole to go with the poling platform. I am so glad I left my credit card at home...

Friday The 13th...

Friday the 13th is associated with bad luck. What does that have to do with fishing? Nothing unless your fishing. I didn't get to go fishing today so I guess it is bad luck...so bad in fact that I didn't get to fish since Tuesday...and probably wont get to fish all weekend either. So it is probably worse luck for me than it is for you, my readers. But just in case it is bad luck, I will make it good luck for you because I am going to talk about some fishing destinations.
Cockroach Bay. Located just south of Ruskin FL. Take I75 to college blvd Ruskin Exit go west. Turn south on US41 and a couple miles down the road you will see Cockroach Bay Rd across from a Circle K. Turn right on Cockroach Bay Rd and the ramp is at the end of the road. Good fishing there. There are lots of snook and redfish to be caught in the mangroves all along the channel that leads out to the bay as well is back in the little passes on your left hand side as your heading out into the bay.
If you choose to head back inside Cockroach Bay (CRB) by going left after launching instead of going out into the bay, there are lots of interesting little passes and coves that are worth exploring. The whole area is either slow speed minimum wake or idle no wake so please observe the signs. By ignoring them you are only hurting yourself and the other fishermen in the area because you are spooking fish. And believe me there are a lot of fish in there.
On a strong outgoing tide the current really rips hard out of the channel and the fishing is very good along the mangroves in the channel as well as just outside the mouth of the channel. During the summer months there is also lots of bait to be caught saving you a trip to the skyway or the markers to net bait.
If you head south the grass flats hold lots of trout, jacks, ladyfish and mackerel all the way down to the Port Manatee Spoil Island, which is designated as a Combustion Exclusion Zone and also holds lots of fish. Do not even think of running your motor inside the No Combustion Zone as the security at the port is very alert and will send a boat out to run you off or call the FWC or Sheriff's Office. Push poles or trolling motors only.
If you head north out of the CRB channel there are several passes along the shore line as well as the mouth of the Little Manatee River. These passes can be very productive as well with lots of snook and redfish and trout on the deeper flats. In the winter explore the backwaters inside these passes. This area is known as Little Cockroach Bay. Pay attention to the depth. On low tide there is not a whole lot of water in there and you could be stranded for hours waiting for the tide to bring the water back.
There are also fish inside the Little Manatee River all the way back to the US41 bridge and probably farther but I have never been past it.
I'm not gonna give up any specific honey hole spots but if you explore, you will find them. Look for areas where water is funnelled and the tide is moving well. Also look for points, bends, coves, oyster mounds, mangrove islands, any kind of distinguishing terrain feature is worth checking out. Of course that rule would go for any area being fished.
Good Luck I will get back to fishing again next week and hopefully I can put up some interesting action packed fishing reports to keep you coming back.

Lets Talk Diversity

I have only been fishing in Tampa Bay waters for a couple years but I have caught quite a mixed bag of fish. Not counting a few offshore excursions. Here is a list of the fish I have caught inside the bay, using the skyway bridge as a boundary using a hook and line.

Redfish
Snook
Speckled Trout
Silver Trout
Whiting
Flounder
Gafftop Sailcat
Hardhead Catfish
Jack Crevalle
Mangrove Snapper
Gag Grouper
Goliath Grouper
Pompano
Spanish Mackerel
Ladyfish
Bluefish
Sheepshead
Black Drum
Toadfish
Pinfish
Pufferfish
Cow Nosed Ray
Atlantic Stingray
Key West Grunt
Cobia
Tripletail

Not too shabby I would think. Of course there are still a few species left like Tarpon, Permit and various shark species, so I got something to shoot for in the upcoming days. One of the best things about the bay is the wide variety of fish you might catch on any given day.