An Epic Fish Tale

I launched the Hotrod shortly after sunrise and headed off in search of juvenile Tarpon. As I idled through the no wake zone I enjoyed my morning thermos of coffee in the crisp cool morning. The weather has been unseasonably warm lately so the 50 degree temperature was a rare treat so far this winter.
As I idled along I saw a large splash off in the distance. At first I thought It was a pelican diving on a baitfish but I looked and there were no pelicans, only a few gulls circling. As I watched I saw a couple more splashes and the gulls started diving as the water erupted into a boiling froth. Jacks! As soon as I exited the idle zone I gunned the motor full throttle and headed towards the commotion. I shut off the motor when I got reasonable close and used the trolling motor to get withing casting range.
I knew the jacks had to be pretty good size because the roving school I have encountered in this area has been running on the large size and from the size of the individual splashes I could tell these were large. I grabbed my rod that I had rigged for tarpon and cast it into the fray. I hooked up almost instantly and my rod bowed over as the fish tried to run. Unfortunatly I had the drag set a little too tight and the 20lb leader snapped. I quickly reeled in the line and grabbed my short dock and mangrove fishing rod. Not even bothering to put a tail on the bare jighead I cast it into the school of boiling jacks and again was hooked up. Unfortunatly my 10lb line was way outclassed and it too broke almost instantly leaving me with a tangled mess when the braid snapped back. I quickly reeled in the line anyway not even bothering to mess with it and grabbed my tarpon rod again. I grabbed another jig I had and quickly tied it on with a loop knot and tossed it out to another ravenous Jack. This time I loosened the drag a bit and let the fish take some line applying drag by feathering the spool with my hand.
As I fought this jack the school turned and was heading right for the boat. I reeled with abandon trying to regain line as the jack followed the school towards me. The jacks looked like a herd of thundering watermelons as they approached the Hotrod. Then they saw me and turned away, my jack leading the school. I tried to palm the spool to slow him but I swear they other jacks had to be pushing him and my line again snapped leaving me fishless rodless.
I decided to head off to my tarpon hole and deal with the jacks later if I could find them again. I arrived at my tarpon hole and rerigged my rods with fresh leader and jigs. While I was doing this the tarpon were rolling all around the boat. Once I was ready I cast to them for nearly two hours with out a single take. I headed back to the dock checking one of the local canals on the way only to find it was nearly dry.
So I continued on my way thinking I was finally skunked for the first time in over 9 months. Then I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye. Birds circling in the distance over a very shallow flat. I didnt see any telltale signs of marauding jacks below but I headed over to investigate anyway. Sure enough first a couple splashes and then the water erupted again. Unfortunately for me they were upwind and I could not get within casting range so I went past them and stopped and waited to see if there for a sign of there location.
I sat for several minutes and decided it was not to be and started to troll back to the channel to head in when I saw a couple jacks hitting bait in the shallow water so I made a couple more casts with the wind at my back but they did not appear to be interested. I drifted a little farther and dropped my anchor to work out a game plan. Suddenly I noticed that the water was getting really rough in a spot that was perfectly calm moments before and it appeared to be heading towards me. I cast as far as I could towards them but they were still out of range so I quickly retrieved my lure and waited as they continued to approach. Then when I thought they were within range I casted again just yards short. So I let the jig sink to the bottom and as soon as the jacks were over it I began to work it back. Fish on! The jack immediately started running as only a jack can taking line by the yard as my drag screamed. For a minute I thought I was outclassed again as nothing I could do seemed to slow this fish at all. Finally after what seemed like 5 minutes the fish slowed down and I began to work it back to the boat. It was easily a hundred yards out. Is I regained line inch by inch the jack began its signature move the wide circle around the boat. It was still over 60 yards away when I noticed it was heading towards a crab buoy. I tried in vain to gain line quicker but to no avail and I could see that the crab buoy was moving against the current. I tried to get the fish off of the buoy line but it was wrapped. I was sure I was going to lose this fish. Fortunately it was exhausted and didnt put up much of a fight. I pulled my anchor and worked my way towards the buoy as quickly as possible as I didnt want the fish to get enough rest to start fighting again. I got to the buoy and could see the fish just below the surface, my line wrapped around the buoy line. I reached in and grabbed the jack by the tail and pulled it into the boat. I cut my leader and snapped a quick photo of the jack, measured it and returned it to the water to be caught again. This jack measured 27 inches to the fork of its tail.

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...)

Late Fall Report

Well with the weather cooling off and the extreme low winter tides around the full and new moons, finding bait has become somewhat of a challenge. I can still get it but I have to pick my days it appears. While most live bait anglers have to run to the skyway I have been fortunate to discover a few bait spots a little closer to home. If I am lucky and they pan out for me as hoped I should be able to find bait all winter long on most days. The rest of the time I will fish artificials or target species that like shrimp like Sheepshead. I am also enjoying the opportunity to do more fly fishing, although my results are not quite what I have been hoping for with that.
I can get decent distance and present my fly well enough but after it gets in the water is where I need some help. I'm thinking about hiring a guide that specializes in fly fishing just so I can get some pointers. I would really like to catch some nice fish on fly this winter and of course I want to be able to target snook and reds on the flats next spring and summer as well and possibly tarpon too.

I had some problems with the motor on the Hotrod earlier this week. Apparently when I swamped the boat last week some water got into my portable gas tank and my motor, although it is very economical and fuel efficient, still wont run on a saltwater/gasoline/two stroke oil mix. I drained the gas tank and emptied the fuel filter on the motor and it ran fine for me today so I am back in action.

The Mullet Roe season is in full swing and the mullet fishermen are out in full force. Most of these guys don't pay any attention to any regulations regarding running their vessels in slow speed or idle zones and could care less about running over your fishing hole while your fishing. Great guys let me tell ya. This is a picture I took in a slow speed minimum wake zone while fishing last week.


As you can see the snapper bite is on fire...I have huge hands this is a really big fish.

Here are a couple pictures of a fishing trip I took with my friend TampaJim proprietor of Dudley Rods
We searched and searched for fish for almost 3 hours and then when we finally found them we flat out tore em up and boated 12 snook in about 30 minutes as well as a small redfish too. We lost a couple too including one snook that would have been very close to the top of the slot if not over. But that's fine with me as I would have let it go anyway.

Hopefully fishing will pick up a little in the coming few weeks. As the weather gets a little colder I'm looking forward to the annual sheepshead spawn at the end of this month till around march. They are pretty tricky to catch but when you do they put up a great fight and they aren't to shabby on a sandwich bun either.

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.

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.

Fall Fishing is Almost Here!

The last few weeks the fishing has been a little spotty. The redfish schools began showing up on the flats and in the mouths of the various passes along the South Shore area of Tampa Bay and the Snook were moving back from the spawning areas along the beaches.

Last week I had pretty decent success finding the snook in some of their cool weather haunts. Fall fishing is almost upon us. In my opinion fall and spring are without question the best time of the year for fishing on the area known as the South Shore. The South Shore runs from the Alafia River all the way down to the skyway and Miguel Bay just outside of the skyway. As the weather and water temps fall, the fish start moving in to the back waters and begin to establish their fall fishing patterns. Bait is still plentiful on the flats and is the weapon of choice when targeting fall snook, redfish and trout as well as big schools of jack crevalle, and ladyfish. Big schools of hungry spanish mackerel are also easy targets out in the bay proper with an occasional kingfish mixed in to keep it interesting.

If you are in the bay and see a flock of birds dive bombing the water, check it out and you might get on a school of hungry fish. Make sure you have either a light wire leader or even 50lb mono if your gonna mess with the macks because they will slice through 20 and 30lb leader like a hot knife through butter. My favorite mack rig is a couple feet of 50lb mono or flourocarbon leader with a 2x long shank 1/0 eagle claw j-hook with a live scaled sardine or threadfin herring. I get cut off occasionally, but I would rather lose a box of 50 j-hooks than a couple gotcha plugs.

For redfish, if the water is high fish the edges of mangroves near passes and up inside the backwaters. I like to troll and prospect with live baits tossed as close as I can get them to the mangroves or with jigs with rubber tails or even jerkbaits rigged weedless with a little weight to get them down to the bottom. You can use weighted flutterhooks, weighted keeper hooks, or a regular worm hook with a small splitshot pinched right above the eye of the hook. A company called DOA also makes a pinchable weight that attaches right to the hook.
If the water is low, look for dropoffs along the edges of channels etc, and also keep your eyes peeled for disturbances in the water. If you are really lucky you might even see a school of redfish tailing. I usually find tailing redfish in the morning when there is an incoming tide flooding a flat. They like to get on the flat and look for little shrimp, crabs and small baitfish and will root around in the sand and seagrass trying to flush out a meal. Sometimes when they are tailing they are so busy concentrating on feeding that you can sneak right up on them and present your lure or bait to the fish of your choice. When your on a school of tailing redfish stealth is paramount. When I see tailers I will cut off my trolling motor 50 - 60 yards away or more and hopefully drift closer to them or put my anchor down and slowly and quietly wade to within casting distance.

For Snook, look for moving water. Try to find areas where bait will be swept from a shallow area to a deeper area, or past a mangrove point or even a cut where the water flows by and swirls into the cut. Present your bait so it gets carried by the current into the areas where the snook are waiting for an easy meal. Another favorite type of area that I like to target are creeks with low overhanging mangrove branches. I like to toss my bait so it will get carried underneath the overhanging branches to the snook waiting in the shadows.

I have been having lots of success using these tactics on these type of areas and they will only get better in the comming days and weeks.