January 13th, 2012

Kelly and I went back to the scene of the crime today on an unseasonably warm January morning. As we paddled out to DTB's secret spot, I was concerned that the heat would make the snook move out of the area.

My concerns were mostly confirmed a half-hour later when we were fishing the usual spots as hard as we could, but no snook could be found. I finally got the skunk off with a trout caught on a jig head/shad tail combo, and Kelly did the same with a jig head/paddle tail combo.

We fished mostly with those two lures. Mine tended to catch trout, while Kelly's was bringing in more snook. By the time we were ready to paddle out, he had caught five snook to my two, though I held an edge on him with the trout, at five.

We paddled out and fished some of the bay outside of Bishop's Harbor. At one point I tossed my jig into a distant sand hole, and after one pop, got a nice trout on the line at 21".

Ultimately, it wasn't nearly as epic as our last trip out, but considering the warm weather, we did fairly well.

(No photos again. This time I couldn't find my camera.)

Sunday, December 23rd, 2012

Kelly and I launched on a good high tide and paddled straight out to DTB's secret spot. From the very first cast, the bite was on. I caught snook after snook on the Flat Rap, and in a few hours,  had brought in 30 snook. Unfortunately, I don't think any of them were over 15", but it was good catching nonetheless.

Kelly was at it as well, opting (as he is wont to do) to throw mostly his topwater Spook. His dedication to that lure almost paid off with a big snook catch, but after several attempts the fish just couldn't get the lure squarely in its mouth. Kelly managed to pick up a half-dozen snook with other lures once he gave up on the topwater.

It felt good to finally have the epic snook day that I had known was possible in this spot. Looking forward to getting back.

If you are wondering where the photos are...I didn't take any. I was too busy catching fish!

Tuesday, December 11th, 2012

Headed back to DTB's secret spot today for some additional snookin'. I launched at 10:30am, and after a good 30 minute paddle, was able to access the snook hole on a good high tide.

The conditions were generally unfavorable, mostly due to a 15 knot wind whipping across the water. In addition, it had rained heavily the night before, which made me think the fish would be uncooperative, and they were.

I was a good 100 casts in without a bite before I was able to get the skunk off with a topwater hook-up with a very angry jack crevalle. The location that was holding big schools of small snook on my last time out did not produce anything, so I went to the windy side of the hole and started throwing my big She Dog topwater at the shore. It was tough fishing. The chop on the water made it nearly impossible to walkt he dog.

About a dozen casts in, I had a huge blow up through the chop, and a sizable snook took hold of my lure. About five minutes later, I brought it to the yak. I don't have any photos of the beast, but it was my personal best snook, coming in at 29".  I've got video of the catch here.

A short time later I had another monster snook follow my lure up to the yak, only to turn back when it got sight of me.

I finished up fishing the area, picking up two more small snook and a nice trout on my Yo-zuri Crystal Minnow. On the paddle back I tried a few casts, and caught another trout on topwater. I also saw a big school of snook holding off one of the spoil islands, but they were uncooperative. Still it's good to see the snook making a nice comeback.

Thursday, December 6th, 2012

'Loaded up my gear and headed over the Skyway this morning to try out my friend DTB's secret spot on the south shore of Tampa Bay. I launched at Bishop's harbor and started the long paddle to the location. Along the way I threw my topwater spook and in a spot that was previously productive for me, got a nice hook-up. At first I thought it was a redfish, but as it got closer saw that it was a nice gator trout that measured in at 22".

I spent the next hour and a half consulting my google maps app and paddling around in complete frustration. I did, however, paddle through some really interesting water.

Eventually, I located DTB's secret spot and started casting, alternating between a Yozuri Crystal Minnow and a Flat Rap.

About 10 minutes in, the Flat Rap got a good solid take, and after a nice fight with some drag pulling, I brought a 23" redfish to hand.

At this point I knew it was inevitable that I would get a slam today, as the whole purpose of coming to DTB's secret spot was for the incredible snook bite. After a bit of fan casting, I located a school of small snook and in the next hour, caught 16 of them, with the largest coming in at a perfect 24".

Today's slam went: 22" trout, 23" red, and 24" snook, in that order. Pretty cool, and enough to win a lot of tournaments.

Here is what is left of the Flat Rap:

Thursday, November 29th

Got a late launch on the Cross Bayou today at 10:00am. Normally I fish the shoreline along the way upriver, but today I just paddled hard to the spot in the canal where Joe's Creek lets in.

It was one of our warmer days, and the sun was high enough to only be casting shadows on one side of the mangroves. I went straight to work on that side, casting my Yozuri shrimp as close to the mangroves as possible. In due time, I was rewarded with two small snook to the yak, and another two jumped.

With the skunk off, I paddled up to the fairgrounds, jumping another snook just past the cajun restaurant. The fairgrounds were unusually quiet -- no mullet in sight. I fished the whole north and east shore with just a ladyfish to show for it.

On the paddle back I stopped to throw the flat Rap a few times and caught another small snook at the mouth of Joe's Creek. For now, that seems to be the only spot producing any regular catches. I'm happy to see all the small snook, but am wondering where the bigger ones are. It's possible with our consistently cool weather that they haven't had a cold enough snap to jolt them out of their homes and send them upriver.

I stopped one more time on the way back and caught a dozen or so ladyfish on light drag just to hear the reel sing a bit.

Friday, November 16th

Launched at 62nd Avenue along Park Street for my first voyage of the season into the Cross Bayou Canal. 

Straight off the bat, I spooked a nice redfish that was mudding along in about 8 inches of water. Paddled on to the first mangrove line I like to fish and started throwing the Yo-zuri shrimp. No hits after a half-dozen casts, so I switched over to the Flat Rap. First cast with the Flat Rap I brought to hand a small snook, somewhere in the 12" range. Next cast to the same spot I hooked up with another small snook, but this one got the best of me and tossed the lure after a nice jump.

I paddled up to the Park Street bridge and fished the pilings for a bit -- too long, really, as nothing was biting. That's been a productive spot for me in the past, but it was dead today.

Continued up to where Joe's Creek lets in and fished the mouth of the creek for a good thirty minutes with nothing doing. Saw something busting bait, but it didn't like my offerings. From there I started fishing the north shore of the creek and caught another little snook on the Flat Rap, then followed that fish up with two back-to-back mangrove snapper out of the same spot.

Jumped two more snook up the shoreline, then the bite went dead. I switched over to the south shoreline and also switched over to the Yo-zuri shrimp. I went on to catch six more snook with that lure, including one I caught on a long cast back to the other shoreline.  All of of the snook were in the 12-15" range, with one around 20" (pictured below).

Despite their small size, those junior snook were hitting and fighting twice their size. They were a lot of fun to catch, and it was heartening to know that this young population of snook are thriving. Can't wait till they put on a few pounds...

On my paddle back out I jumped one more snook and caught a couple of hard-hitting ladyfish before wrapping it up for the day. Four hours on the water and eight snook -- that's a ratio I like.

Friday, November 2nd, 2012

I got out on the water late today after dropping the girls off at school. I launched around 9:00am, just thirty minutes before low tide. Despite the bad timing, the weather was ideal. Clean, glassy water, blue skies and 75 degrees.

I fished the channel right at the launch all the way down to Tampa Bay Watch, and after a good hour, had only one topwater blow-up to show for it. The bite was simply off. I did get visited by a manatee, which was cool.

Eventually, I would catch a couple of ladyfish and three lizardfish. I was so pissed at the third lizardfish that I brought him aboard and turned him into cut bait. By then the water had started to fill up the flat I chucked the cut bait out under a float and started to drift the flat. While drifting the flat and throwing the Spook Jr., I started to get blow-ups on nearly every cast, and soon brought to hand about 10 trout, ranging from 10" to 18".

By the time I hit the ATZ, the bite had died down again, and except for a lone catfish that took the cut bait, the bite was dead. Not the best day of catching, but a gorgeous day to fish.