Fishing with Patrick - still early summer patterns

We had Patrick down here this past weekend for some fishing, World Cup watching and beer drinking.  We started off Saturday morning at Cockroach looking for snook up top as we had Patrick up on the bow with the fly rod casting to the mangrove points.  We didn't have a single taker unfortunately so we ran north to fish another couple of shore lines and look for some trout.  We fished Schuster's hole with no takers but a missed flounder that followed a shrimp off the sand and missed the shrimp the second time when Patrick stopped the bait.  We started seeing a lot of activity off the mangroves as the tide was falling out so we turned and started fishing the mullet and started catching a few trout.  Well it wasn't long until we found quite a few fish with some larger fish mixed in. Both of us connected on 22-23 inch fish and with the 19 inch fish we had in the cooler already we had dinner before 9:30.

Well you shouldn't "leave fish to find fish" but we wanted to see if we could find some reds and snook.  So we made a quick run back south and set up along some of the outside mangroves and started working the edges.  We caught a quick snook and had a couple of other bites but nothing consistent so with the tide finally rolling in we moved inside to set up on some inside mangroves.  Well my first hole didn't really produce much off the bat other than a catfish so we moved down to the cut and first cast in we were rewarded with a nice snook.

Well I thought that was going to be the beginning of something good but we really didn't get any more bites even though the current was just getting up and moving.  We putted around there for a little while longer and had some lunch and let the cut rest and ended up a smaller red after a little break.

After another long break and a finish up with lunch another first drift through the cut produced a quick bite which peeled off line back underneath the mangroves and took a couple of jumps.  Well after a quick 20 seconds of horsing it out of the mangroves Patrick was able to pull the fish down and out of the mangroves.  As he was getting the fish back to the boat it decided to turn and head back to the mangroves which in turn sliced right through the leader.  Either it was frayed from the mangrove roots or the gill covers when right through it since more than likely it was a solid snook.

The point of a lost fish.  

From there it was getting later in the afternoon and we were getting low on shrimp and still had plans on fishing that evening if the weather cooperated so we decided to load up and head back to St. Pete.  Well unfortunately after a great dinner the weather turned ugly so we decided to visit Cycle instead and have a couple of Doug's great beers. 

The following morning we decided to throw all the eggs into the tarpon basket with an east wind and ran off the beaches early looking for rolling fish.  Well it didn't take long to spot our first fish but without it coming back up again we really couldn't get an idea on where it was headed.  We moved a little further north to more boats and caught a couple more fish rolling as well but they all looked like they were on their way very quickly to Key West as they were making serious time down the beaches.  After that we waited a little while longer and saw one more possible roll but it was time to make our way back to the launch to load up to make sure we got Patrick back to the airport.  Overall it was a great way to spend the weekend and we accomplished everything we set out to do even though we didn't hook up on the tarpon.

Fishing with Vance - Early summer patterns

Fished with Vance a few weeks ago out of Cockroach Bay under some early summer patterns.  We started early throwing topwater to snook and had a few blow ups right off the bat but not hook ups.  Finally after moving a little into the back country did we get a taker and get one to the boat though it was pretty small.  So as the tide was slowing down we made a run north to catch the last part of the falling tide at Schuster's hole.  Well it was occupied so we figured we could find some trout in some of the pot holes and we weren't disappointed.  The trout seemed to be hanging off the holes though and some of them came from the thick grass around the holes.  The big trout of the day was one that jumped out of the water chasing bait 15 yards from the boat and took the shrimp a few seconds after it hit the water.

We caught a couple of nice trout and decided to run back south to fish some mangroves for snook and reds.  We got back and set up in some of my favorite summer holes and did pretty well. 

Some smaller reds and a nice snook at the first stop throwing up under the mangroves.  We moved to a summer cut and first cast in Vance hooks and catches his first snook. 

So by that point we had the boat slam all sealed up and were looking for enough fish to take home so I suggested we take a shot at one more hole out front where I've had some success in the summer and high tides.  It wasn't long before I got on a nice red that made a really good dinner fish for Redfish tacos. 

After that it was time to call it an afternoon and get back to clean fish and get the boat all cleaned up.  Good day on the water with a couple of slams and some solid fish with some diversity as well. 

Catch up post

So it's been a little while since my last posting but I've been busy fishing and playing a little golf. 

I caught my first tarpon in April down in Pine Island.

I've been snook fishing a couple times with Dr. Schuster and got out with Dad as well with Dr. Schuster. 

Overall an ok spring as far as the fishing went as we've had some really up and down weather but you can't complain at all with fish in the boat and time on the water!