    
Capt. Merrily Dunn
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 | | Posted on Sunday, July 08, 2001 - 1:13 pm: | |
Subject: Fishing Report WE 7/7/01
Fishing Report for Bradenton/Sarasota, Florida 7/7/01
What a "firecracker" of a week for fishing here on the Southwest Coast of Florida. We're still catching and chasing tarpon along the beaches from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor. This year I've put most of my clients on to the Silver Kings along the barrier island of Casey Key. The Monday after the big boat races off Siesta Key, I had the pleasure of fishing with the Plaxico family of Macon, Georgia. Capt. Kelly Stilwell took the guys, dad Dave and his son, Tyler, while I fished with the gals, mom Sally and daughter, Corbett. We started at Grassy Point and they began at a spot just south of the old Midnight Pass. Corbett and her mom love to fly fish for trout in Highlands, North Carolina and thought that they would like to try for tarpon on the fly. What they didn't realize is that the 12 weight would be more of a challenge than they expected. We saw many a northbound school approach us and then disappear, only to pop back up many yards away from us. But one school did finally show that must have had 50 - 75 fish in it. We got the fly into them but they wouldn't take it. What Corbett hadn't known was that I tossed a crab on a circle hook way ahead of the approaching school and just let it sit while I ducked out of the way of her fly casting. Meanwhile, Sally was sitting coaching her daughter with hopes of a take on the fly. Well can you guess what happened next? A tarpon took the crab but being that it was a circle hook, I didn't set it. The line went tight away from the boat, the tarpon just kept swimming and I gave the rod to Sally. Corbett knew the school was out of range of her fly. That's when I told her it was okay because her "Sal Pal" had a fish! For the next hour the two tag teamed the rod and brought it to the boat. It was about an 80# tarpon, solidly hooked in the upper lip. Both were very lucky that day because the boys' team only got a hook up and a jump out of their efforts. Way to go girls! Just because one day we get 'em doesn't mean the next day we will. I took out John Schneider of Chesapeake, Virginia and his brothers-in-law, Christopher Duff and John Stoneburner of Chicago area, Illinois on Tuesday. We had both north and south bound schools and our baits well into them but ended up without a take for all our tries. We felt we were being avoided because we did see two schools bite for two other boats once they got by us. Don't brag too much, it'll come back to bite you! On the 5th, Capt. Rick Grassett and I took the Plaxico family out again but the seas were a little too rough for the girl's team, so I took Sally and Corbett inside for some bay fishing. The outgoing tide had brought a lot of brackish water into the bay and the fish were hard to find. Corbett did end up with a nice 2# trout caught on a trout color Slimy Slug, while Sally only caught lizardfish and a catfish.
Capt. Merrily Dunn
Game Fish-her Guide Service
reelsaltylady@cs.com
coming soon: www.gamefish-her.com
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