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Capt. Tom Haynes
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 3:29 am: | |
Subject: Fish Report For April
Just before the cold front at the beginning of April, fishing was just short of spectacular. Had several parties out with results daily in the 20's for the snook. As the reds go, several each on those trips. Was surprised and pleased with those results. As all good thing's, that ended abruptly. With that cold front, the fish sought warmth and solitude. Had to bust my, you know, just to get bait. When the bait god's smiled on me, took same into the back country and did well. Those fish in the back country don't see too much live bait, and when they do, they will not leave it alone. We were back just about as far as my Action Craft 2020 would allow, and fished a run-off. Had several small mullet aboard. Threw those little guys into the main portion of the run off and without hesitation on the part of the fish, hooked and landed several red fish that went over 36 inches! OK you might say, but I'll tell you folks this. Have been fishing the back waters, Wheybac, of the Everglades for many years now. Without a doubt, these were the BIGGEST red fish that this writer has ever caught that deep in the glades. PERIOD. A new and exciting lesson for this old dog to learn. Admitted it also to the guy's on board. I was probably more excited than they were. Some that don't have "my experience" think that is the way it is! Many picture's of those bulls, then released. Those reds, should be goldies, were a very deep gold color indicating that they have been in the back country for some time. Hope I get the chance to see them again. Great fight when they run above 10 pounds. And speaking of fight, no doubt that reds will fight longer and harder than snook, pound for pound, when they get over 6 or 7 pounds.
Trout, when I fish for them during the "slack" time fishing for snook, have been large. They are biting the hard bait, and the bigger ones are taken on medium size white bait. Seems the never fail bait has been the motor oil color scrimp tail fished near the bottom. I have had good results with red head Yo-Zuri crystal minnows. Killer bait in any color. Dark days, darker lures, lighter days, lighter lures.
Outlook..........IF, being a big one, the weather holds, fishing will turn on full force. Bait is another variable that must be contented with. It seems it is around, but it may take a couple of hours, and patience, to chum, chum, and chum some more to get the live well full. They have been running large, scaled sardines, that the pup's (small snook) can't eat readily. I like the busy fishing for snook. But some of the big girls have yet to make it to the mouths of the river's. The spawn is not far away. When the mullet make their appearance, so will the big snook. Redfish will also begin to make an appearance around hard bottom as the summer season approaches. Trout are not as abundant this year as last year. Can't truly explain why. Very few on the flats that are above the slot.
Tip of the week........
With the large white bait as mentioned in the article, I have found that a 5/0 J hook has inproved the hook up's. Usually use a 3/0 Diiachi but with the large bait going to the larger hook is in order. Smaller bait, smaller hooks.
Tight lines and be safe......
Capt. Tom Haynes
813-340-1276 |
Capt. Tom Haynes
Unregistered guest
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 3:24 am: | |
Subject: Fish Report For March
Spring has make it's way into the fishing picture. Water temperature is at an unusual high for this time of year. But it does relate to outstanding fishing. Snook have been on the prowl, and are easy target's. (If that is possible.......). Redfish have been on the small side, but this writer feels that the red's, good ones that are over the slot, are just around the corner.
Gotta tell you this. I hate to clean those big one's. (Within the slot........) Tough as sheepshead. Good eat'n for sure, for the customer.
Sharp knives are the order of the day when at the cleaning table. Trout are on the flats in good numbers and when the tides and winds condition are not "just right" for snook and reds, they can be fun if you wish to get the string pulled.
Bait is hit and miss when the winds don't howl. Muddy water drives them off shore, and I have not been able teach myself how to throw the net off a deck that is heaving in four foot swells. Don't plan to do it either. I have a
box full of Yo-Zuri lures that work. That is plan B. Say it again Capt. Tom..........Lure fisherman by heart, live bait by necessity.
Pinellas County gang on board..... Tom Hatton, Rick, and Mike. These guys are experienced fisherman. Got bait and went after them. (Snook is "them").
A period of time lapsed with little results. Just around the corner is a favorite hole of mine that I felt would be good in short order. Well, my favorite hole was invaded by unknown person's. I lowered my head and said the "D" word. Watch those guys beat it up. Or so I thought. They leave. Still waiting for the tide to get "right," lo and behold, within 15 minutes another boat show's up on my hole. MY FISHING HOLE!
Again said the D word, this time twice. They leave. And before the bubbles from the outboard settle from the departing boat, my anchor is on board and by gosh I'm going to sit on that bad boy and wait for things to happen. We
anchor up. Within fifteen minutes, the snook fishing gets out hand. Throw some chum out there and they start. We were out gunned in the beginning.on more than a few. Started them out with ten pound gear, and the horses tore
up that light stuff. Went to my G-Loomis SUR945S with Stratic 6000's spooled with 20 pound test Yo-Zuri line trying to level the playing field. It did.
The big girls came and went. Within an hour we probably caught around 20 to 25 snook, and probably lost 8 to ten that were hooked for a jump or two and were gone, and all of this on the last of the outgoing tide. Great fishing there. And on a hole, MY HOLE, that was pounded twice within two hours. I was so busy that I had to sit by the bait well. Take fish off, cut back frayed leader, retie, rebait, and back they went to the action. We, or they had double's multiple times. Timing is everything! I did fail to say that we kept 3 snook from 28 to 30 inch's. Best eatin size in my opinion. Good guys, and I didn't mine going the extra mile for them. Much fun here, and many laughs!
Tip of the week...
Leader material. (Florocarbon...PERIOD!). Went the bite gets going, been there and done this, show some patience, or should it be, DON"T GET LAZY, cut back the leader material when it begins to show wear, then retie the hook.
It will increase your catch ratio.
If you gotta go...
Capt. Tom Haynes
(813) 340-1276
Tight line and be safe
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