Ladyfish

Fishing Report – Bings Landing 6-29-13

Sat. June 29, 2013
Weather:  Mostly cloudy with rain/thunder storms passing to North and South
Wind: moderate east winds, 8-10mph, light near dark
Pressure: 28.9
Major Feed: 5:25PM
Water: Water is still pretty dark though it was fishing an out going tide

Target Fish: Redfish, Trout
Fish caught: (1) Flounder,  (1) Ladyfish, (3) Jacks, (3) Mangrove Snappers, (2) trout hooked/lost

I fished out of Bings Landing this afternoon. Though the weather was threatening I went ahead and took a chance and launched. There was actually a big storm on both sides of me but they skirted around and moved out over the ocean.

My plan was to fish some live mullet until late afternoon and then finish out the day with some top water action. I staked down along a deep bend in a creek drain and hooked my first fish within seconds of getting a bait in the water, a nice Snapper by just short of being legal. I did not have to many small finger mullet and the snapper were biting so fast I started cutting up larger mullet to save my livies. A fish would be on the bait within 30-45 seconds of it hitting the water! They just weren’t quite large enough to keep.

I had several hard strikes on live finger mullet that didn’t hook up. One completely scaled a 5″ mullet.

One thing that was different from the last time I fished here was that nothing would touch a fiddler crab? I caught some up on the way in but could interest a fish of any kind in one.

Finally, about 8:00pm with the tide still on the out going, the top water bit started! It was like you flipped a switch. My first clue was some surface striking. It was obviously a school of small predators by the multiple strikes happening all at once. I figured it was a school of jacks but quickly grabbed my top water rod and offered up a 5M18 MirrOlure. It immediately drew attention and a nice jack boiled up on the plug. I ended up getting three of them to the boat.

I did have two trout on but they managed to tear off which is not uncommon on top water. I probably had another 10-12 good strikes that did not hook up or were on only briefly.

I picked off another nice ladyfish that really put on a show. Once I got her up to the boat she almost jumped right up into my face. It would not be the first time I’ve been seriously hooked by one of the hyper fish. You really need to be careful with them when multiple hooks are involved.

Within about 35 minutes it was all over and the waters calmed. Not even a mullet disturbed the surface after that point. The only fish I brought home was a 15″ flounder.

Though the trip was not that productive……that 30 minutes of hot top water bite made the paddle worth the effort.

OH! Almost forgot……on the way over I scouted the beach……Pogy pods everywhere!! Every time I stopped I could see schooled up pods as far as I could see with my 10×32’s. I did not see any action in them though. If work allows, I’ll check this out one morning this week.

Larry S.
longscreek6-29-13

long creek lady 3

Fishing Report – Mosquito Lagoon

Friday, Sept. 10, 2010

Temp.: 73-91 deg.
Wind: wsw @ 5 at 7:00 am light chop
High pressure over area.
Clear conditions
Water level high, all the way up to the mangroves.
Pressure: Sea Level Pressure 29.93 in
Len fished with me at the lagoon this morning. We pushed off about 6:15 into the dark with a light chop. We made the mile paddle to the flat I’ve been fishing.

I directed Len to the “canoe slew“ it’s a sand bottom strip where a guy in the red canoe usually fishes. I pulled up just off the opposite corner of the island tip (“the sink hole”) and cast a jig towards the bank…fish on, lady, 2 nd cast…fish on, 3 rd cast…fish on……..all lady fish. They were thick as flies. Nearly every cast produced a fish but we were not there for lady fish. Our target was bull reds! I moved 150yds east to the sand holes I like to fish. It was pretty slow on the trout and redfish side. Finally, I set the hook on a 27” red and he ended up on the stringer.

Len was on the catfish and ended up catching a dozen or more. He did catch a 17” red at that spot before leaving and moving to my hole as I had left to prowl the flat looking for fish sign. I got into some lady fish back in the n.e. corner of the flat that were a little larger. Picked up one tiny trout. Len came over the radio…fish on! And landed a 21” red. I headed his way to take his picture and then moved back to the “sink hole”. The mullet activity was starting to pick up. I caught a bunch more ladyfish and a small trout. After a bit I saw the line of my free line mullet rod moving off to the left….and put a 17” trout on the stringer. Picked up a few more ladyfish on the jig rod. I was fishing a curly tail, white/silver/silver glitter, tipped with a strip of mullet.

After a bit I noticed the line of the mullet rod leaving at a high rate… punched the free spool so I could get my other rods clear. I wound down on him and set the hook…..another 27” red. Len’s red was good and alive so I culled him with this fish.
That pretty much wound things up and we started fishing our way back towards the launch. We got back to the truck about 1:30 pm and we were pretty much spent, hot, salty, soar but, you name it.
We made this trip knowing the fishing would be off but wanted to prove out a theory that the fish feed here based on the solunar tables and so far they have been right.
We felt fortunate to have caught the fish we did, especially the two big 27” fish.
Final Tally:
(17+) catfish
(25-30) ladyfish
(5) redfish
(3) trout

It may be a while before I can get back here with bow season about to start.

Best of Luck, Larry S.
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Readers Catch of the Week!

Len's Black Drum Daytona Beach, Fl.

Recommended Reading

 
Surf Fish Any Beach, The Quick Start Guide Though this book is not kayak related, if you are looking for some exciting fishing without a boat, this book cover exactly that.
 
Sportsman's Best Kayak Fishing This book covers everything you need to know about kayak fishing. The best part is....I'M IN IT! Check out page 180-183 on Tarpon fishing.

Florida Fishing Reg.’s

Moon Phase

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Pellicer Flats Weather

Mosquito Lagoon Weather

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SailFlow Wind Forecast!

Florida’s Designated Paddle Trails

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