04/15/04

Goliath Grouper, (a.k.a. Jewfish) are back for the summer.

This week the winds finally calmed down enough that that we could get out and see if the BIG fish were back from their wintertime hiding places. 

Yes! They are back. Chad and Wendy from Pennsylvania, and I went out for a day of fishing the flats with plans to hit the ‘jewfish hole’ around 3 PM when the tide changed. We spent the morning looking for snook, trout, and redfish. We were excited when we rounded a corner and there was a bunch of snook that we could see along a sandy shoreline in clear water.  We were able to cast up current from visible snook and let the lively (scared) greenbacks float right in to the danger zone, it was really cool seeing that snook eyeing the bait and all of a sudden the bait would just disappear. 

There was a dolphin also eyeing the same snook, and after we caught a few, all of a sudden there was this giant explosion right on the shore about 15 feet in front of our boat, that dolphin decided he wanted one for breakfast, and he got it. That was a sight to see, but it put and end to our catching any more.  We fished farther back in to the backwaters with a little luck on trout and a snook or two, but no reds.  We had gathered a few ladyfish and one small mackerel for bait. Around 2 o’clock we decided to head out to Boca pass and see if we would get some big ladyfish or mackerel for bait, not much luck with that.    

So, we headed to the ‘spot’ about 3 PM, the tide had just started out and was moving a little slow. With the water still around 70 and a very slow tide I was not real encouraged about getting any jewfish to bite.   We had fished about 20 minutes with nothing, I was drinking a coke and eating some crackers, chatting with Wendy when Chad broke the boredom with “ I got a bite!” I turned around just in time to see that big jewfish pole start to bend, we had a fish on. Now I was excited, as many of these guys as I have caught, I still get real excited about catchin’em.  About 15 minutes later we were pulling a five footer on board for a quick picture.  Then it was Wendy’s turn, dropped a bait in the water and it didn’t take long, we had another ‘fish on’. Wendy pulled in a four footer. This is the way they are supposed to bite, “put a bait in the water and you better be holding on.”  We had 6 baits and put four fish to the boat, and lost no tackle, I consider that a GREAT day. And we got the smallest one I’ve gotten at this spot, about 25 pounds, that’s good to see, it means there are some new ones coming around. 

We made a long day of it, we hit a couple spots real quick to see if there were any snook around and did a little site seeing on the way back to the ramp. Even stopped and picked up a few shells off the beach.  Over all a GREAT day on the water.

The rest of the week I have been bass fishing, also with some great results, been getting between 10 and 25 bass every trip. Haven’t broken the 10 pound mark yet this year, a lot of 3 to 6 pounders. The fish have not been biting until around 10 am so it’s been nice not having to get out so early.

Capt Randy Knowles

http://www.NoSlackCharters.com