Brackish Water Bass

Catching brackish water bass is a pleasant by catch for us in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. 

You never know what you are going to catch in these waters, especially during the winter months.

After I returned from my messed up trip to Haulover this afternoon, Karen didn't feel like walking around the block with me, so I decided to get my daily exercise walking across the A. Max Brewer causeway bridge instead.

I completed my brisk walk, took a few quick pics of the area, and was going to head back home but instead decided to make a quick run around East Gator Creek Road to see if anybody was fishing this late in the afternoon.

I was hoping to see some topwater activity but nothing was hitting the surface.

The air temperature was 65 degrees and there was almost no wind over the water.

I didn't plan on fishing but when I pulled up to a spot where I usually catch fish throughout the year, I decided to unpack my rods and tie on a Chug Bug.

It was almost dusk when I made my first and only cast to the opposite bank of the creek.

I let the bait sit there and made a painfully slow stop and go retrieve.

About 4 feet from the bank a fish smashed the topwater bait and pulled drag from my reel.  I had 10 pound mono with no leader to the Chug Bug and the fish almost immediately headed to the mangrove roots along the bank.

I gave the fish line and as he headed back out to open water I horsed the fish to the bank and quickly landed it.

I wasn't too surprised to see that it was a bass of about 3 pounds or so.

I unhooked the fish and took a few awful pics before releasing it back to where it was better off.

About the time I was going to make another cast, my wife called to remind me dinner was ready.,

That was all it took to get me back into the truck and head for home.

On the way out I just had to take a few more pics of the bridge.  It's definitely a workout.

Not a bad way to end 2019 compared to the skunk I had earlier at Haulover.

Till next year,

Tight Lines and Happy New Year.....