More Late Afternoon Topwater Action

Around 5:00 pm I decided to walk the bridge and check out the fishing in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

The weather was balmy as I trudged the A. Max Brewer bridge to get in my daily exercise and I was sweaty when I got back to the truck.

I had good luck fishing yesterday so I decided to get in more late afternoon topwater action on the flats.

 

As I entered the refuge, I passed the culvert and noticed some activity in the shallows but I decided to pass it up and head towards where I caught fish yesterday evening.

As I drove slowly towards the spot, I spotted some tailing action on the other side of the road.

I parked and took a video of some very large black drum tailing the muddy flat.  The wind was blowing just enough to ripple the water and give the drum enough cover to feed in the area.

Click on the pic below.

I was going to switch to a DOA jerkbait or a Saltwater Assassin paddletail lure but I forgot to bring my tackle boxes and was stuck with the four topwater baits I had tied onto the rods I brought along.

Shitty planning.....  Anyway, I watched the fish for a while before moving down the road to do what I do best.

This afternoon was a clone of yesterday's fishing trip.  I hooked and shook off a nice ladyfish that I hooked on a Badonk A Donk topwater bait at the first place I stopped and managed to land three more small ladyfish.  The smallest one hooked itself on the nose and tail and came in like a wet rag.

Two more casts after I released the lady, I hooked into a sea trout that I also released.

I continued to catch and release a total of 7 ladyfish and three spotted sea trout.  All were caught on a Badonk A Donk topwater bait smeared up with Pro-Cure gel.

This was the first fishing trip where I had to stop fishing because I couldn't cast anymore.  I sprained my wrist and even though I had it wrapped, the pain just got to me.

On the way out of the refuge, I passed by several anglers dunking baits but I didn't bother asking how they were doing.  It looked like most were just having a great Sunday afternoon outing.

Till next time, Tight Lines.

99

Sea Trout and Ladyfish On The Flats

The weather was wet and windy when I decided to hit the flats in East Gator Creek for some sea trout and ladyfish action.

This afternoon was my first chance to wet a line sine I got home Friday night so despite the weather, I decided to get in some topwater fishing.

I knew from prior experience that fishing the fronts and thunderstorms can be extremely productive and this afternoon proved my theory.  

As I slowly drove into East Gator Creek Road looking for signs of topwater feeding activity, it started raining just enough to cool things down.  

The air temp was still in the 80s and there was enough wind to make walking the dog a pain in the butt.

I started out blind casting the weedy flats with a small Bass Pro Tourney special popper that I smeared up with some Pro-Cure inshore formula gel.  I do this to increase my hookup ration and the stuff really works.

I made three casts around the first culvert and had a couple of follow ups but no hookups so I moved down the road blind casting around the shallows.

The water was crystal clear and I spotted several long nose garfish along the bank.

I drove up the road to another weedy flat and again started blind casting the area.

After a few casts I hooked up with a ladyfish around 20 inches that got off after a few jumps.  

A few casts later and I landed another smaller version that I quickly released.

The wind was slowing down but the rain was becoming steadier and the bite was perking up.

I started casting parallel to the bank with a Badonk A Donk that I had on my other rod and hooked into a couple more ladyfish which I landed and released.

Moving up the road into a sheltered area, I hooked into a nice sea trout that I took a pic of  and quickly released.

In that spot I managed to hook and release two more ladyfish and one more smaller sea trout.

As the rain slowed down to a halt, I took a slow ride around Catfish Creek Loop to see what was happening in that area.

I stopped to briefly talk to two fishermen who both said the sea trout bite was picking up.  The one guy was using croaker under a popping float and had three sea trout and the other group was using finger mullet.

As I was talking to the second angler, I spotted some tails on the Indian River side of the road.  He told me that the other fisherman had just lost an over size redfish at the bank.  He said the tail was huge and the fish was probably in the 15 pound category.

He said the school was just outside of casting range from the bank but with the corakers he was using for bait, I'm pretty sure he'd be getting a hookup before dark.

I bid him farewell as I took a pic of the sunset and headed home.

Till next time, Tight Lines.

Haulover Canal Tarpon

This morning seemed like a great day to hit Haulover Canal and try for some black drum.

I loaded my heavy surf rods into the back of my truck, stopped at the local bait shop to pick up a half dozen blue crabs for bait, and headed for Haulover.

When I got to the canal the bridge was down so I hit the northwest side and got a spot right at the bridge.

I cut a blue crab in half and put one piece on both of my heavy rigs.  

I was using a 10 foot Tournament surf rod with an Okuma baitrunner reel loaded with 60 pound Power Pro.  

The current was pretty strong so I rigged the 6/0 hook on 40 pound fluorocarbon leader with a 3 oz. sliding sinker to hold bottom.

The other rod is a Penn Fierce III spooled with 30 pound Cajun Red line and the same terminal tackle setup.

I tossed the baits out, set both rods on medium drag and sat down to enjoy the beautiful day.

I immediately spotted a Cormorant swimming under my rods to grab an oyster cracker for lunch.  As I caught him on video I also caught a couple of tarpon busting the surface just under the bridge.  Click on the pics to see a video.

There was a pod of about 7or 8 tarpon in the 80 to 100 pound range rolling on the surface in the area of the bridge for about an hour after I arrived.  

There were a ton of glass minnows in the canal, so I assume that they were chowing down on them.

I briefly thought about trying to hook up with one of them but there wasn't a chance in hell I could have landed one that size from the bank, especially were I was set up.

I continued watching the fishermen on the other side of the canal and a little blue heron that was catching glass minnows for his lunch as I waited for something to bite.

Finally, the baitrunner took off and I tightened up the line to set the hook on the fish.  As soon as I pulled back, I felt the weight of the fish briefly before the fish cut me off on the rocks.

I reeled in the barrel sinker without the hook and snelled on another 6/0 Owner hook.  I baited up with another half of a crab and tossed the bait almost across the canal.

The current was getting stronger than when I arrived and there was a lot of weeds in the canal that were causing problems holding bottom.  

After 5 minutes or so, you had to reel in, strip off the weeds and make another cast.

Finally, I got tired of catching weeds and moved to another spot near the middle of the canal, hoping that the weeds would not be as much of a problem.  Unfortunately, after an hour of removing weeds with only one bite that took my crab, I decided to call it a day and give it up.

I normally fish artificial baits but I do enjoy fishing the canal but when the weeds are this thick, it's too much like work.

I finally packed it in around 5:00 pm and let the tarpon have the canal to themselves.

Till next time,

Tight Lines.