East Gator Creek Fishing Report

After walking the bridge Sunday afternoon, I decided to get a fishing report for the East Gator Creek area.

Armed with four spinning rods tipped with Skitterwalks, Chug Bugs, and plastic Creme paddletail baits, I headed for the clear flats to see if the bite was on.

I drove slowly into the east entrance and stopped to talk to an angler who was tending to four rods staked along the bank.  He was fishing with shrimp for black drum that could be seen tailing farther out on the southern mud flats.

He told me that he caught a couple nice fish the day before, but had no bites up to the time I spoke with him.

I wished him good luck and drove to one of the spots I usually fish.

The day was calm and the air temperature was in the high 70s, so I started fishing the area with a Skitterwalk topwater bait.

I spent a lot of time blind casting to several areas on the east side of the road and had several follow ups, but only one small ladyfish to show for my efforts.   

The ladyfish jumped once and managed to hook itself into a circle, so the fight was a lot like pulling in a clump of weeds. 

I started fishing one of my other rods with a Creme paddletail bait and after missing several fish, hooked into a juvenile tarpon that hit the bait about six feet from the bank.

The tarpon jumped several times and put up a nice fight but I played it right for a change and slowly pulled the fish to the bank.  As the tarpon got closer, it headed for the brush along the bank where the treble hooks on the Skitterwalk hung up.

I put the rod on the bank and got my cell phone to take a pic as the fish dislodged itself and took off into the shallow flat.   

I never had another hit in that spot and it was getting late so I headed for Peacocks Pocket Culvert at the entrance to Catfish Creek Loop.

There is a small pond before the culvert that looked "fishy" so I pulled out the Skitterwalk and started walking the dog as close to the shoreline as I could get without snagging.

After a half dozen casts or so I hooked into a very large sea trout that I fought close enough to the bank to identify.  The trout was over two feet long and as soon as it saw the bank, it got it's second wind and took off across the weedy flat.

I fought the fish close to the bank the second time and as it took off on another run, the knot came loose and the fish got away taking my Skitterwalk with it.

I moved up to the culvert that was flowing weakly and spooked another big sea trout that was laying right off the bank.  

After several casts it was obvious that the fish wasn't in a feeding mood.

The barrier to Peacocks Pocket road was down and it was obvious that someone other than the refuge managers did it.   The signs were still up advising that the road was closed.

I was going to walk down a bit and try the other culverts but it was getting late and I decided to head home for dinner.

On the way around Catfish Creek Loop I took these pics of the gorgeous sunset.

A few groups of fishermen had rods along the Indian River but I only spoke with one guy who had an oversize red he picked up on a chunk bait.

I plan to get out tomorrow afternoon to wet a line and hopefully pick up that trout.

Till next time,

Tight Lines.