BigBendFishing.Net

Not sure if it's the post-holidays blahs, the end of duck season, new trout rules, excitement over baseball spring training in a couple weeks or what, but the forum seems a little stale lately. Crazy weather probably isn't helping. So to mix it up a bit, let's hear what everyone is hoping to do, fishing-wise, in 2020. I'll get it started...

1. Keep my mouth shut, my head down and just go fishing.

This is a good thread, SK. For me, I'd like to: 1. Get on the water more
2. Try new techniques and lures I haven't used much
3. Catch more reds and flounder
4. Keep the momentum going. This year has started out good for me, just want to keep it going.
5. Fish with the wife more. She brings me luck!

I've noticed the slow down too and it gets worse on weekends and full moons.

I'd just like to catch ANYTHING in saltwater on my fly rod! I'll settle for a snot cat. I've been taking it with me lately but haven't been able to put the spinner down long enough to give it a try.

Does winning the lottery while fishing count?

1. Some shots at a tarpon
2. Catch a B. Drum

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Juan wrote:I've noticed the slow down too and it gets worse on weekends and full moons.

I'd just like to catch ANYTHING in saltwater on my fly rod! I'll settle for a snot cat. I've been taking it with me lately but haven't been able to put the spinner down long enough to give it a try.

Does winning the lottery while fishing count?

Leave the spinner at home. Get with a long rod guy/gal to help. I might suggest Big Bend Fly Fishers. Glad to help if wanted.

Catch a red grouper.
Find some live bottom offshore spots that aren't public numbers.
Get better at working the tides with my inshore spots

My 2020 Fishing Goals:

1. Learn how to catch some of the fish that have been making me mad because I have not caught them very successfully:
a. Cobia,
b. Sheepshead,
c. Mangrove snapper offshore, and
d. Tripletail.
2. Tow the boat to places where I've never fished before.
3. Waste less meat when filleting a fish.
4. Build friendships by taking people fishing.
5. Find honey holes and then withhold their locations just to make people jealous (like most people do on this forum ).

You'll upset more people if you post locations.

GaryDroze wrote:You'll upset more people if you post locations.

Hahaha. You are so right!

When I referred to "most people" on the forum, I could have just as easily said everyone but Gary Droze. I really appreciate it when you teach us about your experiences and share some spots.

John21:6 wrote:My 2020 Fishing Goals:

1. Learn how to catch some of the fish that have been making me mad because I have not caught them very successfully:
a. Cobia,
b. Sheepshead,
c. Mangrove snapper offshore, and
d. Tripletail.
2. Tow the boat to places where I've never fished before.
3. Waste less meat when filleting a fish.
4. Build friendships by taking people fishing.
5. Find honey holes and then withhold their locations just to make people jealous (like most people do on this forum ).

if my "honey holes" didn't hold any fish I wouldn't mind sharing them either

John21:6 wrote:

GaryDroze wrote:You'll upset more people if you post locations.

Hahaha. You are so right!

When I referred to "most people" on the forum, I could have just as easily said everyone but Gary Droze. I really appreciate it when you teach us about your experiences and share some spots.

Here is a tip. Every single creek between the st marks river and ecofina river holds fish. Every one. Now, explore and when you figure out WHY those fish are at any particular spot on any particular tide, then you will you will go from a good to a great fisherman. Having a bank of spots isn’t nearly as important as knowing how to find fish, period. Gary is fishing those creeks on dead low and negative tides. You probably are not, so if you catch fish where he did, on hi tide, those were different fish. They don’t sit in the same spot all day. Get out there and explore the creeks for yourself and enjoy learning . Good luck

I have fished a good bit from St Marks to Destin inshore and offshore, so I really want to see more of the good spots on the Gulf. I have a couple trips I want to get done this year, one trip in the spring and the other in the Fall.

1. Trailer my skiff down and spend 2 full days fishing out of Sea Hag in Steinhatchee; then go down to Suwannee for two full days; finally, finish up with 2 days in Homosassa.

2. Pulling the skiff again, 3 days in Pine Island Sound (Bokeelia & Captiva); then down to Goodland to fish the top of 10,000 Islands 2 days; and finally, Chokoloskee for 2 days in the back country and the southern 10,000.

1. Tarpon, more.
2. Big Chobia
3. Fish further west and further south.
4. Louisiana in the Xpress
5. Catch a tagged CCA Redfish.

(In no particular order)

Sent from the KetchupPacket

FishWithChris wrote:1. Tarpon, more.
2. Big Chobia
3. Fish further west and further south.
4. Louisiana in the Xpress
5. Catch a tagged CCA Redfish.

(In no particular order)

Sent from the KetchupPacket

Try to catch the tagged red between memorial and Labor Day. If you catch one in October, you only have a fish and a key chain. Want to see my key chain?

Excellent and entertaining recent posts from Salty Gator, and great thread idea from Dave Lear. For what it's worth...

1) I DO fish Apalachee Bay Creeks during high tides, with sometimes good results. I have never posted specific high tide catch locations on them, because they would be too easy to reach in a motorboat (I paddle to them).

2) Goal for 2020: Really learn the whole length of East River. It holds impressive reds, seatrout, sheepies, and even snook & largemouth bass, but is still mostly a mystery to me, because I found out you might could perish trying to wade it on negative tides (Quicksand mud and unseen dropoffs, with alpha-class predatory alligators lurking nearby. Just ponder what could ensue with a mistake made right at sunset. Been there, done that). I was okay with the risks until I got married and had to think about somebody else, who made me get a cell phone and will dial 911 if I do not return a 9pm call to the St Marks Refuge.

I'll post about angling spots discovered this year while BOATING East River.

Well, there goes a stretch of my new waters. Some things are best left unsaid.