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Intercoastal 2/3

Posted: February 7th, 2018, 4:54 pm
by bbb
Launch in Port St Joe and fished around the marina and under the bridge. It was cold and windy and nothing wanted our live shrimp.

There were lots of big boils under the bridge, but I don't know what they were. I assumed they were fish since they were constantly moving like they were feeding.

Headed on up the Inter Coastal and stopped at the T. Caught a couple small trout. Moved East past the White City bridge and tried a couple creek mouths. 1st cast, 16" trout. We had to work them slow on the bottom, but caught around 15 trout and 4 pup reds. 3 of the trout were keepers with most being 14.5". As the tide turned the ladyfish showed up and kept the boys busy for an hour or 2. We have plenty of frozen bait next time we go offshore.

2 Highlights of the day.
--The 62', 2 million dollar yacht that came by and was nice enough to slow down to minimize its wake.
--Then the 40ft cuddy cabin vessel that slowed down but kept the bow high and sent 3' rollers our way. I was able to crank up and spin the bow around just in time. Only took one of the rollers over the bow.

Image

Re: Intercoastal 2/3

Posted: February 7th, 2018, 5:49 pm
by Juan
You did well to catch that many! I fished the ICW about a week ago and couldn't buy a bite in the canal but like you did, we found them in the creeks. The water temp was 53 in the canal and 63 in the creeks which made a huge difference. I hate it when people slow down like that.. I guess they think they're being polite but if they blew by on plane the wake is much less.

Re: Intercoastal 2/3

Posted: February 7th, 2018, 9:47 pm
by Rhodes
We have plenty of frozen bait next time we go offshore.
Do you use frozen cut ladyfish offshore?

Re: Intercoastal 2/3

Posted: February 7th, 2018, 11:43 pm
by 4reels
Fished that same stretch 2 weeks ago with only one short trout all day. Has anyone ever headed west on the ICW towards the Sandy Creek / East Bay area this time of year? We debated making that run on day 2, but trailered over to the Apalachicola River instead . . . . Kids like watching the F-22's from Tyndall and eating Doritos when the fish aren't biting in that direction.

Re: Intercoastal 2/3

Posted: February 8th, 2018, 8:21 am
by bbb
Rhodes wrote:
We have plenty of frozen bait next time we go offshore.
Do you use frozen cut ladyfish offshore?
We do a lot of chumming so they'll mainly be used for that.

Re: Intercoastal 2/3

Posted: February 8th, 2018, 8:25 am
by bbb
4reels wrote:Fished that same stretch 2 weeks ago with only one short trout all day. Has anyone ever headed west on the ICW towards the Sandy Creek / East Bay area this time of year? We debated making that run on day 2, but trailered over to the Apalachicola River instead . . . . Kids like watching the F-22's from Tyndall and eating Doritos when the fish aren't biting in that direction.
My dilemma last week was fishing the ICW around White City or putting in at Overstreet.

Overstreet definitely gives more options with East Bay not too far of a run. After having some time to study Navionics, the water looks much deeper too.

Warmest water we found last weekend was 55.

Might put in there Saturday since it looks a little windy again.

Re: Intercoastal 2/3

Posted: February 8th, 2018, 1:04 pm
by procraftwes
The motto I always spread around is that "you're responsible for your wake".

I have a big boat and know this. My slip neighbor protested and I explained that one of those annoying kayakers will sue his balls off if they are hurt by his 6' sportfish wake.


I've had horrifying moments down in south Florida on the intercoastal. one of the worst was in a 19'cc behind a sportfish on plane/plowing. No joke I couldn't even see over the wake.. But then another sportfish on plane comes from the other way... Trying to escape those crossing wakes I thought I'd have to ditch the boat.. My wife was screaming... 10' is an understatement and 1" less gunnel and i'd have been swamped.

I will freely admit to looking for either of those boats and pretty sure i'd cut their dock lines on a fast moving outgoing tide.. Younger and surely stupid but :smt011 Thank god I never saw the boats.

Re: Intercoastal 2/3

Posted: February 8th, 2018, 2:44 pm
by GaryDroze
That's why this kayaker almost exclusively fishes rocky/oyster-bottom waters at low tide and narrow, winding creeks at high tide.

I can't annoy you if you can't get near me.

Re: Intercoastal 2/3

Posted: February 13th, 2018, 11:33 am
by 4reels
bbb wrote:
4reels wrote:Fished that same stretch 2 weeks ago with only one short trout all day. Has anyone ever headed west on the ICW towards the Sandy Creek / East Bay area this time of year? We debated making that run on day 2, but trailered over to the Apalachicola River instead . . . . Kids like watching the F-22's from Tyndall and eating Doritos when the fish aren't biting in that direction.
My dilemma last week was fishing the ICW around White City or putting in at Overstreet.

Overstreet definitely gives more options with East Bay not too far of a run. After having some time to study Navionics, the water looks much deeper too.

Warmest water we found last weekend was 55.

Might put in there Saturday since it looks a little windy again.

Any luck around Overstreet / East Bay?

I'm headed to that area this Saturday & Sunday. Not sure if it would be better to try the ICW / Creeks or make a run to some near-shore reefs off of Mexico Beach (weather permitting).

Thanks

Re: Intercoastal 2/3

Posted: February 13th, 2018, 12:53 pm
by bbb
4reels wrote:
bbb wrote:
4reels wrote:Fished that same stretch 2 weeks ago with only one short trout all day. Has anyone ever headed west on the ICW towards the Sandy Creek / East Bay area this time of year? We debated making that run on day 2, but trailered over to the Apalachicola River instead . . . . Kids like watching the F-22's from Tyndall and eating Doritos when the fish aren't biting in that direction.
My dilemma last week was fishing the ICW around White City or putting in at Overstreet.

Overstreet definitely gives more options with East Bay not too far of a run. After having some time to study Navionics, the water looks much deeper too.

Warmest water we found last weekend was 55.

Might put in there Saturday since it looks a little windy again.

Any luck around Overstreet / East Bay?

I'm headed to that area this Saturday & Sunday. Not sure if it would be better to try the ICW / Creeks or make a run to some near-shore reefs off of Mexico Beach (weather permitting).

Thanks
I did not make it out last weekend. Got caught up with some stuff around the house instead. If wind will allow and you just want to catch fish, I'd hit the nearshore reefs.