BigBendFishing.Net

Started my holiday vacation early with a trip to the coast with the pup. Went west. Fog was gone by the time we got on the water although it was still breezy. Slow on the slack tide at first, but as the water started coming back in the bite picked up. Tossing the DOA 2.75 shrimp in new penny and the trout were pounding it. Also scored a couple rat reds. None of the trout were big--most around 13-15 inches. Hard, aggressive strikes, though.

Did some scouting and finally worked up into a large creek where I caught the biggest trout of the day, a 16.5 incher. With the wind laying down by late afternoon, I went to check out a secluded honey hole. Eased in on the trolling motor at the lowest setting and found a pod of happy, feeding baby tarpon. The next half-hour was nuts. Had more than two dozen strikes and put 9 of those little silver kings in the air. Sizes ranged from 8-15 pounds. It was a blast. At one point I had a solid thump and the fish didn't jump. Got it to the skiff and it was an 18-inch common snook. Started getting late and the bite finally slowed, so we reluctantly headed back in. No pix, as I was too busy casting. The final tally was 12 trout, 2 reds, 9 tarpon and the snook. Fantastic day anytime, but especially on the 22nd of December along the Forgotten Coast. Fished that same lure all day long. They don't call them Deadly On Anything for nothing. Haven't installed my new Garmin so wasn't able to check the water temps. Still feels cool to the touch.

Bought a MegaMillions ticket on the way home. It rolled over though so guess my luck only goes so far. Maybe I'll hit the PowerBall tonight.

We caught a tarpon yesterday in the Aucilla as well. Small one, but still fun. Trout that were stacked in there during the cold weather moved back out. We got about 8 in the river, then went trolling for grouper after the tide came in enough to escape the rocks. No love from the grouper, but caught a lot of large sized sea bass.

Checked the river again on the way back in and caught some more trout with one sand trout included. Also some small snapper.

- Steve Stinson

Cool news on the tarpon. Last week I was castnetting for bait in a St Marks Refuge canal and found three little tarpon among the mudminnows. Quickly released them into a saltwater lagoon across from the canal. That lagoon is filled with mullet & crabs. Hoping in a few years some folks fishing it get the happy shock of their lives with a big tarpon hookup.

That is awesome!!! Late December Tarpon on the Forgotten Coast

Good for you. Outstanding

Way to go SK. You were due a stellar trip to wrap up the year. I should have ditched work and tagged along.

wow! sounds like an incredible trip silverking. its awesome to hear of more and more snook being caught up this way.

My fishing partner caught a 14'' snook in the Aucilla 2 weeks ago. They must be moving up this way.

Thanks all. Still reliving that half-hour in my mind. Will have to hold me until I can get back out there next week.

Great mixed bag!

Nice

I still haven’t caught one but I watched a guy catch a snook in a creek this week. We were walking around on the sandbars during low tide.

Found out today that a good buddy's daughter assisted in a graduate study this year on the northern movement of snook in the Gulf. Emma Pistole at UF was the graduate student conducting the study.

Here's an overview:

I’d like to read a bit more on the subject. I guess you don’t have a link to anything else she has done or you would posted it. I’m hearing about people catching them every week now. At this point I’m kinda rooting for another mild winter so they all survive for another year.

No other links to the study. Don't think it's complete yet.

Here's a link to a feature I wrote for Salt Water Sportsman on the northern movement of snook on the West Coast.

https://www.saltwatersportsman.com/gulf ... -northward