The tide and the wind slowed down about the same time if I recall...around 11:00 - 11:30, sun came out, nice fihsing...bite increased for me around noon and I was once again pulling in the foot-long trout one after another. Got a few keepers as the water got still and warmed up a bit, prolly half a mile from shore near the lighthouse give or take. The bite and size increased steadily for me from about noon on, but I had to head for the hill around 13:00 to get to the FSU game..
Got up early Sunday and tides and wind looked similar to Saturday so I decided to wait until an hour or two before high tide. Got out around 11:00, tried a couple random spots again, and again shorts here and there, nothing to write home about. Water was 74-75 so I decided to head shallower. fished 3-4 foot water near shore p and down the east flats on drifts and the action exploded. I took pictures of some smaller ones at first after not doing well, but the action got so good I quit wasting time on the camera. Top Dog (yes the raffle prize Top Dog Jr again!) and Zara Spooks were getting knocked around like Mike Tyson's wife. Hits on every cast and hookups one every 3-4. Mostly keepers but mostly under 18. When the tide started going out, the fish got bigger. I had multiple 18-19-20 on top dog, spook and the tsunami swim baits in the pics. I had a nice load to take home, saw a nasty lookin storm heading in from the east, figured a few more and I'll head out.
This one was delicious...around 18"
...and then it happened...threw out my favorite raffle top dog jr, twitched it maybe 2 or 3 times and it plum disappeared. Rod bent over, line flyin out...I yanked it good and set the hook, apparently pretty well...fought it for 2-3 minutes whilst trying to grab the net. Got a good look at the rear inch of a tail - fan, no fork, couldn't see enough of it to say if it was a red or trout or what...fought it some more, then all the sudden the line popped...or so I thought...till I reeled in this...
Dunno what it was, but it definitely had a fan tail so that rules out sharks, macks, ladyfish, most of the garbage...honestly think a red is the only thing that could be that close to shore in that area powerful enough to crush a mirrolure...it was exciting and horribly sad all at once...bye-bye favorite-raffleprize-mirrolure
Fortunately there is another meeting of the NFGFC upcoming this week...I'll have me some raffle tickets and hope for another
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Wow! I had a big red break a balsa bang-a -lure and tear out the back hook, but I got him in because the middle hook held. That musta been some big red!