Live Oak Island 10/19

[Charles]

Windy and cold wade fishing the negative low tide today. Waded out in front of Live Oak Island, with a NE wind at my back. Started throwing a 4" natural, Gulp Shrimp at 11:30 while the tide was still falling. Hooked a sailcat, lost a slot trout, missed some strikes. The hook I was using was a weighted worm hook I picked up from Jerry's for 3" Gulp Shrimp. A little small for the 4" size which is why I think I missed so many.

Anyway, things were kind of slow so I switched to a 7M Mirrolure. Then things got slower. Kept plugging along with the 7M. A pair of bonnetheads working the shallow water in toward the exposed flats from me. Spooked them so bad one completely cleared the water trying to get away. That was kind of funny. Other Bonnetheads cruising around. Kicked up stingrays pretty steady the entire time. Saw what looked like a flock of ducks flying way out toward the Ocholockonee Rivermouth.

Things started picking up with the first of the incoming tide. After the moon set. Caught a couple small trout on the 7M. Then, "Hmm, this one's a little bigger."
"Don't try to land it in the water, drag it up on the flat."
"Look, all o' you need to get out'a the WAY," to the 2 stingrays and one bonnethead between me and the exposed flats.

Caught 4 like this, all in the slot, then switched back to the Gulp.
"I'd rather use a single hook for landing in the water and releasing."
"The 7M is working."
"How many fish you want? We can only keep one more, and we don't need any more."

The action never did get as hot as I have seen it there on that tide. It wasn't a fish on every cast, but it was steady. Most in the slot, a few short, none over. No ladyfish this time. No jack Cravelle.

Started back and must have moved out of them. Things got slow again until almost the very end. Caught 2 catfish and another sailcat, lost a small flounder. Switched to a 3" molting Gulp, then the trout started picking up again, but these were smaller.

Caught about 20. Kept five between 18" and 19 1/2". Lost another Gulp shortly before 3, so wound it up and started for the hill. The water is getting noticeably cooler and clearer than it was a week ago.

[Reel Cowboy]

Not too shabby a day.
Thanks for the commentary Charles.

[Flint River Pirate]

Good report, I enjoyed reading it.

[kikstand454]

we were out there and made the mistake of going out early and then leaving around 12. there was no fish and no water at the boat ramp at shell point. in fact we had to help some guys who had backed their pontoon trailer off the end of the ramp just so we could leave. then we had to dry winch our boat onto its trailer.
cant wait till i get to be a captain. im sure id have had a better day. did have a real nice big trout blowup my chugbug in about a ft. of water right before we hit ground....
tally-
3 people, one blue fish, one keeper trout, about 6 shorts, and 3 ladyfish.

shoulda went wading huh??

[whitebc]

Good fishing, great read as always!