Steinhatchee Update???

[Saltydawg]

Well I said I’d send post on my trip so here goes. BLOWN OUT! That’s it.

My wife and I got here Monday afternoon and got the boat in and tackle ready for Tuesday morning which dawned with the wind STRONG only to get worse. Steady around 15 gusts 20-25 and that was by far the best day. We did make it out south to around Bird Island to find some clear water but with wind that’s about as far as I wanted to go. Thank goodness for a wind sock we were able to fight elements and fish a while over pretty bottom but very little happening. Wife threw Gulp under a Thunderer and I threw the kitchen sink. Think we caught 10-12 short trout and 1 keeper. Forecast for Wednesday was even worse but I headed out bout hour before dawn to limp out just past end of channel to try topwater in foot or so of water next to the bank. Zip and once sun up good you couldn’t see the bottom in a foot and half water was so stained. Wife and I over optimistic tried to head out mid morning but only got bout halfway out channel before realizing 3-4 ft waves already in channel so gave up and retreated to marina. Once winds kept increasing to gusts of 30+ decided to go ahead and take boat out and storm came through early Thursday and weather got REALLY bad. Today dawned beautiful but it’s only 9:15 and winds picking up again dead outa west but we leaving in bit headed home. Can’t do anything about the weather but that’s fishing.

[Red Beard]

This wind has been brutal, like fishing in front of the Lords box fan.

Thanks for sharing the report.

[Hit-n-Miss]

Dang hate that ya'll got blown out. Was looking forward to lots of fish pictures. At least nothing broke. You'll tear em up next time.

[Saltydawg]

Seems like winds have moved to later in the year, used to be March when you’d catch those but our April trip to the Hatch last year was absolutely the same weather wise. Think I’ll change my planning strategy to trying to make reservations only couple days out in the future. I’m mostly retired and try to get there during the week not weekends so shouldn’t be a problem. Sat on the balcony of my room and watched 3 guys in a rental 24 ft Carolina Skiff desperately try to find any place at the mouth of the river they could hide from the wind but with it’s direction no place was spared. Felt bad for them as they finally limped back upriver. Sorta surprised the marina even let them venture out in that flat bottom boat. Hoping for a rematch with those fish in May. Good luck to all.