St. Marks 4/15/03

[jka_gator]

All last season I sat and read these reports about people catching 30-40 fish while I was catching 3-4. I read all the messages, studied all the how-to's, got all the booksmarts I could get. I watched the weather and the tides and the moon. Still I'd come home empty.

Till now! I finally get to report something!

Fished the east flats with my wife and mother-in-law (tried to leave one of them there but couldn't decide which ). Everyone's been telling us they weren't biting till afternoon so we took our time getting there. Started fishing about 10:30 and the bite was on.

We boated 46 and missed about as many. Ended up with 7 keeper trout and 1 spanish (a first for my wife). Most of the shorts were about 1" short which was frustrating. But I guess if that's the biggest problem you have, it's hard to complain.

Going on a weekday was worth the vacation day; it made our inexperience at the ramp a lot less embarrasing . All-in-all we had a great time. It's days like this that keep you coming back no matter how frustrated you get. It's a lot like hunting: you know as soon as you get out of the deer stand that monster buck is going to walk out. So you sit there "just a few more minutes".

[dstockwell]

Way to go. Nice catch.

[Chalk]

jka_gator
Nice report, never give up, keep learning, I have gone down with a cooler full of ice and come home with a cooler full of water myself . I try to follow the KISS methodology (keep it simple stupid) with that said, TSW (Tide, Structure and Weather) if I can combine the two of them I generally can catch a fish. Note generally . Tide = water moving, Structure = bank, bar, hole, grass, sand, etc, Weather = clouds, front, temp, etc. I’d assume go and not catch some than sit at home or work, but catch’n sure is nice .

Don’t worry about the ramp, everyones been there . Its fun to watch some times, unless the no seem’s run me off.

[CSMarine]

Great report . Sounds like you had a good time. A day like that makes up for some of the days when you didn't catch fish, don't it.

[Browning Slayer]

Great report and glad you caught them! What did you catch them on?

[jka_gator]

We caught all of them on jig and grub combos under cajun thunders. I went looking for candy corn at Walmart and the only way I found them was in a kit that had 6 or 8 different colors. I got the kit and we ended up catching fish on every color. They tore up the candy corns when we first got there. The wifey ended up using all we had in about an hour. So we had to use all the other colors. It really didn't seem like they preferred any color over any other.

[rx fisher]

Great report, thanks for the update
Heading out tomorrow, will be on the water about 9:30am
I'll keep a CT and jig out, but most of my luck was on top water
floating and diving plug.

Let u know.

[Ripple]

Good job! I guess the water warmed a little - it was sloooow last Saturday - I was happy to catch a few shorts...

I bet you impressed the ladies!

[Reel Country]

Kevins and Jerrys both had Candy Corn last week. I think my uncle said he bought some at Oshmans also.


I felt the same pain last year JKA. This year, I've had much better luck. It most come from associating with the fine folks around here.

[GeorgeP]

I bet you impressed the ladies!

That might be a problem. When the ladies are with him he catches fish. When they are not with him he does not. Now they might be wondering what he is really doing when he goes fishing without them??

[jmay]

great report.... I know how you feel on the fishing and the ramp. 2 weeks ago was the first really successful fishing we have done on the flats and like you alot of the success was due to this forum and reading. I promise you can not put on near the show at a ramp as I have at west point lake in years past. My very first ramp experiance was on a memorial day weekend they still talk about it!!!!