ST ANDREW/WEST BAY TROUT CATCHIN' 2006/11/02

[Old Dog]

Joe "Ranger" Walden called me Wednesday and invited me to go with him down to one of the bays in the Panama City area, and since I'm between jobs right now, I really didn't have anything else to do and jumped at the chance to go; after all it had been almost a week since I'd gone fishing and was in need of another fishing "fix."

We got on the water about 0700, ran to a spot out of the wind, (places out of the wind were rare Thursday), and Joe put it to a 20" trout on the first cast. Wow! I thought, this is going to be a good day. It was just a few casts later and I was also calling for the net and brought aboard another keeper, but this one just barely over 15" so I threw him back for another day.

We caught several more, mostly shorts, and after about an hour, when the bite slowed down a bit Joe broke the law. he broke the law that says, "You will not leave biting fish to go to another spot!"

We headed for some more sheltered water, to a place where we had found fish in previous years, and found some scattered fish; but no concentrations, so we moved several more times, but could never could find them ganged up until later in the day we found ourselves right back where we started from, and once again the bite was on.

We quit at 2:30, having brought 39 trout to the boat, with 7 "riders" to take back to the Circle City with us. Not a real bad day, except for the constant wind and bumpy water. But the good fish bite almost canceled out the weather factor, and the good company helped too.
od

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RANGER WITH THE FIRST FISH OF THE DAY:
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THE OLD DOG WITH ONE OF HIS KEEPERS:
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[Chalk]

Nice fish Don...I started to call you on the VHF, figured you didn't come down with all the wind...Nice catch of trout...

[Old Dog]

Chalk, I was nearby but not in my boat. We were really hamstrung by the wind but found a couple of areas where we able to manage fairly well. Had to keep moving though.
d

[FUTCHCAIRO]

HEY DON, LOOKS LIKE YA'LL DID GOOD, THOSE ARE SOME PRETTY TROUT, THAT LOOKS LIKE THE CREEK WE LAUNCHED AT WHEN I WAS OVER THAT WAY.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA

[birddog]

39 trout=mighty nice. Good trip Old Dog.

[Old Dog]

PA, you hush you hear! Don't be givin' anything away, the whole state'll be jumpin' my hole.
d

[Old Dog]

Forgot to mention that nearly all of our trout were caught on the "glo" and "natural" 1/4 Oz DOA shrimp. And they liked it slow, slow, slow.

Nole, it would have been a day to try a flyfisherman's soul.
d

[noleflyfisher]

Beautiful fish OD. The weather's getting about right for one of your White City clicker reports.

[tin can]

Beautiful fish OD. The weather's getting about right for one of your White City clicker reports.

OD, After Nole mentioned it, I went back and looked at the picture. The clicker isn't around your neck. What's the deal?

[Old Dog]

John, this past spring and summer I have a had very few days when I have needed anything more than my fingers and toes to keep track of fish caught. This fall things are looking up, and I might have to dig it out pretty soon. Yesterday I fished the area where I saw you and Chalk last winter, and thought I was going to have to dig it out of the bag then, but decided not to count dinks. Did get 17 quality trout though.
d

[tin can]

That's good to hear, OD. Sounds like the winter pattern is setting in.

[Big Bend Brian]

Very nice. If it weren’t for the spotted seatrout you’d think that picture was taken in Minnesota.

Looks like a FINE day. Great pictures too.

Brian