Reel Slow and I got down to Keaton around 6:30 Friday morning. We quickly launched at the public ramp and eased down the canal. It was cold and the wind was blowing at a pretty good clip. We knew the trout were going to be pretty thick up towards Spring Warrior, but we were afraid the boat traffic would be terrible. So we headed south hoping to find unpressured fish.
We fished from the Keaton Beach Canal to just north of Steinhatchee. We focused on grass flats with sand holes that were no deeper than 2 feet. Throwing suspending baits and soft jerkbaits, we caught some quality trout, but had difficulty finding trout that were in the 19" range.
While down near Steinhatchee, I was fortunate enough to land my best redfish to date.
Pulled this beast out of a 3' hole on a 2' flat. Caught on a weedless soft jerkbait.
We spent the better part of the day down to the south, but the lack of fish under 20" had us worried. We decided to head north to see what the trout looked like. Ended up at Spring Warrior with 40 other boats.
We set up a drift that would take us past the oyster bars and into 2' or less water. Almost immeadiately we were into trout. All sizes. But mostly between 17" and 26". The bite was furious. Reel Slow and I had many double hook ups. Around 4:00 the bite slowed. We were beat so we headed in for a shower and some food.
Pics from Day 1
Day 2 Tournament Day
The morning started early us. Up by 5:00, dressed quickly and headed to the boat to make ready for the day. Stood around telling lies and fish tales with everybody until I reminded our exualted Torment Director that we had a 6:30 blast off. He begrudgingly gave the O.K. and we were off. We knew the boat traffic would be terrible but we had to go north. Back to Spring warrior to fish the bars before all the water fell out.
It wasn't as cool this morning and the wind was not nearly as bad. We quickly got in place and almost immeadiately began catching trout. By 9:00 a.m. we had 7 fish fish in the cooler. But they needed improvement. Reel Slow forged ahead and put a fat 24"er in the box and followed it up with the heaviest 19.5" trout I have ever seen. This thing must have been eating mullet 4 or 5 times a day.
Before long the bite slowed and we began the game of second guessing our plan and moving here and there. We decided our strategery was good and we'd stick with it. We boated 6 trout, 2 of which were solid 19" fish, during the slack low tide, picking them off of bars in <2' of water.
Finally, the tide began to move in and we had high hopes of repeating our trout fishing clinic we had held the day before. It was not to be. Either our fish just didn't show up or it was too early in the tide cycle. For whatever reason we couldn't get anything going. Around 2:30 we'd had enough and decided to head towards the canal, hoping to make 1 quick stop in a last ditch effort to pick up a red for the big redfish money pot. We had caught puppy reds all day long, but just couldn't seem to find anything over 18".
Just as we are about to enter the canal we make a turn towards some docks and grassy bank. Its 3:00 and we figure we have 10 minutes to make something happen with the redfish. The pressures on. We begin flinging spoons at any structure we see. 3rd or 4 th cast I luck into a deformed broken tail red that can't be much over 21 ". But he'll have to do.
We get to the weigh in and we see some nice trout. Really nice trout.
Junior Dice ends up with the win with 5 trout that weigh in at over 14 lbs. Awesome stringer of trout.
Reel Slow and I somehow manage to get 2nd with 5 trout that weighed 12 lbs. and change.
Ashley Mock and Steve Taylor came in 3rd with 5 trout just over 12 lbs.
Junior Dice also took the big fish pot with a 5 lb. trout.
My broke tail red was good enough to take the other big fish pot.
Reel Slow and I had a great 2 days at Keaton. We always look forward to the Keaton tournament.
It was great to see such a big crowd at a NFGFC tournament. I really enjoyed meeting some of our new members and guest.
Reel Slow, I had a blast as usual. Start thinking Carrabelle. We're defending. Put your game face on.
Can't wait till next time.
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boated...caught trout and reds in mullet muddins, sand holes in grass, over rocks, and on bars...Keaton Rocks! 
. Thanks TC and JT for pullin off another great event 