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Apalach 11.24
Posted: November 25th, 2006, 1:05 am
by Barhopr
Had to go to sopchoppy this AM to take care of some work related duties and decided that since I was that far down I should drag the skiff down and try my luck. Since the tide was -.4 @ noon there was no big hurry. Finished my business by 9 and struck out for apalach. Put in at the city ramp around 10:45 and was fishing soon after. Fished around the oysterman for a while and got a nice sheephead. Moved down the oyster bar a little more and picked up a 22" Red. Now we get to the hard part where I need the advice. I polled up into a cove on the back side of an island that was no more than 8-10" deep. Got one 14" red at the mouth of the cove and moved further in. Out in the middle over mud bottom there must have been hundreds of reds sunning and would have nothing to do with anything I showed them. No spoon, DOA, topwater, live scrimp, jig, bucktail nothing.
I spent nearly an hour following this school of reds around with no takers.
What should I have done? I gave up about 3pm( still a -.2 tide) to get home before company got to the house for dinner.
Posted: November 25th, 2006, 6:32 am
by birddog
I don't think there's much you could have done. Reds like that are extremely spooky and usually not very hungry.
Maybe Nole can offer some assistance.
Glad you got to see such an amazing sight.
Posted: November 25th, 2006, 12:10 pm
by noleflyfisher
Nice report. BD's right. In my experience those laid up fish are the toughest. I fished yesterday as well and had a tough time coaxing the fish to eat. As the day progressed the fish got happier. I think the key to getting those fish to eat is to approach them methodically and fish something small and slow like a doa shrimp or an unweighted 4 inch jerk worm. Try to cast well past the fish and bring it by them (not into them). I had several fish swim up to the fly yesterday and watch it on the bottom before deciding to eat. If would like, send me the GPS number for your cove and I'll test the theory.
Anyways, that's my two cents for what it's worth. Looking forward to your next report.
Posted: November 25th, 2006, 1:43 pm
by birddog
Posted: November 25th, 2006, 3:59 pm
by Eerman
Still exciting even if they don't eat
Posted: November 25th, 2006, 6:09 pm
by AJ
Hey Barhopr, ya got a cast net?
Posted: November 25th, 2006, 10:06 pm
by Barhopr
I had the castnet thought for a brief second but all I could think about was laying into one with big shoulders in the 8" water and watching him cut up. Nole.... I can't say exactly where, but just let me know when you want to go and I'll show you. I'm good for polling for a few hours If you are. Same goes for you birddog.
Heres the Red. Dad was affraid he was going to drop over the side so he insisted on the death grip in the gills.
Posted: November 25th, 2006, 11:57 pm
by rocket
Hate to say it but times like that are when a shrimp seems to be the only thing the will eat.
Posted: November 26th, 2006, 6:13 am
by birddog
Posted: November 26th, 2006, 8:15 am
by Redbelly
live bait...real fish food
Posted: November 26th, 2006, 10:16 am
by Barhopr
I tried live shrimp w/ no takers. next time I'll fish them slower.
Posted: November 26th, 2006, 1:11 pm
by birddog
birddog wrote:
The thumbup is for an opportunity to fish with Barhopr not the live bait.
Posted: November 26th, 2006, 2:28 pm
by noleflyfisher
Posted: November 26th, 2006, 3:54 pm
by Redbelly
birddog wrote:birddog wrote:
The thumbup is for an opportunity to fish with Barhopr not the live bait.
I was just puttin in my .02 worth, not responding to yore responding..
Posted: November 26th, 2006, 7:07 pm
by wevans
