Keaton Beach 5/25
Posted: May 25th, 2003, 7:40 pm
Left the hill at 05 dark a.m. for the 1:45 minute ride to Keaton, stopped off at KBM for some needed supplies, and then headed to the launch. So while I am paying the dude the $5 launch fee I asked what was the deal. Well it seems that there are people upset about using there tax money to maintain the launch, and they do not own a boat. WTF, if we use this analogy on everything (and if I was a county resident) I don’t want to pay for services I don’t use. 
OK I get off my soapbox and get back to the task at hand.
Well its low tide, but not extremely bad to prevent an easy launch, and high tide is not for 4 ½ hours. Motoring down the canal I punch some new numbers in the GPS I researched on the chart for some hard bottom in 8 – 10 feet. Well the oil drip bag is full and maybe, just maybe we might find the man in the Brown Suit. Arrived on spot after our short 7 mile journey and got the bag going on finally started to wet a line. Using various grubs (SA and others under a Cajun thunder) proceeded to see what we could pop to the hook. Well first good bite put up a pretty good fight, and tangled a couple lines in the process, for the yield of a small shark. Bet this dude was not happy as I proceeded to gut him right away and through him on the ice. The remaining time spent on this spot yielded another small shark to ice, with catches of hardheads, and a small jack.
OK the oil is gone, no more slick, so its time to move on. Moved in to 6 – 7 feet to try to find some Trout water is very clear, and in 5 feet you could see bottom. Floating grass all about and the bite is very slow. Pinfish picking at the baits, along with small Sea Bass, and some small Trout mixed in, but no keeper yet. Well finally after numerous moves from 4 – 7 feet the son finally picks up a keeper (16in), hey to the ice it goes. Well we have moved here and moved there and so far all we can show is 2 sharks, 1 Trout and 1 Sea Bass caught numerous shorts of both Trout and Sea Bass. As we are sitting on the current spot, about 50 yards off the stern is a huge commotion, take a look over to see a Tarpon bust water, and then a few more seconds later he busts water again, what a site, but I’ am not gonna try to chase him down.
Just about the time I am ready to move again the son catches a small hardhead, well I’ am not sure if he thought this guy was no big deal, or he just got complacent, but this little dude proceeded to spike him, and hard.
I look over there and this small fish is attached to the palm of his hand. So I proceed to assess the situation, and have to pull out a fish in the palm of his hand with about 3/16 of an inch of spike imbedded. Well glad I have a first aid kit, since I have not used it since I bought it. Anyway take care of the damage and move on.
Decided to start heading back towards Keaton to make a few stops before heading in, drifted from 5 – 7 with limited success, and plenty of small bites. Finally after all this time I finally got a keeper (18in), and had a fun fight on a lady fish. So we ended the day catching a smorgasbord of Trout, Shark, Pin fish, Sea Bass, 1 Jack and 1 Lady fish, and keep 2 Trout, 2 small sharks, and 1 Sea Bass. Nice day on the water, but definitely had the bimini up, or it would have been toasty, a pain in the azz to cast and fish around, but better than being fried by the sun.
OK I get off my soapbox and get back to the task at hand. Well its low tide, but not extremely bad to prevent an easy launch, and high tide is not for 4 ½ hours. Motoring down the canal I punch some new numbers in the GPS I researched on the chart for some hard bottom in 8 – 10 feet. Well the oil drip bag is full and maybe, just maybe we might find the man in the Brown Suit. Arrived on spot after our short 7 mile journey and got the bag going on finally started to wet a line. Using various grubs (SA and others under a Cajun thunder) proceeded to see what we could pop to the hook. Well first good bite put up a pretty good fight, and tangled a couple lines in the process, for the yield of a small shark. Bet this dude was not happy as I proceeded to gut him right away and through him on the ice. The remaining time spent on this spot yielded another small shark to ice, with catches of hardheads, and a small jack.
OK the oil is gone, no more slick, so its time to move on. Moved in to 6 – 7 feet to try to find some Trout water is very clear, and in 5 feet you could see bottom. Floating grass all about and the bite is very slow. Pinfish picking at the baits, along with small Sea Bass, and some small Trout mixed in, but no keeper yet. Well finally after numerous moves from 4 – 7 feet the son finally picks up a keeper (16in), hey to the ice it goes. Well we have moved here and moved there and so far all we can show is 2 sharks, 1 Trout and 1 Sea Bass caught numerous shorts of both Trout and Sea Bass. As we are sitting on the current spot, about 50 yards off the stern is a huge commotion, take a look over to see a Tarpon bust water, and then a few more seconds later he busts water again, what a site, but I’ am not gonna try to chase him down.
Just about the time I am ready to move again the son catches a small hardhead, well I’ am not sure if he thought this guy was no big deal, or he just got complacent, but this little dude proceeded to spike him, and hard.
I look over there and this small fish is attached to the palm of his hand. So I proceed to assess the situation, and have to pull out a fish in the palm of his hand with about 3/16 of an inch of spike imbedded. Well glad I have a first aid kit, since I have not used it since I bought it. Anyway take care of the damage and move on. Decided to start heading back towards Keaton to make a few stops before heading in, drifted from 5 – 7 with limited success, and plenty of small bites. Finally after all this time I finally got a keeper (18in), and had a fun fight on a lady fish. So we ended the day catching a smorgasbord of Trout, Shark, Pin fish, Sea Bass, 1 Jack and 1 Lady fish, and keep 2 Trout, 2 small sharks, and 1 Sea Bass. Nice day on the water, but definitely had the bimini up, or it would have been toasty, a pain in the azz to cast and fish around, but better than being fried by the sun.
