St. Joe Bay 6/13-6/14
Posted: June 16th, 2008, 7:33 pm
Down for the last weekend in a row before the scallopers invade. Friday being a little choppier than I predicted I stayed in the head of the bay so I wouldn't get wet. Fished all day by myself and didn't do so well. Started with my fly rod on some shorelines. Saw two fish and casted to them; they wanted no part of this. Got cut off by some guys going 15 miles an hour with their trolling motor. Left there and went to drift the flats to get something to bite. Was taking a catfish off the hook that ate some bait I had dragging behind the boat. Saw some reddish water ahead of me and soon realized it was a large school of redfish. Got the catfish off and chunked a bass assassin shrimp out there, hooked up, 14 inch trout. I struggled to get him off the hook then just chunked out where I thought they were going. 25 inch red, smallest one in the school. Thunderstorms loomed close unfortunately, so I went in.
Came back out later and tried some topwater to the west while the clouds were out. Lot of floating grass. Had a large red follow my plug to the boat, but he didn't want the fiber that was attached. Moved to the spot where I caught the big trout last weekend, caught some threadfins, and anchored up. Pulled in a 24 1/2, 23, 21, and several other just under 20 on the bottom. Released all but one that swallowed the circle hook.
Some folks came to fish with me saturday but we didn't get out till late in the morning. Got two reds to 23", small trout, and I caught a inch or two short cobia off a large stingray. Went back to the trout spot late and got 2 to 22" to the boat. Lost some bigger ones. Great trip.
Came back out later and tried some topwater to the west while the clouds were out. Lot of floating grass. Had a large red follow my plug to the boat, but he didn't want the fiber that was attached. Moved to the spot where I caught the big trout last weekend, caught some threadfins, and anchored up. Pulled in a 24 1/2, 23, 21, and several other just under 20 on the bottom. Released all but one that swallowed the circle hook.
Some folks came to fish with me saturday but we didn't get out till late in the morning. Got two reds to 23", small trout, and I caught a inch or two short cobia off a large stingray. Went back to the trout spot late and got 2 to 22" to the boat. Lost some bigger ones. Great trip.
