Memorial Holiday St. Joe Report
Posted: May 26th, 2009, 10:52 am
For the 9th year in a row we headed down to the Cape for Memorial Wknd. This year I decided to head down early with my dad b/c he was wanting to do some fishing and so we arrived in St Joe on Tuesday to some very nice 35 to 40 mph winds and a bay that looked like a bath tub. We pulled down to the city ramp on the way in to town and decided the wind was just too much to even put in there and on an extremely RARE occasion, we decided to punt on Tuesday's fishing and instead go to the raw bar and enjoy oysters and 
. Wedensday was not any better and we could only fish down the town beach side of the bay and fishing was still difficult at that. We had decided to do something else very rare and use live shrimp b/c we knew it would be next to impossible to cast arties with the stiff winds. To our suprise we inked out some very nice spanish, blues, flounder and trout for decent day fishing in those conditions.
Thursday was a little better. I was able to get over to where my good holes were and fish. We managed a limit of very nice trout in about 45 minutes. Called the wife and a friend to book it to presnells where we added a few more shrimp to the stash and two more limits of trout after they were aboard. The wind was so bad all you could do was cast back fishing under a cork and keep the line tight. The good thing was you would twitch it about twice and have a trout on. We also picked up some flounder, blues and spanish. My buddy Joe was able to get his best trout ever.
Friday was a little better on the winds. We put in at presnells and with another buddy that came in late Thrusday. He had never caught a red so that was the goal for the day. After not seeing any reds however the first 3 days we weren't really positive. However, on about the 5th cast he got this one. Goal accomplished.
We then picked up 9 trout in the trout hole, a few flounder and then the wind got back up to 30. We called it a day.
Saturday was more of the same. It was just Devin and I on this one as no one else wanted to brave the weather. We got a limit of trout , flounder, blues and tons of lady fish. After the thunderstorm blew threw it was a beautiful afternoon on St Joe bay.
The wind finally slacked on Sunday and we were able to get to our good redfish and flounder holes. It was the best day I have ever had on reds boating 31 redfish and losing several more (after never catching a red, my buddy is now addicted to redfish after this day heheheheheh). Most were small rats, but it was still fun. I also found this monster. I have no idea why I didn't measure and weigh it, but it was pushing 30 inches and is by far the biggest flounder that has been caught on my boat. hehehehehe
It was also our best day fishing with 8 trout (one that was 24 inches), 4 flounder, lots and lots of whiting, a black drum and some other odd ball fish. All fish were caught on Gulp Shrimp. You can see how much bigger the flounder is than the 20+ inch trout and reds.
Monday we were out early for the last day and only had 2 hours to fish and it was also the worst tides for when we had been catching fish all week. The fish had been very specific all week to the tide time that they were feeding. We still managed 6 reds, 3 trout, a flounder and lots of small whiting all on gulps again. The reds were a good bit bigger on Monday.
What looked pretty bleak weather wise at the beginning of the trip, turned out to be the best trip we have had on trout in the bay and a great trip overall given the conditions we had to fish.
. Wedensday was not any better and we could only fish down the town beach side of the bay and fishing was still difficult at that. We had decided to do something else very rare and use live shrimp b/c we knew it would be next to impossible to cast arties with the stiff winds. To our suprise we inked out some very nice spanish, blues, flounder and trout for decent day fishing in those conditions.Thursday was a little better. I was able to get over to where my good holes were and fish. We managed a limit of very nice trout in about 45 minutes. Called the wife and a friend to book it to presnells where we added a few more shrimp to the stash and two more limits of trout after they were aboard. The wind was so bad all you could do was cast back fishing under a cork and keep the line tight. The good thing was you would twitch it about twice and have a trout on. We also picked up some flounder, blues and spanish. My buddy Joe was able to get his best trout ever.
Friday was a little better on the winds. We put in at presnells and with another buddy that came in late Thrusday. He had never caught a red so that was the goal for the day. After not seeing any reds however the first 3 days we weren't really positive. However, on about the 5th cast he got this one. Goal accomplished.
We then picked up 9 trout in the trout hole, a few flounder and then the wind got back up to 30. We called it a day.
Saturday was more of the same. It was just Devin and I on this one as no one else wanted to brave the weather. We got a limit of trout , flounder, blues and tons of lady fish. After the thunderstorm blew threw it was a beautiful afternoon on St Joe bay.
The wind finally slacked on Sunday and we were able to get to our good redfish and flounder holes. It was the best day I have ever had on reds boating 31 redfish and losing several more (after never catching a red, my buddy is now addicted to redfish after this day heheheheheh). Most were small rats, but it was still fun. I also found this monster. I have no idea why I didn't measure and weigh it, but it was pushing 30 inches and is by far the biggest flounder that has been caught on my boat. hehehehehe
It was also our best day fishing with 8 trout (one that was 24 inches), 4 flounder, lots and lots of whiting, a black drum and some other odd ball fish. All fish were caught on Gulp Shrimp. You can see how much bigger the flounder is than the 20+ inch trout and reds.
Monday we were out early for the last day and only had 2 hours to fish and it was also the worst tides for when we had been catching fish all week. The fish had been very specific all week to the tide time that they were feeding. We still managed 6 reds, 3 trout, a flounder and lots of small whiting all on gulps again. The reds were a good bit bigger on Monday.
What looked pretty bleak weather wise at the beginning of the trip, turned out to be the best trip we have had on trout in the bay and a great trip overall given the conditions we had to fish.
....Oh and the other fish too