A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
Use this area to post inshore fishing reports from the area. Please try to include relevant information such as:
Location, date, time, water conditions, weather conditions, baits, techniques, species caught, etc.
Woke up early enough. Picked up my fishin buddy. Stopped at the convenience store for gas. That is when it started... While fueling the boat I noticed the left trailer tire a little low. Afterwards I went over to the air pump and it was then I discovered there was an active leak in the tire. I must have run over something pointy in the road on the way to the store as it was leaking pretty fast. No problem, that is why I have a spare. After a lot of looking and a little cussing I realize the gentlemen who detailed my car a couple of months ago left the lug wrench out of the trunk. We bought a plug kit and aired up the tire. About the time we get to the ramp it occurs to me we should have stopped at Wally for a lug wrench. That is when we notice the plug has not held. There was nothing to do at that point but to go fish and hope we run into a good Samaritan at the ramp when we are done.
I have been reading some reports on here about Reds in East River. I have never fished there and my buddy has not caught a Red this year, so it is off to new water in hopes of changing our luck. After installing the drain plug and then consequently draining the boat, we head to East River. We start by fishing some very good looking water and oyster bars. There is bait blowing up all around us as something chases it. We do manage to land a couple of short Trout. I had something huge blow up on a Skitterwalk that missed twice. After a couple of hours Heath hooks up. I hear a grunt and a "Oh Boy" come from the back of the boat. After a spirited and very exciting fight, Heath lands this 22" Redfish.
About a half hour later I hook up with his cousin.
We fish for a couple hours after that with no luck. The weather is deteriorating rapidly and we decide to get back and deal with the trailer. We had talked to Heath's father earlier and he agreed to drop off a lug wrench for us. We wrestled with the rusted nuts and studs and headed home. Heath is a very happy man. I am glad he finally got the Red skunk off.
HEY BT, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK THE BOLTS THAT HOLD YOUR FENDER TO THE TRAILER, WHEN THEY RUST THEY GET POINTED AND WILL PUNCTURE A TIRE IN A HEART BEAT. I BLEW OUT TWO NEW TIRES WHEN ONE OF THE BOLTS GOT A POINTED POINT ON IT, WHEN WE HIT A BUMP THE TIRE CAME UP AND HIT THE BOLT AND BLEW OUT.
JUST THOUGHT I WOULD MENTION IT TO YOU.
PA THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA SEMPER FI
PA,
Thanks for the tip. There are no bolts above the tires. The fenders mount on the side with a bracket and the bolts run from out to in. I would probably never have checked the mounting or the inside of the fender if you had not mentioned it. One old jarhead looking out for another. Semper Fi
By the way, I replaced the lug wrench and spare tire. I also replaced the wheel studs and applied a liberal amount of anti seize lubricant to them prior to installing new stainless steel lug nuts. I doubt seriously that I will have any more trouble along those lines in the near future.
Thanks again,
FF
