Chris Deason

Post by **Tom Keels** » February 14th, 2002, 10:28 pm

What's the word on the trout on the flats out of the Econfina. Did this cold weather push them back or are they still there? Thinking of going Saturday.

CHRIS DEASON · Post by **CHRIS DEASON** » February 15th, 2002, 5:55 pm

I am going back down to the econfina this sunday so I'll give you a report on monday.I have talked to some people who have been out and they have reported catching them around the mouths of creeks.I have been catching some great sheephead up the st. marks though.Thats prob. what I will do tomorrow.

phish-n-fool · Post by **phish-n-fool** » February 16th, 2002, 10:17 am

Hey Chris,

How's it going?? Heard from tommy or bruce lately??
Glad to hear someone is catching the sheeps in the St. Marks. Last couple of times i went we got skunked..not even a bite. Boat traffic might have had something to do with it...good excuse as any

Which side of the tide has been effective for you? Inquiring minds want to know...please do post a report when ya get back.

-phil

CHRIS DEASON · Post by **CHRIS DEASON** » February 16th, 2002, 11:48 pm

I've had better luck on the incoming tide.Two friends of mine just got back from fishing the same hole and limited out on nice ones in about two hours.I have been using shrimp but I am going to get some fiddlers for the next time.If you go let me know how you did.

phish-n-fool · Post by **phish-n-fool** » February 17th, 2002, 10:52 am

Chris-

Thanks for the report. I find the incoming to the top of the high works best as well. But I just can't seem find the sheeps consistanly on the S. Marks. Are you catching them up or down river? We went yesterday to St. George and did okay..what we didn't catch in numbers was made up in size with one sow going 7.5# on the Island View scale (pics forthcoming). The sheeps snubbed their nose at live shrimp..oysters seem to work consistanly there

take care...

jepjones · Post by **jepjones** » February 18th, 2002, 10:32 am

Chris,

Where do you find Fiddlers this time of year?

I don't seem to see them out and about like they are in the warmer months.

Thanks

CHRIS DEASON · Post by **CHRIS DEASON** » February 18th, 2002, 12:18 pm

phish-n-fool · Post by **phish-n-fool** » February 19th, 2002, 11:53 am

Jep-

Don't know where you can find fiddlers as thick as you see them in warmer months,, but you can find those little dark colored crabs underneath large rocks in the muck at low tide. The rocks at St. Marks light house and around East Point hold some type of crab about the size of a fiddlers that work for reds and sheepshead.

jepjones · Post by **jepjones** » February 19th, 2002, 12:13 pm

Hey,

Good to know. Thank ya

Back to the original question...
I'm planning on trying out some new wading boots at Wakulla Beach tomorrow. I'll be itching to tell everyone if I find any fish on those flats. Wish me luck
_________________
I'm in hot plate heaven, at the green hotel--FZ

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: jepjones on 2002-02-19 11:19 am ]</font>

jepjones · Post by **jepjones** » February 21st, 2002, 4:30 pm

Well I did go yesterday, and as nice as the boots worked out--they apparently scare fish off for miles away

Probably not a lot of fish around here. I started out at the creek mouth to right, and tried every artificial I was carrying: jig w/and w/o an equalizer, a top water popper, and a gold spoon... nothing. the tide was up and I fished for a good couple of hours before the front moved in. I saw only a few bait fish on the wade back to the parking lot from the creek mouth. Please send me some warm weather!!!! It gets me down when I'm not catchin em.

On the up note, a dolphin decided to scare the piss out of me. It surfaced about 3' behind me, then him and his 3 budies just liesurely strolled on out of site. Maybe he was just stopping by to say he hadn't seen any either.
have a good one and thanks alot for all the info.

Post by **Cranfield** » February 21st, 2002, 4:47 pm

Do dolphin (flipper variety) have an adverse effect on the fishing?
I would have thought they scared the fish away.

I have seen them herding redfish in to the shallows in the ICW at Jax and catching and throwing mullet in the air at St.Augustine also in the ICW.

dewyafish · Post by **dewyafish** » February 21st, 2002, 5:00 pm

Flipper will follow your boat and eat every short fish you throw back. It really makes you sick to see a healthy red snapper during the closed season get gobbled up.
Dolphins are protected species and the "man" will give you grief for trying to run them away. Harrassing marine mammals.
The dolphins around Destin had become acustomed to beeing fed by "dolphin cruises" and charter boats coming in with extra bait. I guess it was a big thrill for tourists to feed them and snap a few pictures. It is now illegal to feed them so they follow the fishing boats expecting to be fed and when they are not they have learned to eat our gamefish that we must return to the water by law.

MY TWO CENTS

Post by **Sawbones** » February 22nd, 2002, 10:40 am

Dewya, must be a local thing. I've had this happen out of Mex Beach, but no where else.

dewyafish · Post by **dewyafish** » February 22nd, 2002, 11:19 am

Bones,
I think it has to do with the amount of charter boats and tourist. I've seen it at Panama city, Mexico Bch, and Destin.
I fish mainly out of Keaton Bch and have never seen it there. I've seen a few at the Aucilla river. Had flipper try to get a trout off the hook.

Jere Firth · Post by **Jere Firth** » February 22nd, 2002, 9:46 pm

Dewayafish........do you fish Keaton a lot...what kind of fishing do you normaly do.......my uncle has his camper up their will be fishing the summer mounths up their....maybe we can hook up and you could show me and my uncle around.......