Ecofina 18 May 2012

[charlie tuna]

Launched at 8:30 AM with a Northeast wind blowing about 10 MPH making casting for reds a pain. Water temperature at 77 degrees. Arrived at my first spot at 9:30 AM and things were slow up until 11:00 AM. Caught four reds within 30 minutes, all between 23 and 25 inches on a gold spoon. Kept two fish and headed in reaching the dock at 12:30 PM.

[bman]

Great looking fish...
I fixed the photos for you

[tallykenj]

Nice I'm ready for a few.

[charlie tuna]

Thanks bman for fixing the photos -- still learning the forum methods. I was lucky to get this one![img][IMG]http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo11 ... 012008.jpg[/img][/img]

[big bend gyrene]

[big bend gyrene]

Fixed it for you CharlieTuna, because figured Bman wouldn't want this one seen by other board members. He doesn't believe reds like gold spoons. I think this is pretty good proof they do... willing to risk going blind for them!

[charlie tuna]

I am just learning about red fishing in the Gulf and how the tide effects their eating habits. I have always been an "early bird" - crack of dawn fisherman. Tomorrow will be the first trip for me to actually target red fish on an "afternoon trip"?? I fish all artificials and have plenty of "proven" lures, but i always seem to end up using a gold spoon. I think it kind of limits you to "mainly" reds, although other fish will eat it. A big factor is the weedless feature, and it has plenty of weight for casting allowing you to remain a good distance off the shoreline where you don't spook the fish. I have limited out six out of the last seven times, and the time i missed out, i had three nice size fish i missed while netting them.....
PS Thanks for the photo help!!

[charlie tuna]

Well that therory didn't work out too good !! Launched at noon. Water temperature 79 degrees, wind out of the West at about 10 MPH. Ran to my farthest point and started casting a gold spoon and worked about a quarter mile of shoreline. Had about eight hits, two were small ladyfish, but three were probably reds?? Plenty of bait, both mullet and small minnows and a little surface action. I decided to return to my starting point and try a medium running minnow type lure. Didn't get the fist strike?? Then tried it again with a surface "walk-a-dog" type lure without a hit. By this time i should have been in the best tide and ran to my next spot. Stayed with the gold spoon due to grass problems and never had the fisrt hit?? Nice day on the water, and i just chaulk it up to experience.. Maybe it was due to the West wind ??