St. Marks 5/6/04 - not so lucky - or skilled?

[Dr. Jones]

Unlike the post below, we didn't have quite so much luck out on the East Flats yesterday.

Hit the water around 7:15 and immediately caught a 15" trout just south of the Lighthouse. Threw it back because I was worried about shrinkage - you know, cold water! (in the cooler, not the shower). Also threw it back because I was certain we'd have a field day out there.

We fished all over the flats from the lighthouse to the Rock Garden and caught a bunch of trout, a couple ladyfish, a pompano or permit (small), a crapload of annoying cat, and bream. All the trout were shorts.

At about 11:30 we were out of 5 dozen shrimp because we kept getting stripped by small trout. We went up to the marina in St. Marks for more shrimp. NOTE: this is exactly when they started hitting, according to the other message.

Got back onto the flats around 1:00 and worked for a couple more hours. Same thing. Went through another 5 dozen shrimp and no trout over 15".

Some old guys at the ramp said they cleaned up with trout and mackerel out on the west flats.

The only thing we could get them to hit was live shrimp under a CT. We had no luck with surface lures.

So what am I doing wrong? If we're getting ripped apart by these little guys, is there any logic to finding where the big ones are?

[Flats Rascal]

I've found the trout "runs" usually start an hour or two before high tide and continue till about an hour after. Live shrimp usually frustrate me so, lately, I've been going with the plastic stuff - DOA, etc. Mrs. Rascal will fish all day with live shrimp and get good results. She has a little more patience than I with the bait swipers.


As far as fishing depth, a buddy and I went out from the lighthouse last Saturday - He fishing the 6' bottom with a DOA shrimp and I 2' below surface w/same under a Cajun Thunder. Equal results as far as keepers, though I did catch more shorts.

[Tom Keels]

It has been my experience that you will get more action with live shrimp, but you will also get more "unwanted" action from the likes of cats, pins, etc.

Here is your challenge. Take only artificials next time. And only take a handfull, not your whole box. Spend a good part of the day chunking and winding. In my honest opinion, even if you catch nothing at all, you will have learned more about the area and will be a better fisherman for it.

Tin Can and I have the same saying. You will learn more on the days you don't catch them, than on the days you do.

Don't get me wrong, I have spent many a dollar on live shrimp. They "can" save the day if you get stuck in a creek because of the weather, or if you have kids along. But it has been my experience, that I catch many more and bigger fish on plugs and jigs than on live shrimp.

I have a theory concerning the net ban. Pre net ban, you could fish a hundered shrimp and catch 50 trout. Why? Less bait fish (pogies, mullet, pinfish, ballyhoo, etc.) Shrimp became a staple diet for the fish on the flats. It has been my observation that in the years since the net ban, shrimp no longer are the main staple for the fish on the flats. So I contend minnow baits, and the like, produce more and bigger fish. As do live baitfish. Discuss amongst yourselves.

All I have to say is keep trying. There have been a bunch of skunks in my boat, and there will continue to be the occasional one. If they were so easy to catch, there wouldn't be any.

[Chalk]

Ditto to what Tom said.....I can count on one hand the number of times I have bought shrimp for fishing in the past 15 years...I think one time this year and that was for mangos in the St. Marks...

I do use some salt cured shrimp or bacon to catch pins and like dragging a pin around....It's cool to watch a trout sit on top and gnaw on a pin

My dad would say we don't need no stink'n bait

Handfull of artificials

[Ken K]

Quote: "So I contend minnow baits, and the like, produce more and bigger fish. As do live baitfish."

Here is a dumb question: Why don't I hear about people using whitebait around this area? Is it just not in the area or I just don't hear about it?

[dstockwell]

Next time use artificials, and catch you some small pins to try for the bigger Trouts. Even though I had a Trout that was still short caught on a small pin. But did a keeper on a pin in front of the Lighthouse.

[Tom Keels]

Ken, they use whitebait or pilchards a lot over around St. George. It's just not as common over here as over there. We do get schools of them in this area, but they are not common. BUT, if you find a school and can catch them, get them, because they are in my opinion, the best live bait on the water.

Nothing can resist them....

[tin can]

Ditto what Tom said. Keep in mind, there's no wrong way to fish an artificial. If ya aren't catching fish, change your presentation. Keep flinging. I almost never use live bait. I rerely even catch pins to float behind the boat. I like artificials. I own a million dollars worth of them, and fish with a few. And probably, the most important factor that hasn't been mentioned, keep your string wet. Nothing is as good a teacher as time on the water. Keep goin, and you'll catch fish.

[Ken K]

[quote="Chalk"]It's cool to watch a trout sit on top and gnaw on a pin [quote]

As much as I enjoy that my, personal favorite is watching a half dozen Redfish chase an energetic pogie back to the boat.

[dolphinatic]

I would have to say that I agree with the primary use of artificial baits. The only time I get scrimps is if I have the boy or the dad. The boy likes to set records for how many pins he can catch in a day.......the dad likes to fish "old school".....scrimps fished under an urange cork using a Zebco 33 and a bream hook However, sometimes he outfishes me! Anyhow, I can probably count on one hand the times we have been skunked over the past few years using nothing but artificial. The artificials that seem to work for me year in and year out are blue/silver/red/gold chugbugs (topwater), various SWA's (electric chicken, space guppy, candy corn, pinfish) fished with or w/o a CT or Equalizer, green curly tail grubs with the red 3/8 oz. jigheads, and a red/gold Devilhorse.....oops, I forgot patience

[DixieReb]

We always have better luck on very small live pins fished under a Baitmate CT. The pins and other baitstealers are just too numerous this time of year to rely on live shrimp. they won't bother the small pins, but keeping a supply of bait may be hard when the bite is really on.
Anyway, keep fishing. If you get into small trout, it might help to move. My dad always said big fish don't hang out with little fish.

[Dr. Jones]

Thanks for all the information, folks! I'll keep going at it and let you know how I do.