Reality and Humble Pie -- May 11, 2009

After weeks of great fishing it had to happen! Last week, one day the fish just turned OFF, no apparent reason for the shut down, just couldn’t get them to bite. At first I thought: had my MOJO left or was it BAD KARMA? With 4 boats on the water and all of them experiencing the same slow bite I was relived to say the least. The day was not a total loss all boats managed to catch some nice trout and a few reds but not to the level we have been doing the last 3 to 4 weeks.

I was really irked as I had excellent anglers and felt we were in for a stellar day, as the day before we had whacked the upper slot reds and topped off our trout with good 18” to 20” fish. But come the next day, these guys showed me they had the RIGHT STUFF with more than limits of reds caught and released and a number of good trout.

After coming off the water and thinking long about it, I have concluded the reason for our poor day, was the reds had moved out into 2 ½ to 3 foot of water and I was fishing just TOO SHALLOW!!! In checking, I should have noted the barometer had risen the night before and I guess the reds moved from the shallows out deep. I can assure you I’ll check in the future. This time of year we just don’t have the barometer move up and down much unless we get a front. I may be a REAL OLD F_RT but I can learn something every time I get on the water! I knew better, but I just tried to force feed them in the same shallow water pattern I had been doing so for more than a month!

We continue to catch good trout in 2 to 3 feet of water in the sand pot holes in larger grass beds. Reds, other than that one day continue to hold on the sand and grass edge 6” to 1 ½ feet. We have a good shrimp crop now and the trout are taking bone and chartreuse plastics and light colored top waters when the wind slows down and allows our water to clear some. Our rattling corks with a short leader continue to produce the best trout action when the winds are at gale force. Reds are still taking small top waters and plastics again clearer water has been bone and dirty, roach or pumpkin chartreuse. Don’t leave home without a gold spoon either!!!

Our Lodge home boy “MARTI’MUS” (AK) Marty caught and released his personal best trout. 29 ½. Way to go Marty. I might say caught on a bone plastic under a rattling cork. GO SAY!!!!

Looking at the long range weather outlook, our winds may be about to start summer patterns. I can’t wait I am so tried of fishing in 25 to 35 MPH winds everyday. Nice thing we can catch fish in those conditions.

I know I continue to say: Keep what you can eat and release the rest, ITS ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER! But with croakers now in use, I just hope everyone croaker / live bait and artificial users will respect the 5 fish rule and remember what it was like two years ago. Let the bigger ones go to replenish the bay with millions of eggs. Those big fish are just too precious to be caught only once! Just go and have fun folks, that’s what it is about and enjoy eating those 15 to 20” trout. Just don’t get any better.