Fishing Report- week ending 9/26/2009
Over the last few months, my reports mentioned how dry it has been and how badly we need rain – be careful what you wish for! It has been raining most afternoons and the fishing conditions have been a bit tough with the outfall of fresh water from recent storms along with the unusually high tides. The good news is that we are still finding fish. We just have to work a little harder to see them. A short trip north near Rookery earlier in the week found some tarpon in the Gulf and snook in the back but all in all, not a lot of bait and dirty water.
On Thursday, I fished Susan Cocking, outdoor writer for the Miami Herald. We planned our day on the outgoing and pulled up to the first bay to find a small pod of tarpon rolling here and there. We had maybe five or six good shots but no takers. Susan said it: “They just don’t seem happy.”
On our next stop we saw a big push against the lee of a small key. I poled over to it, waited and waited, but never saw the fish. I decided to follow a deeper trough along the shore into a small bay. Just as I came around the corner, a big snook blew out and ran across the bow to give us a look. No shot.
Just around the corner we poled a very shallow oyster bank where we could see better and found some bait moving. We found two nice reds cruising the bank but just couldn’t put the deal together. It happens.
We ran towards the outside keys to fish the backside out of the wind and the bottom of the low. The incoming was just starting and was very dirty as we poled along a shallow shelf trying to see fish. There should be fish here, I thought. About 75 yards down the shore Susan struck hard. The snook broke water and shook her head violently and I knew she was into a good fish. The first couple runs were weak but once it realized it was hooked the fish ran hard to the bank and wrapped around a bunch of mangrove roots. Luckily I was able to pole over and untangle the line and land the fish. After a few quick pictures we revived a 30″ snook and released her against the bank. Congratulations Susan on your biggest snook on a fly so far!
All the best,
Bill
