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This week ushers out the old year and brings in the new. Nothing has changed since the last report, though, as the cold fronts just keep on coming, and keep our water temperature near or under 60 degrees. In fact, the water temperature at the ramp one morning was 57!! The manatee whackos have made it all but impossible to go up the river to fish from Punta Rassa ramp, with the addition of a new manatee idle zone the length of Shell Island! It takes 20 to 25 minutes to get through it at idle! That's not only absurd, but very hard on outboard motors. They won't be happy until they have us all off the water!
Monday was my first trip with Carter and Jan Harnden. I came to the ramp with hand picked shrimp and a large tackle bag full of lures. I was hopeful that I could at least find them some trout that would eat in the cold water. The low that morning was 42! We would warm to nearly 75, though.
We headed up into the Sound to fish potholes for speckled trout on the super low tide. We fished half a dozen spots, but only one of them produced any fish for us. We caught a good dozen nice trout on Bass Assassin jigs. As the water rose and began to cover the flats, we turned our attention to snook and redfish. I tied on silver Toni Acetta spoons which we cast along the edges of cover. Carter hooked two redfish. The first got away before we could get it into the boat. The second was a puppy drum about an eighth of an inch short of the slot limit. We didn't see any snook.
We wrapped up the day at the Waterfront Restaurant where Carter and Jan said the food definitely lived up to the billing I had given it. We didn't set the world on fire, but then neither is anyone else. We had a fun day, though, and the Harndens were just a super nice couple. I look forward to their return.
It was fitting that I finish the year with my great friend John Hitt, as I had begun the year with John, as well. I love to fish with John, and good or bad, we always have fun. We had already decided to toss plugs and lures again for trout. To my surprise, it seemed that no matter where we went we could only catch small fish. We caught a lot of them, but nearly all were small. We only had a few that might have made the slot, but trout season wouldn't open until midnight. John and I vowed to get back on the trout and catch some dinner on Thursday, if the weather would permit. Yes, another front was on our doorstep, and I had expected a good bite, but apparently the cold water kept that from happening.
Thursday, January 2, John and I were back at it. The front had brought some great early morning storms, but had been melodramatic as far as winds were concerned. Thursday was a beautiful day and trout season was open. We fished many of the same holes that had given us so many trout earlier, and that usually give up big trout. The bite was not good. We caught fish, but not what I had expected. We only managed three keepers. Nice fish.
With the trout not in much of an eating mood, I suggested that we turn our attention to redfish, thinking that one keeper would be as good as several smaller trout. John tied on a gold Johnson Silver Minnow, and I a silver one. We began working edges of holes, and immediately hooked a big trout on the silver spoon. Shortly afterward, John hooked a beautiful snook that once in the boat proved to be a nice keeper of 28 inches. She was not very heavy, though, probably from eating very little since our water has been so cold. She swam away happy.
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A short time later, John had another snook in play on the gold spoon, and this was a real miracle fish. As John brought her to the boat, I grabbed the line and lifted her. It was then that we realized that she had bitten open the snap swivel and the open snap had found its way into her lip. The spoon was far back in her mouth, not attached to anything but the snook. John had landed the snook on an open snap swivel. I think that's the first time I've ever seen that happen.
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John and I were pleasantly surprised that a couple of nice snook ate his gold spoon, and equally surprised that we caught no redfish. I guess if it was that easy to figure them out it wouldn't be that much fun.
Tight Lines!
If you want to be able to continue to fish Florida waters please follow this link, "Manatee Zones: How You Can Help" and please take the time to become involved, even if you don't live in Florida. Let the politicians know WHY you come to Florida on vacation!
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