December and into the New Year
December has been very mild this year.water temps have stayed in the mid 60s.if this continuses
we shuold get another bunch of king fish along the beachs.with plenty of bait and little tuny or falas albicore.
this tuna spieces is a great fish for the fly fisherman.we fish them like in the northeast by runin and gunin.
For Redfish and Trout, look for the giant schools of mullet along mangrove shorelines with
oyster bars. The bait of choice has been small grass grunts under a float, tail hooked. the
next best way to catch them is with a small pinfish or grunt used as cut bait has seem to
produce some bigger fish.the reds have been from 23 to 27inches these are the perfect size.
for eating.we also have caught some giant trout.scott robertson took his wife out with us for thre anaversery
and landed several nice rads and one trout weighing 8 1/2lb.
As the water temperatures drop, and the water gets colder, this will create great sight
fishing situations. When the fronts come through, it will make the water extremely low,
where Reds and Trout bunch up into potholes, and deeper cuts around the flats.
Sight fishing with fly will give you plenty of shots, because the Redfish will be rooting for
small crustaceans.
When Redfish are tailing, their tails are out of the water. This gives away where the fish
are, and what direction they are facing. Multiple flies will work for the Reds and Trout.
The most productive flies are top waters like a black and white muddler to shrimp styels, and weighted flies.
like the merkin crab or a crazy charely in tan and brown
For the light tackle fisherman, it's all the same, except for using soft plastics, like a
3 inch shrimp, and a 5 inch jerk shad. This is some of the most exciting fishing there
is, because casts have to be almost perfect. I compare it to hunting.
If you would like a thrill of a lifetime, now is the time to book your trip for December and january..
Fishing Wonderland - Nov 28 2011
Over the last two years, we have had extremely colder water in November and December.
This year has been more stable with water temps. in the low to mid 70's, and has
made fishing awesome. In the past two weeks we have been wrecking many
species, such as King Mackerel, Redfish, Trout, and even a few Tarpon, paying attention
to the tides and solunar tables. Most of the newer global maps have tide stations as
well as moon phases, which has been key to all the fish we have caught. For Kingfish,
live shad, ladyfish, and small mackerel have produced some giant Kings. The standard
rig we use is 43 lb. wire with a one or two o/t tow hook with a number 4 treble hook
which we call a stinger rig. Our clients this week have caught some huge Kings. Justin
McConkey landed a 53 lb. King and a 48 pounder. We were slow trolling in 15 ft. of
water with live shad.
For Redfish and Trout, look for the giant schools of mullet along mangrove shorelines with
oyster bars. The bait of choice has been small grass grunts under a float, tail hooked. These
have produced good numbers of slot sized Reds and big Trout. Trout are closed until
the first of the year, but are still fun to catch and release.
As the water temperatures drop, and the water gets colder, this will create great sight
fishing situations. When the fronts come through, it will make the water extremely low,
where Reds and Trout bunch up into potholes, and deeper cuts around the flats.
Sight fishing with fly will give you plenty of shots, because the Redfish will be rooting for
small crustaceans.
When Redfish are tailing, their tails are out of the water. This gives away where the fish
are, and what direction they are facing. Multiple flies will work for the Reds and Trout.
The most productive flies are top waters to bend backs, and weighted flies.
For the light tackle fisherman, it's all the same, except for using soft plastics, like a
3 inch shrimp, and a 5 inch jerk shad. This is some of the most exciting fishing there
is, because casts have to be almost perfect. I compare it to hunting.
If you would like a thrill of a lifetime, now is the time to book your trip for December.
Nov 12, 2011
With the recent cold fronts coming through every 3 to 5 days, our inshore fish have
scattered and have been pushed to deeper water and structures. Redfish really
don't get affected by the colder water. Tactics for the light tackle enthusiasts are
to look for areas out of the wind. Start with a jig such as a 1/4 ounce jig head with
a shrimp style bait or paddle style soft plastic. Start with neutral colors so you can
go one way or the other. This will work around most drop offs on the flats. Top
waters always work well. If it's calm, use smaller lures such as the MirroLure
ShePup. If the water is choppier, switch to a larger topwater like the MirroLure
TopDog.
For Trout, they will be in the same areas and you can utilize these same tactics.
As the weather clears, look for the Redfish and Trout to move up on the flats
with the big Mullet schools. Concentrate on areas with potholes, oyster bars
and shallow flats with drop offs. With bait starting to thin out, this is the time of
year where live small pinfish, grass grunts and shrimp underneath a cork will
usually get the job done.
For the fly fisherman, this time of year is ideal for finding tailing Redfish that
will be working around on the top of the grass adjacent to the drop offs.
Make sure the area has pot holes with turtle grass, which creates the perfect
area for them to root up small crabs, shrimp, and other crustaceans. The most
productive flys have been top water styles with a weed guard. The best colors
have been brown and tan, red and white, or brighter colors. The reason for the
top water flies is that the wind has broken up the summer grass which lays on
the bottom. If you find clear areas, you can use clouser style minnows or
merkin crabs.
Now is a great time to start booking your fall trips.
Thanks,
Captain Craig Lahr
Front a difference!
Since the cold front, fishing has picked up. Redfish have started to school in bigger numbers, from the backwaters to off the beaches of Clearwater. In the backwater, we have found them around docks, oysterbars, and points of sand bars that have potholes and sparce grass where it drops off. The best baits have been silverdollar size pinfish and grass grunts. Tail hooked under a float will get the job done. Cut ladyfish and pinfish are still working just as well. Top water lures have been producing some nice fish, and is a great search bait. The beaches have been absolutely on fire with mackerel. With all the bait around, it's so easy to get a well full of bait. You cant have enough even if it dies. Look for the birds working, and drift or anchor up and start chumming. Our most productive method is using 40lb floro with a 2 to 3 ot aberdine style hook. The fish have ranged from 4 to 7lb. Kingfish are around, but very few. This will pick up as the water cools a bit more. The next 2 months, fishing is going to get crazy. Cobia, mackerel, shallow water grouper, tripletail, trout, reds and even some tarpon will hang around until the water gets too cold. So, start booking your trip to experience great lighttackle fishing.
Thanks,
Capt. Craig
Posted on 07 Oct 2011 by Captain Craig
mack attack
redfish are starting to school up a little more .We are catchting fish in the 22" to 25"this is the start of the fall when we will se bigger schools as soon as we get are first front. cut bait is still produceing better numbers cut ladyfish and pinfish are working the best. If you're looking for fast action on light tackle, head to the gulf beaches. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish and jack crevalle have invaded the nearshore waters, attacking huge schools of anchovies (glass minnows) that have finally moved in. Typically, the glass minnows come to these areas in the spring, but for some reason the invasion is late this year. Regardless, they're here now.
The easiest way to find these packs of marauding fish is to look for birds. Flocks of diving brown pelicans with least and royal terns mixed in are a dead giveaway. Once you get close to the birds, look for the fish coming out of the water chasing the baitfish.
One way to catch these fish is on a fly or artificial bait. A MirrOlure mirrodine #18, which resembles a juvenile white bait, is deadly. The other technique is to get up and troll. the best way when useing light tackle is a1or 2 once led the leader should be at least 10ft long. the best lurers are squide spoons size 00 to a #1 this will match the hatch.the best trolling speed is 2 to4 mpr you can cover alot of water and help to find new bottom fishing areas.
Another way to catch these feeding fish is to use free-lined live bait. Small scaled sardines (whitebait) or threadfin herring (greenbacks) will not be ignored. It's best to use a long-shank hook with this technique to avoid being cut off by these toothy fish. Again, use the wind to your advantage.nows the time to book your trip october offers lots of stiles of fishing.
Posted on 24 Sep 2011 by Captain Craig
a tought of fall
As we have just came off the full moon, fishing has been off the chain. Spanish mackerel are on fire with so much small bait in the Gulf of Mexico and the backwater of Clearwater, horbor. You can see fall is on its way. With all the shallow reef right off the beach, we have been catching flounder and big bull redfish. For the flounder and big bull red, light spinning tackle such as 4000 Penn battle with 20 lb braid on a 7'6" 10 to 25 medium action with a knocker rig. 30 lb. fluoro carbon with the 3/8 oz. lead with a 1 or 2 ott circle hook with a medium sized scaled sardine or threadfin hearing.
spanish mackerel fishing has been abasutely in sane. With all the bait they have the water just frothing with these speedstirs this means the king fish will be here before we know it.The backwater is still producing nice red fish, speckled trout, and we just started catching some nice pompano. With the reds and trout, cut lady fish has produced better numbers and size for the pompano. Pink jigs seem to do the best for us on our recent charters, a 1/4 to 3/8 depending on tide flow and depth.
Thanks,
Capt. Craig Lahr
Posted on 19 Sep 2011 by Captain Craig
tons of bait= lots of spiecese
Since the water temps are in the low to mid 90s , fish have change there patterns.tarpon;snook;redfish;trout and sharks have made there pressence know,from tampabay to tarponsprings. the bridges; and backwater and jettys aswell nearshore reafs has been the prime area.the bait of choice has been threadfins;scaledsardine;shad and pinfish.these baits are everyware on the flats and off the beaches. for the fly enthusiast patterens that have been working well are dicievers; clouser and poppers in the 3to5" size. colors such as chartruce and white blue and white aslo green and white with a hook size 3/0. chumming with scaledsardine will work all these fish into a freenzy
Redfish are on the flats, but the tide and area has been crucial.
small pinfish are working well also the mrrorlure shepup bone and chrome and Saltwater Assassin 4" Cocktail Shrimp. in the
pattern of chandelier isles with a 16th ounce mustad peghook.
Worked extremely slow seems to be the most productive for
these bruiser.
snook fishin has been awsome. these bad boys have ben feeding near frshwater runoffs.fish have been in the 35" to 40".the tarpon have moved to the backwater with all the new bait hatch. sharks are on the flats as well as the passes.if you want to beat the heat night fishing for all these species has prodused some graet action.
thanks capt craig 8/25/11
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