Never Give Up On Christmas Eve 2015

water temp 67 degrees

Like everywhere else the temperature was banging the mid 70's as Hunter and I eased out onto Whale Branch to try and find some new fishing holes.

We fished for a few hours with nary a nibble.
I finally eased the boat into the creek behind the house to try one last stretch of timber as the sun set.

I hammered one nice keeper red on the ol' white gulp shrimp.

One small trout was soon brought over the side of the boat.

Then after calling out last cast of the day Hunter went on point and scored.

What a hookset!

Never Give Up!

First Redfish At New Place

12.20.15

Water temp high 50's

Hunter and I made a trip out today enjoying the nice weather.

I felt like dog poo, but would rather feel like dog poo on the water than in the house.

I was rewarded with a nice slot red that liked the ol' white gulp shrimp on a jig head in a creek behind our new residence.

We left the creek after the tide got running pretty good and tried for trout.

We caught 6 on mud minnows and the trout trick, but all were too small to keep.

Proceeding to scout out new redfish locations, we headed to the other side of the Broad River and jumped a big red, but no other hook ups occurred.

Headed  back in with one taco  destined redfish.

Pictures Taken By The Polaroid Cube, Little Trout Everywhere

12.12.15

water temp 63 degrees

We headed out on a warm December day the thermometer flirted with a high of 75 degrees.

Banging some creek mouths near the Broad River we managed about 20 trout, but they were all little peanuts.

We even caught two at once.

I was slow rolling the Zman again.

Nancy was proud because she caught 8 trout on the ol' tourist rig.

We played with my new toy, the Polaroid Cube.

All of these pics were taken with it.  Cool little action camera that measures an 1.5" by 1.5".

New Residence=More Fish

11.28.15

Water temp 62 degrees

Decided to put down the moving equipment and fish with Hunter.

We have moved out in the country on Whale Branch and wanted to give it a try.

So not knowing where to go, we just went fishing on a beautiful Saturday.

Hunter got on board first with a non keeper trout on the ol Burnham's Bopper and a live shrimp.

I started to get involved in the catching as we sea sawed back and forth, as the trout would eat a live shrimp and then eat my Zman paddle tail.

Hunter got the first keeper trout and I followed with two more.

We ended the fishing trip with eight trout with three being keepers.

Not bad for rookies on foreign water.

Onesies....

11.02 and 11.06.15

Water temp 74 degrees.

I'm on a one keeper pattern.

Monday, one keeper red.

Friday one keeper trout.

Friday was slow but then fired up briefly with small trout coming to the boat on the slack tide.

The best thing about that was, I caught four fish in front of a guide.  I kept hearing his clients say "HE'S GOT ANOTHER ONE"!

A Variety Of Fish

10.25.15
water temp 72 degrees

We wanted to get out even though the tides were at a high were running high and fast.
Fishing the low tide at Fripp Inlet we managed one keeper red, a whiting, a small pretty black drum,
pinfish, and a grunt.
Tried for bulls, but no bites.
Lots of peeps fishing today.

Blowing' In The Wind

10.18.15

Well that was quite a blow.

Hunter and I ventured out in the morning only to be greeted by winds that kept cranking up to around 20 mph.

We let the boat blow onto the hill as it was a rising tide.

After losing a nice trout at the boat, Hunter scored on this keeper red for the only fish that we felt bite come to the boat.  There were extreme bows in our lines all morning, so anything could have been chewing on our baits and we wouldn't have felt it.

Nice being out with Hunter, even if the wind was howling.

Small Trout, Big Red

10.17.15

Water temp 78 degrees

Wanting to get out before the blow this weekend, I slid the tin boat off the trailer and headed over to the convenient holes behind the house.

Keeper 14" trout were biting well on the curly jig in white until a large boat washed the hole out with huge waves spoiling a nice trout bite.

I proceeded over to one of our bait holes and loaded up on mullet and shrimp.

I tried to expand my zone for fishing, but after two or three stops and nothing happening I proceeded back to the bank where I always get action.

This time I threaded a big live mullet on a kahle hook and was quickly rewarded with this big, multi- spotted overslot red that couldn't resist the free meal.

I watched some pup reds rooting in the mud for shrimp and decided to call it a day as the tide bottomed out.

Gotta love fall fishing!

What Flounder Turn Into Once They Board The Tin Boat

Served with a Crabmeat Topping.

From Chez Nanci

Hunter Finding Flounder, Tricking Trout

9.26-27-2015

Water Temp high 70's

Hunter hasn't been fishing in a while and was itching to get after it.

Saturday we ventured down to Russ Point at Fripp's Inlet, water that Hunter had never fished.

We ventured way up a creek on a high tide and fished in vain, other than sight seeing on a strong high tide.  We came out and anchored at the mouth of the creek hoping to snag a tarpon.  While we saw two, they were smart enough not to touch our cut mullet.

Finally the tide was getting down to the magic 2 hours before low tide.

We went up another small creek looking for bait and shrimp were everywhere and they were added to the shrimp bucket.  On one net cast Hunter brought up what I thought were extra large shrimp.  Lo and behold they were squid.  You never know.

We eased our way out to the big rocks that hold up Fripp Island.

Nancy got on board when a just missed being a keeper redfish took off with her newly caught shrimp.

We continued fishing towards the bridge until we finally came to a couple of docks.  Hunter said we should fish the one that had a nice little oyster rake under it.

Sure enough he quickly hooked into what he thought was the oyster bar, but he suddenly yelled "get the net" as our first Atlantic flounder came aboard the tin boat.

A few casts later I got on board with a nice 19" flattie that hit the jig head tipped with live shrimp.

As the tide bottomed out we put the boat on the trailer and headed back to filet some imagined crab stuffed flounder.

Sunday dawned cloudy and drizzly.

Hunter and I decided to try the ol trout and red hole.  We waited a while as the huge tides drained out of Beaufort.

We headed to the red hole first, but the water was still pretty high. So we went looking for trout in the hole that until now, had been barren of trout since early spring. 

But that changed as Hunter quickly started hooking up on a Zman jerk shad.  He quickly landed four keeper trout, of which two came home with us.

As the trout bite died, we eased back to our red hole as the water had dropped enough that we felt we could touch them if we could see them.

We eased into a spot I had caught a nice red last week and was explaining to Hunter how I had caught them tailing there.

I pitched my Zman Jerk Shadz up in the pocket only to get a wind knot in my line.

As I finally got the knot out of my line, I picked up and felt the tightness of fish on!

Hunter had to get back to Charleston, so we packed up and headed to the house.

I heard the fish exhale as they figured Hunter was out of here, he hurts them every time he comes down to fish.

Double Duty for Zman

9.18.15

Water temp 78 degrees

The tides are working well this week. Low coefficient combined with early low tides and high tides in the early afternoon got us out for a trip out back this morn. 

A 15 knot north east wind kept it fresh a on the edge of throwing a jacket on the boat.....but not yet!

I caught my first keeper trout since April in the red fish hole and also had a nice slot red come over the gunwhales, both caught on a Zman smokey shad jerk shad. It has become my favorite bait the last few trips.  

We are finally adding fresh fish to our diets!

It's Getting Better

9.11.15

83 degree water temp

We hit the water at high tide today.  Nancy wanted to catch a fish on her birthday.

Low and behold she quickly caught a ladyfish on some shrimp she was dragging behind the boat.

We fished a high tide stand of weeds and she also picked up a small trout.

With the tide turned and hurrying out, we headed up to our old trout hole, but no bait and no fish were found.

With the water coming out strong we slid into a redfish hole, and immediately saw the reds tailing.

I threw a Zman Streakz in smokey shad with pro cure topping right in front of a red.

He swirled on it immediately and the fight was on.  It was a fight I didn't think I would win as he kept trying to crash onto the oyster bar he was feeding on earlier.

Finally the 23" red came to the boat and since our freezer was barren of fresh fish since April we slid him in the cooler.  Blackened redfish was on the menu Saturday night.

We chased the reds until a monster yacht came up the intercostal and sent us to the bank and trashed the water with it's huge wash.

Hopefully with the drop in water temperature the tide has turned and we can continue to add "fresh fish" to our diet.

First Try Wading For Reds

8.30.15

The tide charts predicted huge flood tides this weekend.  The weather app said rain though.

Hunter was in this weekend and we wanted to give it a try.

After finding time to get in a round of golf on Saturday between storms, we had a plan to head out Sunday morning and fish a 10 AM high tide around Cat Island.

We did have this awesome sight on hole 17 Saturday.  I label it "A bad day to be an egret".

On Sunday the storms started at 4 AM.  

We wanted to get out about 2 hours before high tide, but that wasn't happening with the rain and lightning.

Finally the rain broke enough for us to make a run from Sands boat ramp.

We got to the flat at the end of the incoming, perhaps just a little late.

We did jump 4 reds and two sheep head, but never saw any reds tailing and eating.

But this picture gives you an idea of the beauty of this style of fishing.  It also gives us options to chase reds on the big tides when you can't find them anywhere.

Gonna have to wait another month for the next tall water to try again!

Hey, I caught a game fish!

8.23.15

water temp 86 deg.

Wanting to look at new water, Nancy and I took the tin boat down to Fripp Island to take a look at the area.

Bait was easily had as we filled up the cooler with finger mullet, juvenile mullet and shrimp in a few throws.

As we were learning the area we decided to look for tarpon first, only to have the dolphin put on a feeding frenzy on the menhaden that were heavy in the cut.

With all that bait I'm sure a tarpon was swimming in there somewhere, but we didn't get any hook ups.

We idled over to the rock wall that keeps Fripp Island from eroding into the bay and low and behold I caught 3 puppy reds, had one flounder get off, and saw a nice red tailing.  Oh yea, two sharks came boatside too.

I purchased a new app for my iPhotos.  It is called Circular.  This is a picture done with it.  It puts me on my own little planet.

If the water temp will start decreasing any time, the fishing should pick up.

This area was very "fishy" and we look forward to going back and trying it again.

Sharks, Sharks, Sharks, Sharks.......

8.16.15

water temp 85 degrees

I have been taking a lot of criticism for not posting lately.

Our first summer here has been a shark fest.

I'm certainly not doing something right.  I know that for a fact since I saw the carcass of a filleted red fish next to the dock on Broad River yesterday.

We went looking for tarpon and caught 5 bonnet heard sharks and 3 black tip sharks.

No tarpon or menhaden action was seen at the bridge.

I guess the good thing is that they fight hard.  And bite readily.  So, for fish catching it is a good time.

But when you are targeting other species, it can turn into a "oh well" moment.

Anyways, it was beautiful on the water.

Hopefully as the water begins to cool the eatin' fish will come to life.

Or I learn how to fish better:-)

Now It's Nancy and Sharks & Bill With A Broken Trolling Motor

6.12.15

We headed out mid morning to try our trout and redfish holes.  Three dozen shrimp were swimming in our bait bucket after launching the cast net a few times off the dock yesterday on low tide.

We started at the trout hole, as the tide was heading out.  As usual, the water was dingy from the outflow of the tide through the marshes and creeks.  Nothing was there so we headed up to where we caught a few trout last year.

A big yacht was coming down the inter coastal water way as we ducked behind an island to avoid the waves.

As we turned to come back out, a combination of outgoing tided and an oyster bar is going to test Minn Kota's lifetime warranty on their composite shafts.

 It is busted all the way through and Bill is a happy boy.

We slid over to the redfish hole and Nancy hooked up on a Atlantic Sharp Nose shark.

I decided to throw the cast net for some finger mullet that were swimming around the boat.

One short throw proved that redfish are all around us, if we can get them to bite.

An over slot 25" red came in thrashing in the bait net along with a nice sized mullet.

Oh well, I may have to start resorting to this method if the hook and line doesn't start coming through soon.

We headed down below the bridge and tried another creek mouth.

Nancy hooked up immediately and landed another shark, but the best was yet to come as a bonnet head shark came boat side.  

That ruler is 36" in the background so you get the picture.

I wanted Nancy to hold it up, but her and sharks don't get along I guess.

Gonna have to learn how to eat shark soon!

Andy and the Shark

6.6.15

Hunter and his bud Andy came down to fish Saturday.  Our goal was to put Andy on a shark in the Broad River.  I don't think he caught any while in school in New Orleans, so I thought it would be a good "welcome to South Carolina" gesture.

The bait is in good now.  Hunter nabbed some shrimp at the dock on low tide Saturday morning.

He captured about two dozens shrimp of our dock. He also netted a bunch of finger mullet and some nice larger mullet in a creek inlet below the old fort on the Beaufort River.  Here is Hunter gathering some shrimp.

We headed down to the Broad and fished a couple of rips.

Hunter got a shark and then Andy had his rod go off.  But, he couldn't get it out of the gunnel rod holder as the shark was pulling so hard the rod was anchored in the hole, no matter how hard Andy pulled.  It broke off after screaming the drag for a few seconds.

He finally got his chance when his rod started dancing and he eased into his circle hook set.

He finally got this toothy fellow aboard.

It was hard to pick who had the nicer teeth.

We quit fishing for bottom dwellers as the tide topped off and boated to the tip of Dawes Island to look around and maybe luck into some eating fish, but to no avail.

We saw turtles, rays and horseshoe crabs, but nothing wanted to jump in the boat.  So, we made the cruise back up the river to get in before the rains arrived.

Another pretty day on the water in Beaufort.

Sole Intention of Catching Any Fish

5.29.15

Seeing how the Lowcountry fishing has me stumped, I was bound and determined to catch anything.
So with some frozen mullet and some frozen shrimp we set out to look for cobia and anchor up and catch something.

We took the Seacraft on a spin down to the Broad River on a beautiful morning.

We stopped by the old fort and threw some topwater in the grass, as the tide was at it's highest.

I had a trout knock the bodonkadonk three feet in the air.  We tried to duplicate that bite down the river, but to no avail.

We continued into the Broad up to the Turtles and started graphing and looking about.  We immediately saw a cobia, but were unprepared as the rods were still in the racks.  I finally got the big buck tail out, but the cobia was nowhere to be seen.

We anchored up and Nancy immediately got a shark on her little piece of shrimp.  After a good battle, her line gave way.  She doesn't like sharks, so that is good.

A few minutes later I had a shark on and after a nice fight got him aboard.

I was happy just to get my rod bowed up.

We lost a few more big fish, rays or sharks, don't know which as they broke our lines.

We decided to do a little cruising towards the tip of St. Helena Island.  It was a nice area, but we couldn't connect on any trout or reds in the creeks entering that shoreline.

At least we finally caught something!

Zero For May

It's been a while, but we have made 5 trips this May.
One for Cobia.
Nada, zip, zilch.
The zero for May is not only for fish caught, but zero bites too.
I've never been shut out in May, er, any month.  But, this could be a first.
Bummer city.

Tackle Jacketz...Cool New Product for Old Lures

4.9.15

I got a shipment of these new Tackle Jacketz.  How it works is you cut the sleeve to the length of your old beat up lure.

You then slide it on the lure and dunk it in rolling hot water.

I tried it on a few plugs.  This Cordell Redfin had been fished hard in Florida and was about to be thrown out, when I slid this new color on.

It worked well as a redfish came up and missed in one cast and on another I hooked up only to lose one at the boat.

OLD

NEW

Here is a Chug Bug that had seen it's better days after many striper and spotted bass had beat it to death on Lake Lanier.

Here it is with a new Tackle Jacketz cover.

Check out their website:  http://www.tacklejacketz.com

It is so easy a cave man can do it.

Spring Bite

4.8.15

water temp 71 degrees

We managed to ease out on a fine spring morning as the tide was coming in.

The fish were waiting for us as Nancy brought this keeper redfish on board with a mud minnow after missing her first few bites.

Although it was a keeper we wanted one larger.  I suggested an 18" fish and then proceeded to catch one on a twister tail jig.

Low tide + no wind = Gnats, consequently the buffs on and over our nose, ears, neck, etc.

We missed a few more reds and decided to go look for trout.

We were happy the bigger ones had arrived as we boated two keeper trout and had several smaller ones come over the gunwales.

All came on the twister jig and we were happy they had made it back.

It is very nice to have spring back!

Damn. That worked.

3.15.15

I received a couple of tips on how to attack the redfish at a seminar earlier this year. So after chasing the sweet water fish in Florida this month, Nancy and I hit the river to try some redfish chasing this morning.

Using some of the tips I received we were rewarded with 6 nice reds.

Nancy got on board first with a nice 22" redfish that our on quite a battle after inhaling her mud minnow.  Nancy isn't much at using artificial bait, but is pretty good at soaking live bait.  I just switched to rigging her minnows with a 1/0 mutu light wire circle hook by Owner.  Both of her fish were hooked perfectly in the jaw.

I finally got it going while fishing in front of a creek cut.  The water was getting muddied up due to the boat traffic caused by everyone who has spring fever.

I was trying a new rigging of a 4" gulp shrimp.  I cut the tail off and texas rigged it backwards.  It didn't get hung up on the oysters the whole trip.

I was blind casting to the mud line when I caught two in three casts.  They were both in the slot at 19".  The reds here in Beaufort are very colorful and full of spots as you can see by these tail photos.

Finally about half way through the rising tide, I had a swing and a miss on my bait.

The next cast yielded a rod bending strike as this two foot red mashed the gulp about a foot off the oyster strewn bank.  What a battle and what a hit!

Red fishing is a lot like deer hunting.

Patience, patience, patience.

Lake Okeechobee Videos

Here are a few short videos of the fishing on the Big O.

It gives a good perspective on how we were fishing.

This is Nick catching one off the bed.

Lake Okeechobee Started On Fire Ended In A Simmer

2.24.15-3.5.15

The annual Big O fish derby was a 10 day event this year.

The lake was on fire as we started fishing on Tuesday, but a strong cold front and strong east winds confined our fishing to the inside of the south and west side of the lake.

The Larson fishing team brought some nice fish to the boat, the Chandler side brought some nice fish in too, but certainly not as many.

The first couple of days an area the size of a couple of football fields yielded more than 250 bass, many in excess of 4 lbs.  The day was filled with the two boats yelling back and forth the size of the fish they caught.  At the end of each day we said that was just stupid fishing.  But as usual bass fishing can take a turn and this turn after a cold front slid through was a big turn.

Some days we caught 50+ bass, but most were bucks.  Other days it was tough to get 15 to the boat.

Here is a photo essay of the fish brought boat side that smiled to get their picture taken.

Larry and second to last cast 8 lber

Doug with a whopper caught on the toad

Nick saying he is Number 1

Nice bass with Sebile Pivot Frog

Doug and I double up early in the trip

Hunter got in to get some of the good action early

Pivot frog playing peek a boo

Preparing for take off

Larry brought some kokannee salmon again, YUM!

Aptly named Coot Bay

Doug and His Old School Gear