While fishing with Captain Matt Williams of Miss Judy Charters Stephen Quigley caught this nice flounder.
While fishing with Captain Matt Williams of Miss Judy Charters Phil and Stephen Quigley had a fun fish catching time. Stephen is holding up a nice flounder, which gladly took him up on his live shrimp bait offering. If I have said it once I have said it at least a dozen plus times and that is, “Everything eats a shrimp!” and that is including us too! There were several flounder catches on this fish day!
The flounder has mastered the art of true camouflage. They use this camouflage to hide from predators and to get the jump on prey! And if you ever have seen pictures or firsthand sightings of a flounder burrowed down in the mud or sand you really do have to look hard to see the outline of this fish. Please know that most small fish or shrimp swimming above them do not. You would think that this is one safe as well as smart fish. Well, as you know there is always a bigger fish in the sea, but in this case we are talking a particular bird. And that would be the osprey, which has really keen eye sight and is known for swooping in on the unsuspecting burrowed down flounder. The fact of the matter is many years ago Captain Alan Collins used the findings of an osprey to step up his game of catching flounder. While fishing one day he watched as an osprey circled patiently around an area close to where he was anchored. And sure enough when the timing was right the bird made its signature dive, which really is a feet first attack and picked up a nice 10 inch flounder. Now, this National Geographic move made by the osprey just might be a once lifetime sighting. However, if you keep your eye wide open while fishing you just might see it again. The bottom line, what did the bird show Captain Alan? Exactly where the old flounder was staging! And of course, “There’s your sign to fish here!”
Now that water temperatures have gotten to the prefect temp of not too cold and not too hot, Captain Stephen Thompson of Miss Judy Charters has been on the searching, finding, and catching mission! In other words keeping an eye of the whereabouts of the fish!
Captain Stephen Thompson of Miss Judy Charters had a great day this past week targeting red fish while using live shrimp as bait.
Whiting in the Sounds!
The whiting bite has been pretty good this past week. This is a fun fish to catch on light tackle. And it doesn’t take a live shrimp to get their attention either. The fact of the matter is one shrimp can be cut up into about four small pieces, meaning more catching pleasure with less bait needed. And as you already know all fishermen love this part of this catching game. While bottom fishing for whiting we have been catching some nice legal size spotted sea trout. It doesn’t happen all of the time, but the bottom line is the possibility to catch has been better than not. It seems that the whiting are feeding closer to the bottom than the trout. So therefore when you start catching whiting I suggest giving the water column above this bite a little try. It’s easy, just drop to the bottom, and then reel your bait up about 1 to 1 1/2 feet off the bottom. And just let your bait suspend at this depth for a few minutes. If you don’t get a bite re-adjust your depth meaning move your bait up or drop it down a bit.
Artificial Reefs
Doesn’t this look just like a fiddler that I have placed on my hook? Well, it is, however, if you look a little closer you will see that I have broken the large claw off a fiddler and threaded it on first. Once I have pushed the claw up on the shank of the hook I then stick the hook’s point into a leg socket. Now what does this small addition do for my bait? Believe it or not, but it helps bring the Sheepshead back for another hit. The old Sheepshead is known for hitting your bait so quick that you don’t, in most cases even feel their approach. However, this small extra scent put off by the crab claw in some cases will turn them back to the bait. All other fish just keep coming back to the hook until they get it all. The Sheepshead is so busy accomplishing its moving feeding plan that a turn back normally is not offered. Now this bait won’t work all of the time however, I have seen it turn back quite a few Sheepsheads and the fact of the catching matter is
The Sheepshead Feeding Plan!
Offshore fisher men are still catching a few Sheepsheads at the near shore artificial reefs. If you have been keeping up with my fishing reports you already know that this is a fish that loves to feed around any sort of vertical structure. We have found that all structures around the reefs are most likely going to holds the attentions of the old Sheepshead. It is a known fact that this a fish that feeds vertically and pretty much moves in a clock wise motion around the structure. It seems once a bite is established meaning all you need to catch is one Sheepshead then you know that you have picked the right spot. The boils down to after catching a few Sheepsheads the bite might slow. However, it’s not that they bite has slowed it is just that the fish are moving up, down, and clockwise around the structure. The absolute best bait is going to be some sort of fiddler. I as well as the fish prefer the purple backs!
The Sheepshead that are staging offshore at this time are just about to make a turn towards the west! Normally after Easter these fish make way towards the beachfronts, sounds, rivers, and creeks. So with that being said, “It getting time to set our fishing sites
Black Sea Bass and Their Friends!
It is a known fact that fish especially when their stomachs are full have a tendency to feed slower with less conviction. Some fronts will give fish a sinus headache, which boils down to if they bite down on something, like your bait, they get an uncomfortable feeling. My father called this “sore mouth!” According to my father and I have seen this many times, when a fish has the sore mouth it’s feeding habits are hindered by pain delivered. This is the time where a fish wants to eat, but can’t quite bite enough on something to get it into its mouth. Most fish will lock down on your bait and as you reel it will only be a rider meaning it is not on your hook. As soon as the fish feels it’s maxed out amount of unwanted pressure it just opens its mouth for relieve.
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This past week’s fish bite conditions proved once again that even if they don’t want to eat you can make them. Well, the fish were there, the customers dropped their baited hooks right down to them, but they would not eat. So after a few time of catching or should I say snagging a few fish, I decided that we might be dealing with sore mouth! And there are several ways to successfully deal with this situation:
Number one way, I call this method “Working the bottom!” At the time we were using two hook bottom rigs baited with small pieces of cut squid. However, as I said earlier, not many bites were happening. So I suggested dropping to the bottom, taking the slack out of your line, pausing, reeling up about 6 feet, and then re-dropping back to the bottom. What does that do? As soon as your sinker hits the bottom is make what we call the sand storm effect. (Somewhat of a calling card for fish) The disturbed sand is pushed up into the water column and any fish within seeing distance will take notice. To a fish, when the sand storm occurs it can only mean that there is something on or near the bottom that is causing this disturbance. So I guess you could say, “The dinner bell could be ringing!” If nothing else this gets their attention and brings them in closer. And this my friend can trigger somewhat of a fish bite just about every time!
Number two ways, I call this method “Bouncing the bottom!” This is where you do away with the two hook bottom rig and tie on a Whoop Ass jig! I like using the 3 ounce jig, because we are usually dealing with 50 pound test main line. This weight jig will still drop to the bottom pretty quick and can be worked properly by merely raising and lowering your rod. I also like to tip my jig with cut fish or squid. (However, it will work without either bait addition.) It is a known fact that you can change a bait fisherman to artificial bait. However, it is hard to get them to just fish cold hard turkey artificial only! This jig can be worked with the straight up and down method. All you need to do is to drop to the bottom, pause, and bounce your rod tip, pause, and repeat. Another method I like because put distance between me and everyone that is fishing and I call it the “Far Far Away!” This is where you add bait to your jig and cast it out as far as you can. Once it hits the water, let it free spool to the bottom, pause, lift your rod tip, reel a few, release back to the bottom, and repeat.
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