My Mom and I met at my house at 0600 to do some scouting for the Fishin' Chix, Pink Rubber Boots Tournament tomorrow. We launched the boat at Navy Point ramp in search of the 7 target species; Speckled Trout, Redfish, Flounder, Ladyfish, Bluefish, Spanish Mackerel, and King Mackerel.
We began with the Speckled Trout; casting soft plastic baits along rocky shorelines and open grass flats. Our first stop yielded no results, but our second stop was successful. I managed to catch a Trout that had to be a solid 10"-11". Unfortunately a solid 4" under the legal size limit. Not another Trout all morning after that though. While we were Trout fishing we had other opportunities at target species, seeing many schools of Ladyfish, Bluefish, and Spanish feeding a hundred yards or so further from shore.
Just a quick adjustment to the trolling motor and we were in casting range of these fish. We released a Spanish and a Bluefish or two in the short but exciting flurries of activity. After pulling the trolling motor and preparing to move on I noticed three men in a boat drifting just south of us. These men were making one hell of a racket, hooting and hollering with every twitch of a bait or movement of water behind it. All this commotion and excitement could only mean one thing...Capt Wes was in that boat!!!
As we eased within hearing distance it was obvious that they were having the time of their lives hooking Ladyfish only to have them jump and spit the hook, only to have another fish striking at it as soon as the first one was off. Wes and I exchanged pleasantries and the mornings findings then Mom and I pulled away with them still laughing over bent rods.
We moved in search of our target fish a few more times; never stopping without at least a bite and usually with a boated fish or two. Each stop consisted of covering a grass flat or pier for a drift or two, getting some bites and leaving the fish alone to wait till morning. I ran into a good friend of mine later who told a tale of Flounder at one of our favorite holes, so I elected not to pressure them any more today. I had been doing alright with the Redfish as you may have read previously, so I checked that off the list. Our final stop was to locate bigger Ladyfish and Bluefish.
The boat coasted towards Pickens Beach on the bay-side, and the fish erupted from all directions! There were pods of fish throwing white water everywhere and scores of birds diving among them. I saw one school that must have had 200+ fish in it. We casted and moved and casted and moved and by the end had released nearly a dozen nice Ladys and Blues.
I know I was supposed to leave the fish alone; find them and wait til morning, but we couldn't help ourselves. Mom and I had so much fun catching those fish at the end. If it hadn't slowed down and I came to my senses I really don't know how long we would have stayed there catching them. We stowed our equipment and were pulling into the ramp by 1130.
I dropped Mom off with a big hug and turned around to catch bait for tomorrows Tourney. Within 40 min I had caught around 9 dozen baits, cut my toe open on an oyster shell, returned to the ramp, loaded the boat and headed for the drug store for first aid supplies for the toe.
All in all a most successful and utterly awesome (mildly painful) day spent with my Mom, how great is that!!
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