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John McKroid
Posts: 4,211 Captain
Pompano Beach 13 Jan 2018
John McKroid
Posts: 4,211 Captain
Wind from the West, better to stay home and rest. Kayak fishing with a West wind is especially dangerous because if propulsion fails, the wind blows one out to sea. For that reason I tend to fish in shallower on West wind days. I Launched off around 5am and found Goggle-eye fishing a little slower than December trips. There were many boats working the beach -- making it an hour and a half for 10 baits, after which I then headed out to 80+ feet to start fishing.
First bait out was chomped in half by a Cuda, and then it was slow. Dragged baits out to 300ft while vertical jigging for zilch. Did not even meter anything other than the wrecks out deep. There was a good amount of boat traffic and half a dozen other kayak anglers.
One kayaker reported a Cuda, another an out of season Red Grouper. I did not see anyone catching anything. Typically in January I would have expected to see at least one sailfish taken by the many boaters. I blame the slowness on dirty green water and the west wind blowing surface baits offshore. I headed back into 100ft and metered some Kings/Cudas ? not too far off the wrecks, but no biters as I dragged my baits through them. Finally around 10am had one good hook up with a king Mackerel.
Around an hour later missed another cuda, got rocked by a grouper and picked up a Cuda.
The afternoon was slow, slow, slow. I stuck it out till 3pm por NADA. Current ran North 1-2kts, and wind was West at 9-17kts all day. It was suppose to calm down in the afternoon, but it never did.
First bait out was chomped in half by a Cuda, and then it was slow. Dragged baits out to 300ft while vertical jigging for zilch. Did not even meter anything other than the wrecks out deep. There was a good amount of boat traffic and half a dozen other kayak anglers.
One kayaker reported a Cuda, another an out of season Red Grouper. I did not see anyone catching anything. Typically in January I would have expected to see at least one sailfish taken by the many boaters. I blame the slowness on dirty green water and the west wind blowing surface baits offshore. I headed back into 100ft and metered some Kings/Cudas ? not too far off the wrecks, but no biters as I dragged my baits through them. Finally around 10am had one good hook up with a king Mackerel.
Around an hour later missed another cuda, got rocked by a grouper and picked up a Cuda.
The afternoon was slow, slow, slow. I stuck it out till 3pm por NADA. Current ran North 1-2kts, and wind was West at 9-17kts all day. It was suppose to calm down in the afternoon, but it never did.
Replies
Nice job on the Kingfish.
“Everyone behaves badly--given the chance.”
― Ernest Hemingway
As always, good to see you out there sir. I got a cuda roughly the same size on a jig while zipping past the wrecks. The current was pretty fast, and then when the wind picked up Erik and I decided that we would save some energy and just head in before we ended up north of the inlet. That was around noon.
Thanks, That was Chris in the yellow Revo looking yak behind me.....Compass has a Revo bow, so probably was a Compass.
Likewise, good to see you and Erik......You guys made the right choice, afternoon was bumpy and unproductive.
Thanks, The mirage drive opening is AKA the Hobie Latrine. Most anglers will kneel and relieve #1 in the opening without having to aim over the side. Sometimes I will stand up to do same, just to stretch the legs. On long days,I have even removed the mirage to complete #2. Sitting on the mirage drive opening lowers the kayak enough so that the rocking motion of the salt water cleans what TP would normally be required for. It is not as gross as it sounds and feels pretty darn good afterwards -- LOL.
Thanks for clarifying as that was a serious question. Keep up the good work. :thumbsup
“Everyone behaves badly--given the chance.”
― Ernest Hemingway
WOW! I had no idea we married sisters.
:beer
Thanks.
That depends on what time one goes out looking for them. Knowledgable boat anglers say that the goggle eye baits are out in 250ft of water around midnight, and migrate in to the shore during the morning. Just before sunrise they are frequently right on the beach. I have taken them in as little as 3ft, and more often in 6-18ft of water right before the sunrise.
Sometimes the gogs are at the pier, but the pompano pier gets hit hard by lots of boats fishing for gogs. Lately it has been none at the pier, and more along the beach.
John - how do you find Goggle Eyes, how do you know while its dark that its them showing up on your finder? Secondly, how do you catch them?
Other fish you might hook include Blue runners, Ladyfish, small barracuda, Grunts, Small snappers, small jacks, Spanish macs, and sometimes even a bonefish or tarpon.