The new number

duckmanJR

Is 127....  I have now bested my best. ( 2015 ) It seemed improbable since I see no real change in the rivers habitat. 

Today, I head to my first spot and again...lots of bait...but not much hitting it. I keep throwing the white CAL and wind up catching a decent mid slot trout. Again, this makes me happy since I don't have to waste time searching one out....and in the really dirty water we have right now...sometimes it takes a while...time I usually need for Redfishing. I make another pass and pick up a small snook so we can change locations and start the Redfish hunt. I netted some fingers and headed to a spot that *should* have them....but it was just one snook after another....it got a little frustrating.  By 9 AM I felt I could see and started trying to sight up a red....and I saw several...but all hard refusals....some "money shots" that did not get it done.....but being persistent ( stubborn A/F LOL)....I was finally able to make it happen.

 [img]https://i.imgur.com/Exu5rwFl.jpg[/img]

I finished with 11 snook...some small but some decent... 

[img]https://i.imgur.com/k7sD1yYl.jpg[/img]

and trout and a Red....and a surprise guest. 

So, Now 2018 is the year....and when you compare it with 2017's 86 slams....it has been much better.

And to finish off the day....as I'm leaving the flat....I say " What the heck"....



 [img]https://i.imgur.com/65qSXZQl.jpg[/img]

Anyone who says sharks do not fight....have not hooked them in 18 inches of water....on a trout rod with 8 lb mono....He came dangerously close to stripping my Diawa BG 2500.... He got out there a long ways. 

I suppose I should head to Michigan and go shoot some ducks.... 

Net 30

Congrats on the new personal record!  

You're giving us all hope that maybe - just maybe, the end of the world is not so near.............

HUNTINTHEWILD

Do you log your outings, so you can see your slams/trips ratio?  I think what you have done is amazing and actually can be used to characterize some aspects of lagoon health and perhaps the honing of your fishing skills.

duckmanJR

HUNTINTHEWILD said:

Do you log your outings, so you can see your slams/trips ratio?  I think what you have done is amazing and actually can be used to characterize some aspects of lagoon health and perhaps the honing of your fishing skills.

I did years ago.... I have some written down stuff back about 10 -12 years... But I generally just put it here and use this as my "log" so to speak...Just to keep the number straight since "olds" can be forgetful.
I do put in a brief report of days that are not slams lumping them with the one that is a slam.....some days it's my fault to not get one...some days it is just conditions are not good for the type fishing I do to catch a slam.

As far as "ratio"....is has always been about one slam per 2.33 trips....
This year...May was outstanding and October is also going well....it skews the average but overall it evens out at that 2.33 number.  

duckmanJR

Net 30 said:

Congrats on the new personal record!  

You're giving us all hope that maybe - just maybe, the end of the world is not so near.............

Thanks George... The funny part is that conditions as far as habitat goes are still aweful.... but I have learned a few "tricks" to help me in this "new normal" 

Topwater Guy

Nice work Joe......I started keeping a log of each fish, I have boated this year. I checked the stats on Wed. and it is interesting.....The pattern comes to life.

duckmanJR

Yes...there are patterns...and seasonal changes. 

duckmanJR

So....the number now moves to 128. But the day started so bad...I almost did not go. Yesterday evening I tried to work on my trailer lights. I am very poor at electrical stuff and it did not go well...at all. I had left my headlights on (without the engine running...duh ) so after giving up on the lost cause lighting situation I turned off the lights and went inside. Now, fast forward to morning...No milk for my cereal...and yep...rrrrr....rrrr...click click...Dead. I put it on charge and went back inside.  Needless to say I was pretty late but in the mullet run...not a deal killer.
I get to my first spot...NADA....but I throw and get bait. I start looking around but conditions are very poor. I find one decently clean point and get a Trout and then a snook... Keep looking and get another small snook. I run to a redfish spot and after hooking up (and losing) the same fish on the same bait....I get one to stick.

 [img]https://i.imgur.com/fflcgMyl.jpg[/img]

A big smile because I thought I had killed the spot.

It was early so I kept at it and got another snook and lost another red before getting this..

[img]https://i.imgur.com/jiovfYWl.jpg[/img]

Not great numbers...but I tried some spots I had not fished in a while...they were empty. 

duckmanJR

Oh...I guess I should say....thankfully, My son is very good at electrical stuff....I'm back to having fully operational lights.... 

duckmanJR

Today I had trailer lights....that made me pretty happy.
Making it happen today was a VERY long drawn out affair and only the true stubbornness of a Dutchman made it happen. I knew this might be the last day when conditions would be relatively " easy " . With that said...it took from 7 AM till 1:15....with hours of that time in search of one trout.
I started at what has become my first spot the last few trips. I pulled in a couple decent size snook.

 [img]https://i.imgur.com/4dysqBYl.jpg[/img]

They are pretty skinny... I tossed the net and got some fingers for (hopefully) sight fishing. Off to find a trout. From 8 till 10 AM I went here and there....caught 3 more small snook....saw a trout flash on the CAL as I got it ready to lift from the water....and a small jack. There was enough sun to see so my plan was to go catch a Red...and then go try for trout later. Red spot has fish...I get a take and it comes undone...but picks the mullet up again...and comes undone... I put on a new bait and get one on....I go a little too hard I guess and the knot at the jig head fails ?? So, the spot is burnt....it's now after 11 and I head to another spot that should just be getting right. It was...

 [img]https://i.imgur.com/0717o4ul.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/aMtMCl2l.jpg[/img]

But the real heartbreak came when I hooked up a large she trout...a solid 25-27 inch fish....that was fighting like a Comanche when it pulled off half way in. 

I was hot and tired...but wanted that one trout..... and I started hitting deeper swash channels with the Key Lime CAL since the water is totally messed up.....

[img]https://i.imgur.com/nYDTEakl.jpg[/img]

129 was tuff.... 

Flec

Glad your persistence paid off Joe, but it did not for me yesterday. I could not find a single trout. I would have guessed with all the finger mullet that I would have no problem getting a couple on top water early but it did not happen. I should have spent a little more time the first hour of the day for a trout but like you, I moved on. I figured I could catch one later
NOT!  Anyway,,I got maybe 9 snook to 24", 1 21" redfish, a cuda, a jack, and some small snappers. Bummer with the trout lockjaw. Hope that changes with cooler water temps coming. And clearer water I hope.

duckmanJR

I know how frustrating that is. I could not wrap my head around not getting a slam for lack of a trout....seemed inconceivable but it has happened to me before when conditions get like this.

Apparently, JH dog found the trout to be non existent down there also... 

duckmanJR

Today I figured that I *might* have enough time to get one more slam before the front came in and messed up conditions. And while it did happen....it happened *IN* a front... 
First spot I catch 3 snook but all small....net some bait and move on.  I try a spot that used to be so good...but now just has flashes of decent fishing....it gave me 3 trout and 3 jacks.  It's now half past 8 and the wind is up...brisk.
I head to a lee shore and pull another snook and a decent trout....  I headed to my best Redfish spot....but it's totally blown out....water is wrecked. Not feeling very encouraged and the wind keeps building.....it's half past 10 and roaring out of the North / NW ..... I have one spot left to look...water is OK.... see and get refused by two Reds....and as I get out of the decent water to less so...I see a Red come up to the surface....and get a quick shot....

[img]https://i.imgur.com/dqMj9tIl.jpg[/img]

And that makes # 130...... I try a couple points but NADA.  It's almost noon...start my run back to the ramp and it is snotty...really snotty!  Getting the boat back on the trailer is not easy when the basin is a washing machine.
I'll skip tomorrow....supposed to blow 20-25...  

Topwater Guy

Say it isn't so...........The way I see it, there are 4 reasons to stay on the bunks tomorrow...
1. Wind
2. After a front passed thru
3. Crawling tide
4. Almost full moon
And you say??

duckmanJR

All 4 of those are all good reasons.... 

I hate post frontal.......

duckmanJR

So....I'm a mental case or so my older brother says.  I woke up Monday and needed my coffee...so...since the truck is hooked to the boat...it came with me....and since I was already half way to the ramp...why not try for a bit...LOL 
Wind was screaming but I did get 4 snook and 4 trout....but the wind and clouds were just too much for the Redfish game. quit at 9.  Getting the boat back on the trailer was not easy...at all! 

Today was really great weather...a welcome cool down. 
My first spot was a shocker....NO BAIT!  Uh oh...Did not stay. Next spot was money...4 nice upper slot trout and a big bunch of jacks. But as soon as the sun was up and on the water it died so I went to get a snook...
Key lime CAL got hit but lost the first one on a jump...a couple casts later that task was done. Now,  off to catch a Red.... Good conditions and was seeing a few but they were refusing...it seems like they do not want to eat on the incoming. I did have one on but it came loose. I kept at it and after catching a couple more snook I got the bite I needed.

 [img]https://i.imgur.com/RUqJHvWl.jpg[/img]

Left there and started looking around for the conditions I needed and got another snook....and...

[img]https://i.imgur.com/Cqnk39fl.jpg[/img]

So....4 trout 4 snook 2 Reds...and that makes #131

Net 30

duckmanJR

That's a Joe Marlin shirt ( Tommy Bahamas cousin LOL ) ....works well on Reds....I can't even imagine how good it would be on Marlin!