Clarity: Tore up from the floor up (leche chocolate) except for some wind protected areas
H2O Temp: about 80F
Was determined to fish after last weekend - damn the conditions - I had to put one of my dogs down last weekend. Got out at about 10:30 hoping to catch low tide in the afternoon. There was actually a great amount of bait in the water - small shrimp, crab, and a lot of mullet - around every reef I came up on. This was a new area to me so I did a lot of exploring which was tough with the wind. I battled shell throughout the day not knowing depths in certain areas. Finally came up on a huge reef near the old ICW - and saw lots of trout (mostly dinks with a few good sized mixed in). Set up a few drifts (luckily the wind was pushing me parallel) and had a few hits. I did hook up with one good fish but I felt like it wasn't on so as I was reeling in I reared back a little too hard and yanked the hook right out of its mouth. After a few choice words to the fishing gods I made a couple more drifts with no luck. The trout were so tight to the reef that every time I would pass over it I would see groups of 3-4 trout scatter. Water was about a foot deep over the reefs - of course this would be the day I have no popping corks. I really feel like I could have gotten quite a few if I could have kept off the shell and gotten bait close enough to them to see/hear. Beaten up by the wind and sun I decided to pack it in @ 3:30, not waiting for low tide - not sure it would have helped as water clarity/wind was junk. I will definitely be back to this spot as it provides A LOT of structure. A great scouting day
Good deed for the day:
Saw an elderly lady trying to go into the wind with a big ole Hobie PA - WITH A PADDLE! She kept switching btw pedals and paddle so I made my way over to her and asked if she wanted some help and she replied "I don't know what I'm doing" She did have a younger lady with her but she hadn't noticed the trouble she was having as she was a hundred yards ahead. I told her that the pedals should be her primary use of locomotion and only use her too short paddle in really shallow water. I righted her into the wind and she was on her way.
