Here Little Fishy, Fishy, Fishy -

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YakRunabout
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Here Little Fishy, Fishy, Fishy -

Post by YakRunabout »

If that was our call then the little fishies responded like gang-busters! Early on it was mostly undersized specs with some rat reds thrown in. The first light I approached had some nice sized fish swimming around in it and I thought ‘looks like it will be a good night’. I cast across the light, reel toward it, then have a hookup! It may have been the smallest of the group in the light! This first catch was a preview of the next couple of hours!

Drifting Yak and I arrived at the old Fat Boys ramp just north Tiki early on Friday, so early it was almost Thursday. While rigging up we notice things were different from normal – light winds, instead of the normal low teens – nice temp, assisted by lower humidity – and the most surprising – no mosquitos! I first felt the light winds and so figured I would need the bug spray, but no – there were no mosquitos!
Our target was the lights in and around Tiki. The tide forecast at the causeway showed the beginnings of a nice incoming tide at the time of our launch, but we still had outgoing flow for a time! It was just a day before the full moon along with clear skies to give us lots of light.
I started off with shrimp – The first was a small light colored chicken boy on a small jig head. It was popular, but with small fish as I mentioned. It got a bit beat up and eventually was barely hanging on. Instead of replacing it I just took it off the hook and turned it over – looked like it would still hold for a while that way – the fish did not care, still took it, many specs swallowing it way down, complicating the release process! I later switched to a larger savage shrimp, white/chartreuse glow, with the same results.

Catch and release of all these small fish was getting a bit tiresome, though better than no catches! Eventually some bigger specs started to show up and so I managed a few keepers, but still only in the 15-17” size. Through the morning I did change out lures, using a white curly tail grub and a small shad imitation, both catching! Mike was throwing different lures than I and catching the same lineup of small specs and rat reds. So it did not seem to matter much what lures we threw!

We fished both inside and outside with the same results, though mostly outside since there was better current there.
At one time, getting tired of the small fish at an outside light location, I went inside for a change of environment. This was about an hour before dawn – still pretty good water movement outside, but now on the inside it was quiet – low winds, smooth water surface – could not see much water flow – these conditions have not been good for me in the past. But this time there were still fish at the lights! At one light I catch another small spec – no surprise. I move a bit deeper into the canal and see some nice fish at a light. Cast the shad lure and BAM!! – the race is on! A nice red hit the lure on landing and took off on a run that only a red can provide! Wow – what a change from all these small fish that come docilely to the boat! This one is taking line, I carefully add a couple of clicks to the drag, my ML rod bent into a nice C shape – luckily, I was in a large area in the canal so it had room to run and not get into the docks. Eventually get it to the boat – A fat 23” red! Finally!

I radio this information to Mike, who happens to be fighting his own slot red from the outside light! So back to the inside – I am now fully awake – Cast into the adjacent light and catch a rat red. Ok – they are still biting. I move on a bit further into the canal to another set of lights – cast the shad again – then BAM! – a repeat performance – the lure lands, taken and the run is on. It is like the lure landing is the crack of the starting gun at a track meet. Another 23” red in the boat! Both very bronzy. A great way to finish the morning!
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My take home - Mike's was very similar!!
My take home - Mike's was very similar!!
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kickingback
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Re: Here Little Fishy, Fishy, Fishy -

Post by kickingback »

:clap: Excellent report! Thanks for sharing!
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Drifting Yak
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Re: Here Little Fishy, Fishy, Fishy -

Post by Drifting Yak »

Da’amn nice write-up Ken! The tapestry you painted with those words made me feel like I was there! :lol:
The night was indeed full of fish. Guessing I landed 30 specs in the 13-15” range and a dozen or so rat reds that were 12-15”. Ken's catch was similar.
As Ken described, at one point we were up in a canal. It was so calm that I said “Too still for me back here so I’m moving back outside”. Well about 5 minutes later Ken radios “Yee-Haw!” which is code for nice red hooked and giving a good sleigh ride. Then about 10 minutes later he says it again. So much for flat calm water not being good!
All in all it was a productive trip. I ended with 5 nice specs and 2 fat reds.
All good for the soul!
Tiki SPecs and Reds 7_27_18.JPG
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shoffer
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Re: Here Little Fishy, Fishy, Fishy -

Post by shoffer »

Glad you guys found them. That is a typical summer night haul from the lights here in the upper coast area.
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