Jones Lakes 8-Oct-2023

[deptrai]

Its Fall. Everyone says the fish jump in the boat this time of year, right?

I’ve been watching the wind (both forecast and actual) all week and finally decided to make an attempt.
I was concerned when I arrived at the ramp, but the forecast was for the wind to slightly diminish throughout the day, so I went ahead. I was ready to launch but saw a barge in the distance and it was headed my way. By the time I finally pushed off, three of them had passed.
It was a beautiful morning…no mosquitoes and very comfortable temperature.

A small post marks the “safe” entrance into the lake system. Water level was relatively high this day.

The crab traps tend to be located in areas of deeper water, so I use use those as a guide as well as the pins I have marked on Google Maps.

[deptrai]

It wasn’t long before I saw a flock of hovering & diving seagulls. Only the second time I’ve seen this, and the first time was good! I switched my peddle drive into high gear, came around a corner where the birds were diving and found a floater. The gulls were diving and picking away at the dead flounder.

After passing through the first couple of lakes, I started noticing more floaters…. lots of them. The deeper in I got, the more dead fish I saw. At least a hundred of them and 90% were flounder.

[deptrai]

I didn’t notice any different smell, but the water did look a shade darker than normal. I guess the Red Tide made it here.
I was wondering if it was even worth continuing, but I did see mullet activity, so I pressed on and was glad I did.

8:49am and hooked my first fish of the day. This guy appeared to be blind in one eye.

8:59am and had the 2nd. Both fish caught in the same stretch where I landed three keepers a few weeks ago.

[deptrai]

I moved over to another part of the same lake that had similar conditions and landed another at 9:59am. My 2nd ever limit of Reds!

There were several other bites and fish that came unbuttoned, but I did manage to land a 4th that was released for next time.

I sometimes troll when moving from place to place and on my way in snagged this Black Drum. My 1st.

Water level was still high, and I was cruising through the marsh lakes at 3 mph when I hit an oyster bar. No Bueno.

I unsuccessfully tried to bend it back with my hands but didn’t want to snap it off. I was still able to limp in. Thankfully, the wind was at my back.

[deptrai]

The water level was a bit lower than when I started.

Dave

[Ron Mc]

Dave, thanks for the reports and great photos - just got back from the Fall Rodeo, and will take awhile to catch up.
I posted my first edit on FFR, and will follow Josh's daily reports on TKF.
https://fiberglassflyrodders.com/forum/ ... 33&t=76799

[deptrai]

Replaced ST Turbo fins with the original ST fins that came with my MD180 drive. Probably better suited for shallow waters anyway. We'll see what speed I can achieve in the ICW.

I'll take the bent masts into work and see if our Maintenance guys can straighten them out.

Dave

[mwatson71]

Nice report Dave and bummer about the bent drive. My son’s Hibie has the old school non-turbo fins and I have used them from time to time and while it is noticeable at first, over the course of a fishing trip you just kind of forget and just keep fishing.