The Rookie

The one being referred to is me. As much experience as I have with a rod in my hand, I’m a rookie when the water turns salty. I’ve now made my second solo trip to the east coast and this time I had better intel, and better results. Left at what I thought was early only to find that I was an hour plus late. Finding the ramp (first time to this one) was no doubt easier in daylight, and having another gent setting out give me the heads up of a sand bar in my intended direction of travel were two good omens for the day and kept the timing from being an issue in my head. Winds were forecast to be low and they thankfully were. I headed for calm water in the Lee of an east wind and threw top water, and was rewarded. First strike was a miss but a violent one of a big trout or a possible snook. Saw another fish pop a bait and made a few casts that way. The water under my spook puppy looked like a toilet flushing and the rod got a serious smack. Head shakes, trip around the boat and a visit with the net, and I was doin the happy dance. Not a giant but a very good fish for my skill level at just over 20”. Got a few more pops, caught a small jack crevalle and a couple of early release troutlets, like trout only smaller, and a tiny rocket like ladyfish were the end of my hard bait offerings. I changed to a soft plastic and got my second trout, this one over 16”, and my keepers were done. Drifted out to deeper water, still saw activity but no further fish were caught. Storms passed and didn’t bother me any, but the sand fleas made up for it. Bug spray next time. Had a great time and was pointed home at 11 with 50 miles in front of me. Can’t wait to go again and hope to see you there, til then..... Skeet Attachment 378100
Attachment 378101

Yep Tim that 1st 1 1/2 hr of daylight is best for the top-water bite, however, the artificial can't hold a stick to live bait right now.... I'm sure you seen tons of mullet pods trolling around, can't fool them big gator trout or reds, twice recently I've had boats pull up in my area, seeing me catch small trout & just slay larger fish free- lining live shrimp once & other time reds on mullet.....to end my work week Friday morning I'm 15 minutes from Bio labs ramp, but put in at 7:30 & miss that 1st hr of light & would miss more going to get bait, so call me a slow learner....lol ....you went out of a treacherous area of Beacon 42 w/sandbar so close to the channel , great to hear it produced, across to the east side slightly north is Tiger Shouls, which is good for big fish, but heavily pressured......

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Congrats, dinner or someone else's winner? Newbie yes, rookie NOT... Folks would be open to felonius activity to have your knowledge base...:Rofl
u2s

looked like a good day on the water to me. You still bent your rods. That is always fun.

A tide chart is more important than an early start, slack water as a rule means slow fishing.
With some species it means no fishing.
If you ever decide to go to the keys to fish on the reefs, there are 6 things you need to remember.
The first 3 are picking the time of day the water/current is moving.
The second three is keeping the chum flowing.
When one or the other stops, so does the fishing.

Yo buck, where I’m fishing is a long way from the inlet and while I’m sure there’s some influence, I’m thinkin that the wind has as much or more influence on the water movement. My time is also limited so I go when I have the time and pray that I’m smiled upon. Trying to figure out how to get things fixed up so I can go again this weekend. With bug spray and long pants.