The good news this week is that small Trout, just under slot are showing up on the flats and around the spoil islands. As usual the bad news is that the Jacks and Ladyfish have also moved in. Spent the first couple of hours in the rain. Love to have a nice steady rain. The fishing gets good. Today everything on the flats was on the small side. Managed to land 10 short Trout. Headed to the real play ground. The canal that I like to work should be producing a few Snook. Not today. Boated a 22 inch Trout and more Ladyfish and Jacks. The Jacks are getting bigger. Took the long ride to the mud. Really failed bad on this one. Missed a good Red and lost another one right at the boat. The rig I use is a 1/0 3407 Mustad hook with a1/16 ounce bullet sinker crimped on the leader in front of the hook. The bait, a 3' Berkley Gulp Minnow threaded on the hook. No sight fishing in this area, it is shallow and muddy so the least bit of wind stirs it up pretty bad. I know from experience where the pockets and trough are. Cast to one of the deeper pockets. Good hit and a good fight. Just know that it is nice Red. Disappointment reined supreme, she rolled at the side of the boat. Not a Red, but a fat 22 inch plus Trout. Maybe next week the Reds will be more cooperative.
Eased down the cut to the bridge hoping to pull a Red off of the edges of the Mangroves. No luck, popped an18 inch Snook off the edge. Then lost a second one at the bridge. Water was flowing at a pretty good clip so I worked the bridge a little longer. Got another 18 inch Snook. For a lot of people this is not very good, but this is the first time since the big freeze that Snook have been at the bridge. There may be hope for a recovery after all. Still no 10 to 12 inch Snook off the Mangroves.