Went out at Shem creek at 6am and headed to the creeks behind IOP. I threw trout trick, white spook jr and shrimp jigs with no luck. At the low tide I netted a few shrimp, a mud Minnow and a large mullet. Went to my favorite holes when the tide started coming in and threw everything I had and only caught a stingray on a Carolina rig with the mud minnow. I could see fish screaming up and down the creek boiling the water quit often. A couple of times it appeared they went after the pink trout trick but then broke off at the last second. I tied to straight line in case the leader was spooking them, not luck. I’m about to the point of hiring a guide. A friend recommend putting dynamite in my tackle box next trip 
. Hats off to those who catch fish on a regular basis, y’all make it sound so easy.
How did you get past all the #$#n paddleboarders in the creek??? Last time I used Shem you could have highstep walked out of creek on top of the boards!!
A slow plow wake really isses them off and gets you called a lot of non-repeatable “on here” words.
“Hats off to those who catch fish on a regular basis, y’all make it sound so easy.” Not sure they really exist, now some people obviously do better than others, but I’ve never met anyone in all my years of fishing that has some superhuman touch and come back with a cooler full of fish after every trip. Everyone has their good days and bad days. Dont believe everything you read on the internet, heard that one before?
I struck out yesterday as well, had the kayaks and went out to DI and fished the flats on the early morning outgoing tide. Low tide caught some shrimp and headed out to fish the docks down to a tidal creek, no hits, threw out live shrimp, live minnows, gulp shrimp, paddle tails, silver spoon, and a couple of live hand grenads, still nothing. My Dad ended up snagging a couple small trouts on a live minnow under a popping cork. Every time I strike out it just makes want to get back out there and try even harder.
I haven’t launch in awhile from Shem Creek and Ididnt want to pay the fee at IOP. I figured going early in the morning wouldn’t be bad and I was correct. The ramp wasn’t very crowded at 6am and no paddle boarders in the water. What I failed to take into consideration is the return trip. I came in at About 1:30 and many paddle boarders and the ramp was a circus. I was waiting to pull up to the dock and a guy was setting up his canopy and storing other things on the boat. He was there at least 15 minutes. I thought he was waiting on some one. A boat pulls up to the tip of the dock and a lady was trying to get off so he ran to help her, he then tells the guy driving the boat, I was getting ready to pull out if you want my slot. I thought the guy driving the boat was going to come unglued because he also had been waiting to pull in. Some people have no sense of urgency on a crowded dock.
Do trout dart up and down the creek? I don’t think it was mullet, didn’t see any jumps and no silvery flashes in the water. The fish I saw were similar to the water color on their backs and the are fast. They seamed to be in a very loose school.
2008 War Eagle 15ft
1995 Johnson 25hp
quote:
Originally posted by Sgt ShultzI haven’t launch in awhile from Shem Creek and Ididnt want to pay the fee at IOP. I figured going early in the morning wouldn’t be bad and I was correct. The ramp wasn’t very crowded at 6am and no paddle boarders in the water. What I failed to take into consideration is the return trip. I came in at About 1:30 and many paddle boarders and the ramp was a circus. I was waiting to pull up to the dock and a guy was setting up his canopy and storing other things on the boat. He was there at least 15 minutes. I thought he was waiting on some one. A boat pulls up to the tip of the dock and a lady was trying to get off so he ran to help her, he then tells the guy driving the boat, I was getting ready to pull out if you want my slot. I thought the guy driving the boat was going to come unglued because he also had been waiting to pull in. Some people have no sense of urgency on a crowded dock.
Do trout dart up and down the creek? I don’t think it was mullet, didn’t see any jumps and no silvery flashes in the water. The fish I saw were similar to the water color on their backs and the are fast. They seamed to be in a very loose school.
2008 War Eagle 15ft
1995 Johnson 25hp
sounds like you may have had some ladyfish around you. ? Bring some shrimp and fish it 18" under a popping cork with a very small spit weight and throw it to the the school. Could have been Spot tail playing around too, or even blues? Good luck to you!.
Those that catch fish are usually those that go often. I hear you on the dock pain, only gonna get worse as the summer months approach and our local population soars.
“Why Bruce?”