Fished high tide falling and caught 12 to 15 reds all in slot most 18 to 22 and 1 28in. The 28 was built like a ham and probably weighed close to 15lbs. The 25 my dad caught like a week ago only weighed like 5 or 6 max. I’m talking and 3 inch difference but at least 8lbs heavier and strong too. He peeled some line out and I was fighting him with heavy drag to keep him out of structure and a boat waked me and he pulled down right at the perfect time and I nearly took a swim. I could feel him pull all the way down my back muscle. At the bottom of the tide I went sheep head fishing and they were biting really good. I caught about 15 or so with like 2 keepers and a few popped lines that felt and looked like keepers. I fished mud minnows and cut mullet for reds about 8 ft of the grass line were the bank slope took a step drop in about 4 t o 9 ft of water. The cut mullet out fished the mud minnows to the point that I switched the mud minnow line to cut mullet. Sheepheads were all caught on oysters. All fish were caught on a Shakespeare micro light or ice rod except the big red was on a normal rod on a larger head portion that I smashed good to get the stink out. I doubled up on the mini rods and caught two reds at the same time. Watching the ice rod double over in the holder and peel drag with reds was great and sheep head fishing with a ice rod is fun but mine doesn’t have a sensitive enough feel. Saw dnr at the landing and told him where I was fishing and he couldn’t believe its not out fished yet.
I’m curious as to how you rig an oyster. Do you shuck it? I’ve never tried oysters. Sounds like you had a great day though. Planning on fishing the incoming tide Saturday morning.
19’ American Skiff Coral Bay
Good fishing man! I haven’t been in over 2 weeks now and I am itching to go!
Fishing Nerd
“you win some, you lose some…but nothing beats getting some!”
Best day fishing in years. I shuck them and bust up the shell pieces with a hammer and chum. I just hook them a few times gentle not to smash them through the toughest parts. A large oyster might make 3 to 6 baits some are a lot softer then others. Large oysters get stole and gut hooked more often so I use smaller pieces. If you leave the oysters out of the water for like three days they dry up and get tougher, but if they aren’t alive still they don’t work. Freezing them while fresh and live makes them easier to shuck and you can save them for a long time for bait.
Good to know thanks
19’ American Skiff Coral Bay
Cory, when we going fishing together? I can bring down the 17.5’ CC.
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Mike Martinez
“Team Hookers Dream”
2016 Sea Hunt 25 Gamefish twin Yamaha 150’s “Wet Dream”
1994 Ken Craft 175CC 1998 Yamaha 115 “Dream Machine”
It seems like the best weather in the winter happens to fall on weekdays when I can’t fish lol good work man.
It was like 20 mph wind all day except for in one spot I went, but I’ve gotten 3 Wednesdays in a row that was the best day of the week. Mike when ever you come down let me know and we can fish. I forgot to mention almost every red had oyster scares or dolphin bite marks and nipped up fins. A bunch had been caught before too, the one little one had like 12 hook marks and a line hanging out his mouth, but all seemed strong and healthy especially the 28.