A friend and I decided to hit the river today at Bushy to try and find some Spots or Trout. I knew with the late tide, the ramp would be busy, but wasn’t really prepared for what we saw. Broke down down boats blocking the ramp, cars with no trailers blocking staging area and no dock space at all. No biggie, it doesn’t take us long to get in and away from the crowd. Fished our go to areas for a few hours with no luck at all. Moved to Yellow House and found the bait and Trout. Actually about 70% bait stealing Bluefish and the 30% were Trout running from 17 to 20 inches and fat. Quite a bit of fun on light tackle. The Blue’s quickly depleted our bait supply, but towards the end of the day I had a small Tarpon jump on on my MM as soon as it hit the water. We guessed around 36-40 inches. It broke my 12lb test fast. When I reeled in the end of the line felt shredded. I never use leader so it didn’t surprise me, but I was still pissed. Never expected, but fun to watch the jumps. All Trout released. Gonna make me some leaders. Thought yall might enjoy the tale.
Boats and boat ramps are a love hate kinda thing. Bluefish make good bait.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 19 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 1 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
ECFC
Sounds like a ladyfish.
While I appreciate the offer to identify a fish you never saw, it wasn’t a Lady fish. State record is only 5 lbs, 14 oz. I am not an inexperienced angler. Fish was well over 20 pounds. Thanks anyway.
Easy Tiger - no offense meant. I must have missed the part of your post where you said it weighed well over 20lbs.
Tarpon on mud minnows…crazier things have happened I guess.
You said it broke off. Was that after you weighted it?
big dog
Definitely not a tarpon. Probably a small sturgeon.
It was probably was a tarpon. They’ve been caught up river at sce&g and I’ve seen them jumping in the river. Could have been a sturgeon to tho.
Captn Interceptor
Lot of snook activity up there this year… I think its all the rain we have had.
I believe him. There are tarpon in the Cooper.
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com | www.summervillesaltwateranglers.com
President, Summerville Saltwater Anglers
wheres the pics?
Jumped one up years ago fishing on the bottom off Drum island.
17 MAVERICK HPX-V
Where’s the picture of all the snook
Captn Interceptor
water too cloudy from the rain