Took my buddy and his FIL out in the hopes of putting him into sime top water Spanish action. Got out past the jetties about 7 AM and it was a little bumpy and breezy. Headed NE towards the nearshore reef. Never saw any decent bird action or fish breaking the surface. Trolled spoons around the nearshore, across the channel and back towards the jetties and nada.
Saw about 5 boats out there trolling for kings, haven’t heard any reports.
2014 Key West 203DFS
1987 Landau
I did the exact same thing last Saturday and couldn’t find birds either.
17’ Mako
Yeah, felt like I trolled a desert yesterday
Ya know, it must be nice living in Neverneverland. Remind me to come visit you, when I need a break from reality.
I’m inshore only now, what little bit I get to fish. But, I used to consider Spanish an “afternoon fish”.
I’d troll for Kings early, bottom fish when the King bite slowed, and then look for Spanish durning the early afternoon “doldrums” before the 2pm breeze kicked up.
We usually found them just off the beaches (Fripp/Port Royal Sound area) on the way in. The Full Moon in August was always “prime time”.
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
quote:
Originally posted by specI’m inshore only now, what little bit I get to fish. But, I used to consider Spanish an “afternoon fish”.
I’d troll for Kings early, bottom fish when the King bite slowed, and then look for Spanish durning the early afternoon “doldrums” before the 2pm breeze kicked up.
We usually found them just off the beaches (Fripp/Port Royal Sound area) on the way in. The Full Moon in August was always “prime time”.
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
Interesting: However, my unproven/unscientific theory (and based on experience) has been that the Spanish bite, especially the topwater bite is best early when the sun isn’t yet high in the sky because the Spanish have good eyesight and the high, direct sun probably impacts their feeding, pushing them deeper. Again, just my idea. No clue if it’s valid but when we have found them feeding on top, it tends to slow down the later in the morning/early afternoon it gets.
2014 Key West 203DFS
1987 Landau
I got scuba certified a couple weekends ago out of little river and they were all over the wrecks 10 miles out. Drove me nuts to see them and not be able to do anything yet. they were about 10-20 ft down all morning until noon when I finished.
State Farm Agent
N Myrtle Beach
Bonecrusher, I’ve not fished for Spanish in years, so I should not be giving advice. But, the high sun did not bother them then. There were more of them then I am sure.
We used to find them way up around the range markers. Maybe the water was muddy. You might want to try the early afternoon up in 25 or so feet of water just to see. Maybe try it on the Full Moon. My advice is worth every penny you paid for it! 
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
I’ve saw a study that was about fish feeding on top water and it had a couple of really interesting points. Predator fish prefer low light conditions because most of the time they come from bellow and the low light provides a darker cover. The study showed similar attacking tactics during similar light conditions like morning, clouds and evening, wasn’t really a shocker. But what was a shocker is that fish will also use the sun as an advantage to hunt, things like glare and shadow direction were also used to further there hunting abilities. so if your marking when the suns high try different angles and sometimes it produces strikes. Also has anyone ever trolled for Spanish at night. I know lots of smaller prey/bait follow a photo periods and usually raise in the water column at night. When I drop a bait in my kayak during the day I see no fish and at night the fish jump and bump into my kayak and this is the same spot at any tide close to the grillage. Have you ever tried fro Spanish at night, I imagine you good use lights for them like trout or stripers.
I’ve seen very few to zero Spanish inshore or off shore Savannah. I’ve also not seen glass minnows on the low tide near Tybee. Very strange fishing the last couple of years.
There used to be a few Spanish as far up as Broad River Bridge in the summer.
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
Last year it wasn’t uncommon to venture out to folly on a small tide in evening and catch several good 3-4lb spanish. This yr in my few trips I’ve caught ONE Idk where they been, but even with few nearshore trolling trips lately, it definitely isn’t here
Sad. I can remember acres of them around the Gordon and over towards Fripp. One school would sound, and several boats would race to the next school, chop the power, approach, and circle the edges of the schools to keep from sounding them. There was mayhem in the boat as everyone was landing fish after fish. That was the “good 'ol days”.
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
I haven’t fished for them in a couple of years, but this year have been a good many times out of N Edisto and have not seen near the numbers around the Edisto Nearshore, Kiawah reef or Edisto 60’ that were there just a couple years ago. Very sad!
You can’t catch fish on a dry line
I’ve been out several times this year trolling in the shipping channel both inside and several miles outside the jetties. Nothing. In three trips I got two strikes, but they weren’t Spanish. One broke the hook off the clarkspoon and the other broke the leader (40lb. flouro). No idea what it was.
As I came back in from the Jetties two Sundays ago around 11am there was about 3 acres of mullet going crazy right off Ft. Moultrie. I put two lines out and circled while casting a gotcha plug into the middle. Nothing. I guess maybe the dolphins were feeding on them. (Caught a bunch of sharks at the jetties, which the kids liked.)
quote:
Originally posted by bhr3I’ve been out several times this year trolling in the shipping channel both inside and several miles outside the jetties. Nothing. In three trips I got two strikes, but they weren’t Spanish. One broke the hook off the clarkspoon and the other broke the leader (40lb. flouro). No idea what it was.
As I came back in from the Jetties two Sundays ago around 11am there was about 3 acres of mullet going crazy right off Ft. Moultrie. I put two lines out and circled while casting a gotcha plug into the middle. Nothing. I guess maybe the dolphins were feeding on them. (Caught a bunch of sharks at the jetties, which the kids liked.)
After striking out on the SM on Saturday AM, we ended up at the tip of the N jetty to try and at least find a couple big reds. The small BSB were beating the reds to our live finger mullet though.
Here’s the funny part: When we decided to call it a day, I started releasing remaining FM from the livewell by just catching them in the dip net and throwing them behind the boat. Apparently, this raised some SM because they started chasing and hitting those FM on the surface. I cast a small spoon into them and caught 2 that were really small, maybe 12 inches. They were gone as quickly as they appeared though. If we had more FM, probably could have raised them again.
2014 Key West 203DFS
1987 Landau
This time of year try running the spoons deep on planers. They sometimes stay deep when the water gets hot. I start with a mix of #1, #2 and #3 planers, with 20’ leaders. Find what depth they are liking then switch out the rest of the gear to match.
Also, when you catch one and squeeze it good, it will regurgitate the minnows it has been eating. Match your spoon size to those minnows.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
We went out about six weeks ago and cruised the beach just outside the shipping channel and caught 50-60 Spanish. They were schooled up in relatively small groups and we just kept jumping from pod to pod. Would only hit 2-3 inch spoons. I guess we just had good eyes because we located surface activity both days. Sometimes there were birds but sometimes they didn’t stay on the surface long enough to attract their attention. No other boats seemed to be chasing them. Tons of fun on light tackle They can sure turn your boat into a mess quick though.
quote:We found the in early June as well. We were runnin n gunnin between schools and had a blast. That's why I was so surprised that we saw zero of that kind of action last Saturday. Not a single school pushing glass minnows to the surface.
Originally posted by fastrack1We went out about six weeks ago and cruised the beach just outside the shipping channel and caught 50-60 Spanish. They were schooled up in relatively small groups and we just kept jumping from pod to pod. Would only hit 2-3 inch spoons. I guess we just had good eyes because we located surface activity both days. Sometimes there were birds but sometimes they didn’t stay on the surface long enough to attract their attention. No other boats seemed to be chasing them. Tons of fun on light tackle They can sure turn your boat into a mess quick though.
2014 Key West 203DFS
1987 Landau
It’s a conundrum and odd this topic came up. I’ve been fishing here since 86. August used to be Spanish and Kings in the channel or sides and near shore wrecks. Miss Judy has a post on this topic that just was posted on her site. It is from her past about Spanish in August and she has more time on the water than me. Just makes me think that everything is on a different time schedule. Bat rays jumping in the rivers early, stream in early, cobia early…I guess I’m just late.
Who in the living F#@% is Miss Judy?
No salt, no fun.