Week before last we had an out going tide after work. Dad, Andy, and I decided it would be a great time to get out in the harbor, watch the sun set over the Holy City and try a couple of our favorite Spanish Mackerel Spots. We arrived at Castle Pinckney around 6:30, rigged up with some spoons, and waited for the tide to begin to roll. It was a 6-foot plus tide that was being held in by a light to moderate north east wind. Finally around sunset the tide began to roll out. As the tide started running I hooked up with a small Blue Fish and thought the Spanish Mackerel were sure to turn on any minute. After working the spoons steady for close to half and hour without and luck, Andy decided he was going to change his strategy and switch from a spoon to “Rattlin’Chug Bug?”.
The “Rattlin’Chug Bug?” is a top water popper manufactured by Storm lure company. The rattling popper was originally designed for fresh water bass fishing; however Storm now manufactures a saltwater series complete with saltwater hooks and saltwater color patterns. Colors currently include metallic blue, green mullet, gold mullet, silver mullet, white and red, redfish, and speckled trout. The lures are available in both 3 ½ and 4 ½-inch lengths and have a small treble hook mounted mid body and along with another one on the tail. The tail hook is dressed up with some short tinsel.
By now it was dark and the wind had laid down significantly. Andy cast the top water plug and began working it back to the boat. Each time Andy pulled back on the rod tip you could hear the top water bait pop the water and break the silence of the early evening. He popped the bait 3 maybe 4 times, pop, pop, pop then crash. Andy’s rod tip doubled over and the fight was on. I grabbed the spotlight and shined it on the fish as it began to tail walk. Andy had tied into a 3 to 4-pound Lady Fish and he had his hands full with the fish on the light spinning outfit. The fish provided quite a show in the spotlight with jumps, flips and other aerial acrobatics. After several