Went fishing with growbro on Sunday. On the water before sun up for some topwater. Hooked a trout on a neon skitterwalk and missed a few blowups in a creekmouth.
When the tide turned we moved slightly to fish the outgoing on the edge of the creek. We had caught a couple blue crab so we chunked them and threw along the shore while we fished corks and artie. Growbro’s line goes down hard! Didn’t quite feel like a red, but not a stingray either. Just BIG:smiley:! We get it to the boat and its a 8lb 5oz sheepshead! No structure, no anything, just cruising I guess and decided to munch a little crab!
I hooked and lost a 30+ red:frowning_face: and the bite died. Tried some other spots with limited success on the Wando so went back to the Cooper. Fished a creek and got a couple more reds and trout.
Leaving the creek and seagulls diving the water like crazy! Mackerel! Neither of us had fished for them, so we slung whatever we had at them. We each hooked and lost about six apiece, but each of us managed a seagull:angry:! A lot of cut offs and lost fish when they jumped and spit the hook. Was crazy action, though! Definitely the most exciting hour of fishing I’ve ever experienced.
Trout liked the fresh shrimp. Reds ate mud minnows & crab. Mackerel ate anything you drug through them. A fun day!
Growbro with his big old sheepie!
A new buddy!
A rare catch! Must have landed on my spool on last cast of the Wando, because when we stopped to fish the Cooper I went to flip the bail and IT MOVED! I about died!
Shoulda kept the bee!
No mackerel photos or action photos. Too frenzied! Mackerel were up stream of 526, which I hear is rare. Rogue sheepshead and migrating mackerel! Irene?
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
Man, sounds like a good day. What a sheep, never heard of anyone catching a sheep with crab in that manner. Not sure about that bumble bee thing…kinda weird.
We were down in Weeki Wachee, Fl last month and saw hundreds of sheep like that one swimming all along the river. No one seemed to target them as everyone I asked about them had no information about catching them. We tried different bait but never got one to bite. It was frustrating to see so many and not catch any.
the state record holder claims that’s how he caught two fish over 15lbs within half an hour… and i know a guy who “accidentally” caught one at the jetties weighing 13lbs in the same manner. chunks of blue crab: they’re not just for redfish and bonnetheads!
i love late summer and early fall- ANYTHING can happen!
i know many ppl like to go way over line class when fishing topwater- and have seen a few 10-15lb braid rigs get a wind knot or wrap a guide and send a $6 lure off to its next adventure. i know at least one guide on here said they use something like 50lb for all topwater applications a while back. think that was a “conventional” reel though.
That is 15lb braid and I use a 15lb fluoro leader, 10 lb fluoro in winter when water clears. Figure with what I target and the drag its plenty. May look thicker on that 2500. I want the casting distance and you can still horse a good red with the drag set. I get some, not many, wind knots, but I try to stay pretty concientious of how its spooling before I cast (unless I quick reel a bumble bee into submission when giving up and moving on!) Shimano all the way for me on cast rods. Luv em! Stradic is awesome paired up with a Clarus rod.
On my carolina rig/shark/any big mofo rods I use 50lb braid on Penn Fierce reels. I use 30lb flouro for leaders on carolina rigs.
I could see the logic in a heavier line and rod for topwater set. I haven’t done much topwater (although I intend to do more) but that would make sense to me getting a good hook set when they slash at it. I definitely won’t claim expert on that. I lost my lone topwater hookup that day with 15lb braid and my 7’ medium action Veritos.
Hope that answers a few questions.
No mackerel comments/advice?
Vinman
19.5 Triumph, 115 HP Honda
“Every saint has a past, every sinner a future”
BIG:smiley:! We get it to the boat and its a 8lb 5oz sheepshead! No structure, no anything, just cruising I guess and decided to munch a little crab!
