jeubank3

<SPAN class=postbody>went back down to choctahatchee bay with the wife and my parents for the memorial day weekend. this was my mom's first trip since starting chemo, and we had a ton of fun sailing and of course fishing. Caught an absolute ton of fish of all kinds over the weekend. Started out the night we got there doing a little night fishing with the trusty top dog. wife came out just to watch, and I started catching sail cats on about every other cast. after that laura wanted to get in on the act and caught several too. I know they were just cats, but still a lot of fun on medium spinning tackle. Took the dinghy off my dad's boat on saturday and drifted the flats in front of the condo where we were staying...blue water bay in niceville. got on top of a school of about 100-150 cats and started catching them left and right again on a doa shrimp this time. probably caught +/-30 in those two instances combined. Went out that night again and laura caught the first of many reds on the trip. probably about an inch under or right at slot size.

<SPAN class=postbody>Saturday was the day. we got some live shrimp, parked the dinghy on a little spit of sand at the mouth of the marina harbor and threw them out with a popping cork on one rod and a couple split shot on the other. We caught 10 reds total. I had 4, including two that were bait sized, and laura caught 6 including the biggest of the trip...about a 3.5lber. I also caught the smallest flounder I've ever seen, and laura got a 2lb sheepy. A few cats were thrown in too for good measure. After a bit laura said "I want to hold one so you can take my picture with it . This I have never heard from my wife. Wouldn't you know it though, after she said that the reds shut off or moved or whatever, and we never got another bite, besides theiving pinfish. Here's a pic of one of mine:


Fished again this morning at the same spot, but the fish weren't there, as often happens, so i started wading out fly-fishing the dropoff of a flat into the bay with a clouser i tied myself with natural over white deer hair (to imitate mullet color. Caught two ladyfish and, you guessed it, a cat. Those ladies really are a ton of fun on the fly rod. I had a couple others hooked, but thew came off about 3ft in the air. here are a couple pics of the ladies:



here's where we were fishing

<SPAN class=postbody>


<SPAN class=postbody><SPAN class=postbody>Grand totals:

1. <LI><SPAN class=postbody>30or so cats</LI><LI><SPAN class=postbody>11 reds</LI><LI><SPAN class=postbody>1 mini-flounder</LI><LI><SPAN class=postbody>1 sheepshead</LI><LI><SPAN class=postbody>and 2 ladyfish on the flyrod</LI>

<SPAN class=postbody>but somehow no trout the whole time :banghead :banghead, but i'm satisfied :letsdrink

__________________

1998 Pro Master 185cc Travis Edition
Johnson 115spl
kayak: liquid logica manta ray

wirenut

Looks like fun.

reelsmooth19

all on fly? :clap

PaleRed

Sounds like a good time. Glad the wife got into it. Good catches.

PennFish

Great report :clap

That marina covecan produce on any given day. A couple of years ago I could pick and 2-4 flounder in there 2-3 days a week, this year i've got 1 out of it. Just never know what it might be holding.

Working up closerto Grass Lake and the grass beds start to get a little thicker.

Keep up the good fishing.

jeubank3

not all were caught on the fly, only the ladyfish and a few cats. first day we went out there we saw a guy catch an 8+lb red right near where we ended up fishing the most. Well over slot size.

__________________

1998 Pro Master 185cc Travis Edition
Johnson 115spl
kayak: liquid logica manta ray

GatorBait

Great trip!! I moved here to the Eastern Shoreline of Mobile Bay about two years ago but am originally from that area, Crestview to be exact. Do you know if there is a closer launch rather thanthe Rocky Bayou lauch right up around the bend under the bridge? They charge to launch and alsoclose at dark for campers.Do you also know ifthis also accessable to people who are not members of the club if i would like drive down to the club andwade fish the area? I'm heading that way tomorrow morning to visit the relatives for the weekend. Thanks and once again nice trip!

todd in the bay

Nice report Jeubank! Terific jobwith the maps. That's a great learning tool for us. What a trip, huh. Glad you had a blast!

Best of luck with the chemo.

Persist and thrive!

BuckWild

ther is a ramp off of 27th street. turn off 20 at redwood and go left at the first intersection. follow around past the fire station through the stop sign. go abot another 1/4 mile and it looks like it is in someones yard on the left. a wood fence runs down the side of it.. get there early cause there aint much parking.