Business has been slow this August but the fishing was outstanding this week. Although I don't have any charters to report on, I do have one grand catching report.
Here we go. The most important part of the entire day was to get big bait for the huge snook we were hoping to lay into. We went after Ladyfish on the flats. At first the going was a little slow but thanks to the birds were were able to spot the proverbial pot of gold. We raced over to the large school of Ladyfish and used white and root beer jigs to catch up about 30 nice big lady's in an hour or so.
Cocked and loaded with three wells full of frisky bait we headed off to the Mogan Mansion. Captain Butch did not know what he was in for. He thought he knew, but he had know idea. Until you have had a chance to experience it for yourself you just can't be prepared for what you are about to experience. I gave Butch the instructions on what to do when he feels a fish take his bait. I asked him if he had it and he shook his head yes. Butch tossed his first bait into the hole on his 30lb braided line and 100lb test leader and within 5 minutes he had his first hit. The Snook slammed his bait and Fish On!! The first thing Butch did was slam his rod to the sky and in 2.5 seconds he was busted off. Butch is a very good listener and when I told him what to do, he put on another bait and tossed it up to the hole. 2 minutes later Slam!! Fish On!! Butch set the hook sideways and within 5 seconds he was busted off again. This time he knew what he had done wrong. He didn't get frustrated and was Gung Ho in getting a shot at another one. This time he had his game face on. He tossed his lady up to the hole. His bait was crushed, Butch put the pressure on her and kept his rod tip low near the water. We always fish our drags on lock down at that place and Butch only weighs about 145 pounds himself so when that Mogan pulled with all its might Butch nearly went overboard. He managed to get his footing and before long a nice 14 pounder was landed at the side of the boat. Butch looked a little worn out after that fist fight.
Furthermore, I was very happy for Butch. The last time I brought him to the "Mogan Mansion" he only managed one 8lber in about six hours of fishing. The first 30 minutes Butch owned those fish. He could do know wrong. He tossed up another bait and Slam!! No scramin drag though I don't allow it at the "Mogan Mansion". It's just you and the fish. Let's see who wins! Butch won again and boated a nice 13 pounder. Butch was getting his second wind now.
Eventhough, for the first 45 minutes I did not get one hit. I was still confident my time would come and when it came, it came. I felt a sudden jolt on the end of my 15 to 40 Cape Fear. I can feel anything with the Fins Braid and when something big smacks your bait you really feel it. I rared back and set the Eagle Claw 6/0 Black Chrome live bait hook after giving the fish some line. When I set the hook, the Cape Fear bent double and the entire boat was pulled back by the huge fish. When I finally managed to pull her out, she thundered to the top of the water with the Ladyfish hanging halfway out of her mouth. She jumped 3 or 4 more good times for me before I got her to the boat. When I got her to the side of the boat she was still not ready to give up and gave us a good soaking while I was trying to keep her from getting her head back in the water. She went a hefty 19lbs on the boga. At that time I was thinking the wait was well worth it.
Next, Butch hooks into another large snook and within 2 or 3 minutes we had it on the Boga and ready for a few pictures. She went a stealth 12lbs which is one of the smaller ones for the "Mogan Mansion."
Finally, it was my turn again and another big racing mullet slammed my Ladyfish. She gave me two or three nice jumps and several people at the nearby hotel saw us land the fish and gave us an applause while we were taking pictures. She went a solid 15 pounds. She pulled nearly as hard as the 19 did.
Once I got on a role it was hard to stop me. I landed three more snook all of them weighed 12 pounds and up. They were putting it to me hard and I took all I could get. The last one I landed before it got dark was this nice 13 pounder. She chewed up an extra large Ladyfish and I put her into the boat.
While I was in the groove Captain Butch commented this was his best Snook day ever in over 30 years of fishing. Captain Butch was wearing out. He had never experience such a battle before in inshore waters. He was ready to take it to the house. I told him we would fish the spot for 10 minutes or so and then fish our last couple of baits on the inside. Captain Butch agreed and we went in on the inside. I put a 10 inch mullet on and he put a large 1.5 pound mullet on. I told him I reserved a spot and there would be a big one in there. Crush!! His bait was slammed about 10 feet from the side of the boat. Butch sunk the hook into the side of her mouth. He did a very good job of getting her head up. She made a mad dash to one of the pilings. Butch pulled with all of his might and turned her head. He would not have landed her if he didn't turn her head at that exact moment. When we finally got her on the boga, she went a hefty 20 pounds. It was one of the largest snook Captain Butch has ever caught. We didn't measure her but I am sure she was 43 or 44 inches.
To conclude, the Monster Linesiders are hungry right now. We caught 10 snook over 11 pounds and 4 snook over 15 with the largest going 20 pounds. Just think about it, every Snook we caught was over 10 pounds. What an evening. Come to think about it, it may have been my best Snook fishing day ever also. If you are urning for some rod busting leader fraying excitement.
Then give Captain Chancey a call @ (239)540-7529
Until next time may you have line singing, leader fraying, and
drag screaming action!!!
