Helluva_Engineer

I fished the river today for the first time in two months and got skunked for the first time in two months. Had a couple bites, but I can never seem to get hook sets in the river. I think I've just got a curse set on me for catching fish in the river. Doubled back along the beach to see if there were any snook home since I haven't caught one in a while. I got bit by something real close to shore and after a short fight, it spit the hook and through some terrible circumstances I ended up with about a 5/0 treble hook past the barb into my knee. I'm glad that I carry a backpack when I'm wading like this because without my full tackle box, I would've been in some real trouble because it took a mini surgery to get that hook out. I decided that was it for my day and limped on home. I'm not exactly sure why, but the knee is pretty swollen to add injury to insult.

That was a heck of a fight on that rod, I'm sure!!!

Yup, snook nook is still there.

The hooch is a GREAT trout fishery. Tons of lakes with public access. I don't ever seem to have much luck on Allatoona (or Lanier on the weekends), but there are quite a few smaller lakes and a lot of variety in the kind of lake and fishing depending on what you want to do.

River or beach side? Let me know when y'all go, I live right there so I'll keep an eye out on conditions. Bait has been kind of absent right off the beach the past few days. It had been so good for the last month with tons of blues, jacks and tarpon, but the signs just aren't there. I haven't even seen the boats at the intake structure or along the beach get any bites which is rather unusual. I went offshore today on a head boat and caught some triggers and snapper which was way better than getting skunked. Also, helps get the girlfriend into offshore fishing to have a lot of bites from sea bass.

Yup, remember to mash down the barbs on any hooks you plan to use only for snook. I forget exactly when the season opens back up, but it makes it a heck of a lot easier to release and fish tend to not do well if you have to put them on dry sand.

I personally fish the beach behind my condo which isn't usually very crowded but has a nice reef that I snorkel on clear and calm days (since the fish wouldn't be biting and it's also interesting to see what all is down there). I also walk and cast rather than sit and wait so I'll just walk past anyone swimming. Normally if the water is good for swimming it isn't good for fishing anyways. That said, it doesn't mean I haven't caught plenty of fish within sight of people swimming or swam out to get a lure if I hang it up on the reef.

Typically you can reach where you need to be. Depends on the tide where exactly they'll be, but the fish tend to travel along the shore in the trough. Sometimes snook can be so close you're surprised when they strike because you think you're on the sand. I got 10 jacks, 1 bluefish, and 1 ladyfish tonight in about an hours worth of fishing when I got done with work. Saw some tarpon, but they were off the beach a bit and I wouldn't have had a chance with the lure that has actually been getting me bites...it's hook is just too small for the size of tarpon around my place.

To be honest, I've been focused on trying to get a tarpon here lately and have been getting jumped off (or no bites if I use a larger hook). Snook haven't appeared to be as thick as they were in July, but I have seen some monsters that wouldn't take my lures. The glass minnows were real thick in the surf up near the power plant (my backyard) until this past week. I haven't fished the river in at least a month as a result. My work hours don't help, so if the tide/time of day isn't right...I just snorkel the reef.

Too much wind and waves, it's keeping me off the water, off the beach, and out of the river. No good.

Nice catching! That's a heck of a day.

"...with light tackle" got a laugh out of me. That's a heck of a catch!

Do you have any recommendations to target smaller ones? I was using small to medium sized frozen sardines and seemed to only find the big guys. I'm with you, 50# would be PLENTY!

It was a beautiful day with calm seas this morning and I happened to notice that there was a lot of bait a few hundred yards offshore so I went and rented kayaks for myself and the girl. While we were launching, my droid decided to find its way into the non waterproof compartment in the non waterproof waterproof bag . (Really disappointing because I'd just ordered a waterproof camera for just this reason... Unfortunately, the order didn't go through and hasn't arrived.) Wish I had pictures of the below, but well...you know. Since there's no crying over spilled milk, went ahead and launched. Within 15 minutes, we located birds and position ourselves in the path of the baitball and let out the frozen sardines. Another few tense minutes before the reel starts screaming and the fight is on . Before we can get the other line clear, that reel starts screaming as the tarpon has taken both baits in one fell swoop. My girlfriend has never seen a tarpon fight and was introduced pretty quickly as it went airborne. I was hoping for a 50-60 lb fish, but immediately realized I was in over my head as I was tightening down my drag to the sounds of her screaming in terror/awe. She claims it was longer than she is tall (5'8") and I'd guess it was in the 120-140 range, so sounds about right. After about 15 minutes, one of the circle hooks comes unbuttoned. About 30 minutes later, I do something that made the fish mad and it went on a run well into my backing... I had gained about half the line back when eventually the line gave way. Drift around for a little while and eventually set myself up for a second shot as I spot a school with 5 or 6 smaller tarpon. Get in front and set out the lines again, only to find an even larger tarpon...unfortunately this one decided to strike with a little more vigor and even though I had the drag set pretty light it became clear I didn't have myself positioned correctly and I had to bail out of the kayak rod and all. I'm treading water, tightening down the drag, trying to hand the rod over to the gf and climb back into the kayak all at once. Somehow, the same circle hook which came unbuttoned earlier did the same on this fish, but it's probably for the best. Got to see it jump a few times and that's really what it's all about. Win some and lose some. Decide to cut the losses for the day and tried targeting other schooling fish a little further out (looked like blackfins colorwise, but too close to shore so I'm assuming bonitas). Couldn't get a bite as they were too busy chasing flying fish.

300-350' about 6-7 miles off of SLI. Got shallower the further south we followed the weed line.

Went out yesterday, took a while to find a good edge. Around 1100 all we had in the boat were 2 small blackfin tunas and an 0/1 on sailfish. Had only seen scattered weed all day and gotten 1 small bull in it, but finally found a weedline and trolled down the inside edge with nothing to show. We decided to cross through to the outside edge and as we do...FISH ON!!! By 1300 we had our limit of dolphin. Mostly schoolies, but we succeeded in our goal of filling the freezer for the year. Spent the rest of the day looking for another sailfish, but couldn't find any. Now we get to search for a big bull through June. Enjoy the pictures.

See any dolphin or sails out there or did you stay shallow? Not going to be able to make it out until the 18th, hope the fishing starts picking up by then. Have been catching a few spanish mackerel just off the beach. Kings have been biting pretty well. Nothing really picture worthy. Need to work on my fish dip recipe.

I was back home fishing with my old equipment and had just switched rods. First cast a 10 lb bass nails my lure. Line starts peeling out and I look down to see a spur on one of the eyes of this rod. Sure enough, a few seconds later the line frays away. Throw my hands up in the air and let go of the rod...it lands on the tip and loads up the rod and the thing sprang straight into the water. I fish it out and put the reel on a better rod, but it was never the same. Learned my lesson.

Chris, where did you catch that Tarpon?

25-30 lb mahi which was a slightly better fight than the two 35+ sailfish from that day, but I just booked a trip to costa rica for new years so hopefully my trophy will be broken soon.

For the past year, I've been subcontracted to a company that has no respect whatsoever for work-life balance. I typically fall into the "do what's asked of you, you'll get your return" train of thought with my actual company, but not when it's taken for granted. I'm about through with 72+ hour weeks...maybe once every few months, but not every week for a few months like it has been.

How did they get that into an 18 ft boat?

haha, sorry for the trouble guys. Kind of goes to prove the point, though. watch where you're stepping bank fishing down here.

I may have posted this before, but this is one of the dangers of fishing freshwater from shore in South Georgia and Florida. This snake actually tried to take the worm I was fishing near that log. It was hiding right along the backside of the log from where you can see my footprint. If it hadn't struck the lure, it was withing striking range of me and I never would've seen it underneath the log. This is not the first encounter I've had with cottonmouths fishing the shoreline. Therefore I recommend saltwater from the beach...

I've always tended to find bass right up around the alligators, but leave when the alligators start trailing the boat movements.