With the Holiday Season and bad weather behind us it is time to get back to work. And that is exactly what we have been doing. The wind has mellowed and the flats have been lighting up with all kinds of opportunities. This is a great time of the year you never know what may lie just ahead of you 100yards up the flat.
So with all of that in mind you need to be able to react and sometimes QUICKLY. You will certainly want to keep a crab rod close by. This is the season for Cobia on the flats. So take a real good look at all of those stingrays. Another great target at this time is the Permit. They will seem to invade the flats after a cold front has passed, and with the temperatures on the rise
You can bet that some life long memories will be fulfilled. As an old stand bye for this time of the year of course is the Barracuda. The big boys tend to show in pretty good numbers and are sure to give your drag washers a workout. This time of the year also brings a lot of shots at Mackerel, Bluefish, Blue runners and some Large Jack Crevalle. In other words "Shark bait".
When the cloud cover invades the fats, and your visibility is impaired, a great backup plan is a must. So if the clients are in to it, we go for the big Sharks. Stop in a deep channel and catch your bait of choice. I have been throwing "Weedless Spoons" by Gator Lures. It has a slot to hold a plastic worm which works very well. After you have caught a half a dozen or so of your "Shark baits", it is time to get back to what I hope for you will be a serious work out.
Grab a big stick with a
reel that is capable of holding a lot of line, and a drag that will stop a freight train.
With a bit of luck, some wire leader followed up with about 6 feet of 80 lbs test mono tied to that big meat stick, you should be in business.
Above is a picture of a Jack Crevalle caught on a Gator spoon that is about to have a very bad day. The Lemon Shark to the right is responsible for turning out the lights out on this Jack Crevalle.
Fly Fishing:
For the fly fisherman this time of the year will also present plenty of opportunities. The Cobia and Jacks will follow those stingrays at this time. So keep a sharp eye for that tell tale sign of mud on the flat. Fly selection is not really a big factor. I have had both eat Tarpon flies to poppers and everything in between. The deeper channels will offer Blue Runners and Mackerel as well. However, a piece of wire is recommended for the toothy critters.
Now that the weather is cold up North and that Tarpon season is right around the corner. Please keep in mind that we are getting booked up quite fast, especially those Holiday weekends. As always, if you have any questions or would like to book a trip, please contact us.
Capt. Larry Cohen
