Full Moon Big Tailers at Location X (revealed) 4/3/2007

[apollobeachsam]

When I did a test run on my bay boat last week I ran across a pod of big reds that wouldn't eat. It being noon and 15 other boats on the same flat I wasn't surprised a bit. I wanted to head back there to get them on a less crowded day. Since the wind has been howling for like 3 weeks now it could only get better.

Julie(Bluefish) and I have fished in the pass but the bite just wasn't there. Since she lived 5 minutes from ramp X, the wind laid down this day and a weekday it was a perfect scenerio. The only thing we had going against us was the full moon. Legend has it that the full moon, beside snapper, the fishing is usually slow.

We met at ramp X at 7am and headed off to the promised land. After we got into the no motor zone we started to look for signs of life. Life on the flats for me is bait fish, mullets, and if I'm looking for reds, big mullets. With the water like glass we could see for 100 yards any movement in the water. 30minute into the search part of this mission we only spooked one red fish. I got a phone call, and chatted for a bit as there wasn't much action.

We were catching the last of the out going on a full moon, negative thoughts ran through my brain. This soon ended when I see the larged tails waving 65 feet from me. It was unmistakable, these were large reds. I quickly shut the boat down nothing can be heard in my mind except the tails making small splashes and bait squirreling about.

I told Julie to power pole down as I put on a new weedless jig head X and new experimental lure X. With wading boots on I slither out the of the flats boat as stealthy as an excited 200lb angler could. Shuffling to to make the least bit of noise as possible I slowly gain ground towards the still tailing reds. Since the tide was moving out they were dropping with the water level so they were moving further away as I get closer.

At times when they are in these skinny waters you only get one shot. Making sure I had no tip rap or line twist, I loaded the 7'6" rod spooled with 8lb braid for optimal distance and make the faithful cast. It lands... and nothing.. I wait.. nothing.. I make a micro movement...Thump! FISH ... On! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Amazingly these reds were hungry as the rest of the school only moved a way about 20 yards and started to tail again. Julie and I repeated this scenario 8-10 times with upper slot and over slot reds. Julie was thrilled with the sight casting game and landed the largest fish of the day. I don't get many tailers where I fish due to alot of boat traffic and a "no Motor" zone doesn't exist. This was a treat and sometime it pays off to explore a little. Thanks Julie it was a Blast .. we finally had a good day on the water.

Ramp X: Gandy boat ramp (Tampa, Fl)
Location X: Weeedon Island No motor zone (Tampa FL) (secret nobody ever fish there shhhhh... )
Jig Head X: 1/8th Mission Fishin Weedless jig head
Lure X: Freshwater (red packs) 4" Gulp! Watermelon "Noodle"

I didn't have my helmet cam that day but I got some great underwater footage, enjoy the video and thanks for riding along.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8z0x2zC2MM

[CAPTJohnny]

SWEET

[Dave Sikorski]

Looks like a great day.

Thanks for sharing and welcome to the site. I'll look forward to many more reports!!. You can never go wrong with a helmet cam.

-D

[Logan9581]

Very nice underwater shots. What kind of camera is that?

[driftwoodcowboy1]

Great report and Congratulations on the fish. It's hard to beat chasin tails.

[Bert Rodgers]

Thanks, great work.

Bert