Redfish Action, 2011

[gottaflylee]

Wow, what a week it has been. When I left Wilmington, I had no idea what lay forward to the end of the week for Alex and I. He could not be there till Thursday so it left me looking for fish on my own. It, for me is much tougher to find fish on you own and makes for very long days with no one to bounce things off of.

The week before, my IFA partner Mike Pedersen had spend the longest week of pre-fishing with nothing much to show for it other than 22" fish, this had me looking for this tournament in places that I had not fished before as well as looking in old places that I had fished.

Monday was the toughest day of the week with not even a Pinfish or lizard fish to show for it. I went to the house and studied maps for the rest of the evening trying to figure out where to look.



Tuesday, I cruised the big grass flats, nearer the ocean, where I bumped the first school of fish and picked a nice 26" fish out of the school but never found them again. After that it was a slow pick the rest of the day and on the high tide right before dark, I found some ok fish in a area that I wanted to look at again. It was not a bad pick for the day and went 10 for 12 in the 23" size range, wound up the day going 10 for 12.



Wednesday, was to be a short day and I was not going far from the ramp as I needed to be in Wilmington for a fisheries meeting. Had a low tide and a flat in mind that I wanted to see if I could bump a school on. Started on the south side and picked up a 20' fish and for the next hour and a half did not see a fish. When I got to the north end I found some fish in some wispy grass but it was to shallow for me to get to then but even though I could cast that far, I could not get a bite.

I turn the boat and head back across the flat making a zig zag pattern knowing that I should bump a school and I will see them in the slick clam water but it was not to be. As I got almost back to where I started, Mike came zooming in and set down almost on top of a school...2 great minds I guess. For the rest of the morning, we tag teamed those fish having a ball catching and releasing them. 7 for 8, before noon and I head to Wilmington for the meeting.



Thursday, Alex showed up in the early AM and off we went on an 10 mile run in the boat to where I had never been to an area with huge grass flats and a little deeper water. Another slick morning and zig zaged all over the flats looking for fish but never found them. Around 11, big clouds and some rumbling of thunder had us heading back checking out some other places, only to head back to wait out the "Fire In the Sky". Around 2:30 we were back in the water and back to the area where we left off.

We cruise down the bank and soon we have our first fish of the day on topwater and then another one on the Gulp, life is good. We make it to another bank where we pick up a couple of more as well a 17" Flounder of top water plug.



We also had a bunch of blow ups that never came tight. With the day winding down, I headed to where I had found fish on Tuesday to see where the fish were holding and see if we could figure it out. Almost on the first cast, I had a huge blow up on top water that went almost 33" and had been bit by a Dolphin in the tail.





We worked the rest of the bank and a pattern started and I knew if we could get to this area, we had an "A" spot.


Friday, was another type of day from what I had fished the rest of the week. They called for 10 to 15 and it blew 10 to 25. We caught 1 fish and at noon we called it. Went back and I spent taking care of the boat and tying on new leaders and checking lines for game day before we headed off the Capts. meeting. As we headed there the rain started and it was a soggy afternoon but for a bunch of fishermen, just another day. Alex pulled #16 as our leave number for the next day.

Game day, 6:30 am and we off with me wonder where everyone is going and did some one else find our spot or will they get there before us. This is when the jitters hit me and tear me up till I get there and see if someone is where I want to fish. Being the slow boat in the fleet, I cut every sand bar and grass flat between here and there I could and Alex just puts his head down and hangs on as we run in a foot or less in the dark.

We pull in and no one is there, drop the trolling motor and ease toward the bank. When we get near the corner, the top water scores and the biggest fish on the day in in the boat. We turn around and I fire another into the same spot and # 2 is in the boat, pressure if off and were not double zero. I check the time and it is only 7:20. Working down the bank we pick up a couple more fish but no help to the bag. We get to the other corner and I notice a movement and direct Alex as to where to cast and he comes tight with what was a bigger fish that would have been the big fish for us. I fire the top water in the came area and come tight with what is our first upgrade, a good solid fish.

After that we caught a couple of other fish there but no help to the bag and it is time to move. We head to an outside point bank in the lea as now the wind was starting to blow some and the rain was coming down. Alex is fires Goldilocks down the bank and comes tight with a nice solid fish but just 2 tenths short of upgrading the bag. No love on the rest of the bank and time to drain the boat and move on to get out of the wind.

Start off 2 cast off the bank and work down and around with no bites and move in to work a cast off. The marsh had a nice change from brown needle grass to wispy green grass. I fire in the corner and on the first twitch, I was on with another nice fish but it turned out not to help the bag. Finished the bank and headed out. The wind had laid and we hit the flat where I had found the school but we never found them.

Off again to another spot as the tide was right for where Mike and I found the on Wednesday. As I turned the first corner, I told Alex "I bet Mike would be there". Around the next bend, yep her was there, and had not had the time to put the trolling motor down, in I slid. When we got into talking distance, he said that he and Vikki had one fish in the boat and I felt bad for him and tried to give him the best water but is was not mint to be for them.

By now I noticed that Alex was shaking from the cold and rain, with it was almost 2 PM. I decided to head to the weigh in and let Alex out of his misery. At the weigh in, we wound up with 11.53 pounds with the big fish being 5.90

After the dust settled at the weigh in, we had taken 1st for the tournament and for the second time in the series this year, I got Top Senior, which landed me the Senior Angler of the year. After we received our first place plaques I headed off and was stopped when Lee Wills said hang on, we have another award for you. I looked at Lee and was like do what? He said that Alex and I had taken 'Team Of The Year" for the series which through me for a loop as I thought that we were 2.5 points behind but after they checked it 4 time, we had taken that honor for the year.On top of all that we also were 3 in the TWT (biased on the largest fish) and 3rd with most spots. It was a great day for Team Gottafly.

Sitting here today, I smile as I took that second place plaques that I have stared at for the past year down and put up the 1st place plaques and smiled as I did what I so much wanted to do, not to bad for my second year.

Mike, you and I are next to do this in the IFA series, and thanks for making the best light weight inshore rods there are, they do make a difference.

I also need to thank Marine Warehouse Center for keeping the boat and trailer going for the season...you guys rock!
Tex's Tackle for putting up with me with the odd ball things I need.
Chasing Tails, my old friend Matt Lamb for all he down in the event and congrats on your second place in the last leg of the series.
Lee Wills for putting on the Redfish Action Series, it is a lot of fun to fish and looking forward to next year!

Last but not least, my partner in this series, Alex Mercer for putting up with my Constance beggaring, trying to make you a better Redfish fisherman, I know the learning curve is steep, but it has to be buddy. Look what we have done in a very short time, very well done.

Senior Angler




Senior Angler of the Year



A little soggy but Riley Rods Contingency prize



Third place TWT



First place



My state of shark...I mean shock over Team Of the Year



Alex and myself Team of the Year



Yours truly with Team of the Year trophy




Is this really happening?

[Fly B]

Congratulations, Lee. You deserve it.

[clt_capt]

That's a big pile of bling there Capt Lee - COngrats

[jaws]

Man, ya'll piled up the hardware, Congratulations.

[WildTurkey]

Lee

Nobody deserves it more than you after all the hardwork you put in. Great job!

Wild Turkey

[Robja]

Congrats Lee.......

[blackbeard]

Congrats, now go on down to LA and bring that one back!!

[Agitated88]

Now that is just too cool Lee...congrats on the well deserved accolades!!!!!

[95lbBull]

Congrats Capt., thanks for the pics and report. Good luck and be safe in La., wishing you guys the best.

[Fishman]

Congrats to you and your teammate. Lee sound like you put your time in trying to locate some fish.