January/ Feb. Report - finish with a Bull on the Surf Rod

Winter has been tough on the sand for me in South Florida. Between work, the weather and having the right conditions, I did not get out as much as I would have liked. I still got though!

One thing I can say is that the weather forecast has been wrong more than it has been right! There were times when the wind was forecast to be low and the temps not so low and it was the exact opposite. I get into that later.

12/31: Skunked on new year's eve. Still better than another house party. We had some primo baits out. I had the bait on the 130 yakked half way to Bimini. After a couple hours, right around high tide, the line went slack and the rod was straight up in the sand spike. I was excited b/c I assumed the bait was picked up. NOPE, line was bite through somewhere in the first trough. Lost a good rig and some line. Oh well, needed a new top shot anyway. I put out a new bait and a nurse shark hit it a couple times and sucked it dry. Another bait had a small chunk taken out. No big boys that night. Got to see lots of new years eve fireworks on the beach.

1/9: I get to the beach shortly before high tide and rush to get a bait out. Winds are calm and no waves. Just some swells and shore break. I walk down, hop in the yak with an outgoing wave and immediately get rocked by two waves at the shore break. I dumped so hard it was whack. Where I had just been standing, it was now 4 ft deep. I am tossed around in white wash, dodging the yak and the brick and trying to get a breath. Then the waves recede and I am standing on the sand. WTF. I had sand in my hair, my beard, my chest hair, even my ears! I would find sand in my sheets for the next two days! Then I started paying attention to the ground swell, it was insane! liek a tsunami on shore, lots of tidal movement. My friend caught a sharpnose that night. It was released, she was happy.

1/10: I ran back out solo. Yakked one out and casted for bait. My big bait was gettin shredded by the lil guys so I yakked a small chunk on the spinning rod and it was screaming before I even put the paddle down. Got a nice Bonnet head. Little guy had some fight in him! It was supposed to 69 degrees at that time but it was 65 and the breeze was killing me so I went home.

1/11: Run out again on a solo trip. Yak one out, cast one out. I catch a mondo porcupine fish that had been pickin at my casted baits for a while. Beast mode and I got the tape to prove it!

I cast another bait and get a sharpnose shark. My yakked bait gets picked up on the Avet HXW and I stick em. The fight is on. He is making a slow run with some shakes. Then my spinning rod starts screaming! WTF, I can get a fish and now I am doubled up, alone. I tighten the drag a lil on the spinning rod and the hook is set. I put my right leg in front of the sand spike, start cranking the handle with my right hand. I still have the avet bowed up with my left hand. The fish on the avet takes me to the rocks and gets me stuck. He can take line but I can get it back, we are at a stand still and he is still shaking around, makes a small run and pop! he cut me off at the end of the mono topshot. The fish on the spinning rod swam at me, I cranked super fast and caught up to him, that rod bowed over and POP. He cut me off on the 60LB mono leader.
Doubled up and lost them both! Exciting night to say the least.

1/27: Ran up north to meet a couple people. Surf was forecast at 1-2' and the winds at 5 MPH from the E. NOPE. Sat on the sand and watched the ocean for a while. There were 2 breaks plus the shore break. The wicked break on the second bar would go as far as the eyes could see. There were sets that could be yakked between but the frequency was random. My buddies only had surf gear so we said hell with it and went for some beers. As we were walking away, a set came through that was unreal. It broke out on the bar and was white wash all the way to the sand, and it washed up passed where we were standing. Even if we got a bait out, it probably would not have been a fun night!

1/30: I was out on the west coast with me mum. We were visiting my gramps and staying on Siesta Key. I knew there was a red tide off the coast and water temps in the 50's but I brought the spinning rod anyway. I casted some baits out and there were never touched. and Damn it got chilly!

Now January is over. Good Riddance!

2/20: Bored and sittin on the couch after a rough day. Ran out to the beach with a buddy to cast some baits. Notin. Weather was worse than forecast, as usual lol.

2/21: Ran back out Solo on Sunday night b/c the weather was choice and I knew it was going to be rough for the next several days. Yakked one out and casted one out. My bonita carcass is gettin tore up but the fish cant bust the brick line. I decide to yak the tiniest shred of bonita guy and skin out on the spinning rod and it gets took! The fish is on an I get a stud tipper. Jumping all over the place. He is feisty and I need the tail rope. Lil bugger tried to bit me twice. I snap a pic with the camera on a timer and send him on his way.

2/27: Hell froze over. Had to give it a shot while the weather was nice since I have seen pics of people with hammers while wearing some warm clothes. Went up north with a few people. Some new guys from work and my buddy before we went back to Canada for work. We have 6 rods out, close and far, good choices for baits too! The big baits are hit by tiny sharks and the small baits are gettin jacked all night. It was 52 degrees before the high tide arrived. It was supposed to be 55 for the low LOL. Lots of work, no reward. We had beer but barely drank it b/c it was chilly out there!

2/28: I took a nap in the afternoon and woke up at 5pm. It was windy when I laid down but it seemed quiet when I got up. I checked the weather and the tides. Had a good tide at 5:53PM so I ran out on another Solo Sunday. Had a bait in the water by 5:45pm. Went 1 for 3. Ended up with another stud Tipper. First fish on my new surf rod. A jumper too! A guy was hanging out with his kids when I landed the shark so they pet the shark and took pics. Then he snapped on for me. I drank a beer and went to Taco Bell! My buddies from the night before were all like WTF! haa haa haa

2/29: LEAP DAY - Since the good tide was close to dusk I figured I would run to the beach straight from work with the surf rod and cast for tippers again. The tide was at 6:40 pm and I had a bait in the water at 615pm. saw some action on the rod but didnt know if fish or waves so I said to myself, change the bait at 645pm. It was gone so I casted a fresh chunk.

At 6:53PM the rod bends over and the reel starts screaming! I put some heat on the fish and she starts splashing out there about 60 or 70 yards so I assume tipper. She doesnt jump though, then she puts the heat on me! I hold on and get bowed up super tight. My knees are now bent and I look like I am leaning back in a harness! She is peeling line. I put some more pressure on and turn her. This aint no tipper! She makes another run and I let her were herself down. I assume it is a stud lemon and she'll be tired in a few minutes. I was wrong again. She runs and I turn her around. Now she is zig zaggin on the way in, at her own pace. She hits that sand bar and all hell breaks loose. She is peeling line and I am out of tricks for the stand up fight so I try my ground game. Now I got some more leverage and this rod is bending in areas that I didint it would bend! She is running south, along the bar and I can not do anything to stop her, just have to wear her out. We come to a stale mate and she turns around, thank goodness b/c my grip is all about shot, and I have had my back and bi's workout for the week! She makes her way north and I am gettin my line back and finally have a sense of control. That didnt last long! I stood up thinking I would get ready to leader her in. Nope Nope Nope, Gave her an inch and she took 50 yards! She went North, I turned her around but this was more like a pendulum, not a 180...When I get her back to the sand bar she takes off to the south again. I have to get back to the ground. She is peeling line, I give that drag knob a couple more clicks, arm lock that rod and hold on. She still going but she slows down. Then she starts thrashing. She is shaking that head! She turns around and I got the heat on her! I am leaned back and that line is not gettin any slack from me. She is coming back north, towards me, at my pace now! I am gettin her close and she turns again. It is Just over 45 minutes into the fight. I shine a light and see a dorsal at the shore. I jump up, keep reeling, run down there leader her in with a wave. it is now 7:40PM and she is on the sand, after 47 Minutes. 7'6" Healthy Female Bull on the 12' surf rod, Penn torque reel, 65lb line.

It was a good way to end the winter time fishing. A couple Sunday Funday Tippers and a stud for the surf rod! The hard work pays off. Just had to keep trying and be there when the fish were there.