Not so awesome August
We spent a lot of time on the sand this month. Drove around, hit 5 different beaches. Unfortunately we do not have a lot to show for it. There were a ton of shooting stars, some awesome falling stars, and the over exaggerated Super moon.
8/1: I took my big brother out shark fishin. He had my back for the BHC and BTC in 2013 so I told him I'd set him up on a shark. The first bait was picked up within 6 minutes and after a couple runs and shakes, he spit the bait. I ran out a smaller chunk real quick and he was hooked up within another 10 minutes. Landed a small Spinner Shark.
I ran my ban out next and then casted a chunk on the spinning gear. I told my brother the first one on the spinning gear was his too. That rod went off next! He landed a lemon that taped out at exactly 7'
I casted out another chunk and about an hour later it was picked up by a big tarpon. He jumped a couple times when I set up on him but he quickly spit the bait.
My dropped bait was never touched.
8/4: The weather was not lookin so great. We decided to head out at dusk and bring some rain gear b/c there was a high chances of storms from the west and we could see them brewing. I ran out a bait and then my buddy ran a bait out of his spinning rod, maybe like 80/100 yards. The tide hit dead low and the spinning rod was hit by a Juvi Hammer. That guy pulled some tight drag. Got us super stoked to get a big one sometime. Landed the fish, cut the hook with the bolt cutters, took a pic and brought him back in. I had to get a little more in the water than I preferred b/c of the shore break but once the fish was over that, he took off quick. We left early and got some Taco Bell!
8/9: Skunked. Small ones kept us on our toes all night between watching the rod bounce and runnin new baits. This was the night before the full moon and it was bright. There were no clouds in the sky so it was a brighter night and the Not so Super moon.
8/10: Skunked (kind of). Super Moon Sunday. This was the first night out with my new rod for the T-RX and I dropped a Bonita carcass with a double circle hook rig. Just after high tide the reel went off and jumped on it, left the fish run for little bit before I set up on him and BAM! This guy is pulling some good drag, like a truck and I am think "oh yeah, it's a bull!" I get the fish turned around and it's an easy fight after that. My buddy sees the fish and starts laughing and does not want to tell me what it is so I thought it was a Nurse. But No, it was a Spotted Eagle Ray. He was foul hooked in the front of the wing. I bent the barb and slipped the hook out and we got the fish in the water after a quick pic.
8/16: Took the yaks to the inlet in the AM. Got a small trigger fish on a Yo Zuri crystal minnow. Never underestimate the aggressiveness of those guys. Got a small Cuda at the rocks but I let him go. I was gettin hits on the spoon left and right and then the bite just DIED. Two sharks started trolling back and forth between the rocks and the ocean side....and I didn't have any bait LOL. I do not know what kind of sharks they were. I have seen lemons there a couple times but these seemed to be a darker brown. Not like a nurse shark though. Took the yaks out to go find them but the scurried away.
8/21: Skunked: Ran out at dusk. Had one good run and the fish dropped the bait while I was letting run in free spool. The small ones were around again, tearing up the baits.
8/22: Skunked: Ran out at dusk again. My buddy had one run when the tide started going out. Neither one of my baits were touched.
8/23: Skunked: Had baits in the water before dusk. Nothing hit the first round of baits. Ran out new baits and the short drop was picked up. My buddy was set up and fought the shark for a couple minutes and it spit the hook. The fish was probably within 50 yards when it got off the line. I had two solid runs on the big rod. The first one dropped the bait before I even set up on him. The second run came at the end of the night when I was packing up. I had the reel in free spool with my thumb on the spool to maintain a little tension. I felt a couple shakes and the line went slack. He jacked the bait. There were not even giant baits on the big rod so I assume the tippers and sharpnose sharks were just feasting on my baits!
8/27: Skunked: One good screaming run but the fish ripped off the bait again. Still not a big bait, any good size fish could have just gulped the whole thing with one bite.
8:28: Realistically Skunked: We set up two rods and ran two baits on each rod over the course of the night. My line went slack with the second bait so I ran to the rod. IT started to tighten up and I put it in free spool. There was definitely something there, then gone, then there again. I set up on him and then he was gone, then I felt some shakes! Long story short, I got my smallest shark on my biggest gear!
Here fishy fishy fishy.....
Catch a fish or catch a buzz!
Man you've put out more hours this month than I have all year, keep fishing like that and do the research to track down the sharks and eventually you'll hook into something worthy on the big guns. Those fish on the spinner must have been fun.
Just an average fisherman.
Great report Gucci. That eagle ray is a cool catch and I actually got one around the same time as well. Mine was a little smaller and I was really surprised at the size of bait it took. That little hammer is really cool too.
I always look foreward to your monthly reports man, i like your writing and how you list all days fished even if you didnt catch anything
thanks for the read and keep em coming
nice hammer, and that pic at the end had me cracking up
Thanks guys!
I always tell it how it is, even when it isn't how I wished it was.
It was a weird summer. Last summer was much more active for us. Maybe it is just a late start!
Here fishy fishy fishy.....
Catch a fish or catch a buzz!
great report, I have been landlocked all summer, love reading the reports though
I'd say it was a pretty awesome August for you..look at all those days you went fishing. It is better than working 9-12 hour days, that was my August. Congrats on that hammer with a spinning rod..I've seen spinning reels get totally manhandled by the hammers cruising in close
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 11:26 KJB 1611 AV
It's always a good time on the sand. But I still had the 9+ hour days if it was a Mon- Fri.
On more than a couple of those days, dropped baits after work, Left the sand around 2AM, got to bed after 3AM and was at work by 830AM the next day.
In July when I had the tiger hit the bait, I was pretty far away and didnt get home till 530AM and made it to work early LOL! I just got a key to the office so I can leave the sand and go straight to work, take a nap and start the day!
Here fishy fishy fishy.....
Catch a fish or catch a buzz!
Live eagle ray or baby shark !! Great baits!!
Eagle ray for bait, You crazy! That's something the FWC would get your gear for (at least I think they are still protected)
Here fishy fishy fishy.....
Catch a fish or catch a buzz!
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