Today's report focuses on one of my favorite type of charters. Late afternoon / sunset on the beach and flats then as dark falls ease into the Snooks favorite hunting grounds docks and canals. It was my pleasure to again host the Fiato brothers Mark and Mike.
Bait was a challenge on the flats; my Pathfinder 2200XL has more grass on the deck than the flat I was cast netting on. My goal was to gather 3 different type baits, pinfish, white baits and threadfins should we find Tarpon rolling.
I picked up Mark and Mike at O'Neill's marina at 630 on a beautiful Tampa Bay afternoon. The big redfish bite we have been on appears to have become a memory but we decided to give it 20 minutes. We tossed white baits and pinfish without as much as a hit. As to not waste the sunlight remaining we ran to the Beach to take advantage of the outgoing tide. We set up in 3' of water and worked white baits natuarlly with the current. Mike scored first with a trout that popped the bait on the surface. While looking over the stern we came face to face with a school of redfish, sadly they spooked as they ran up to the boat. We moved a hundred yards to no avail. We moved another hundred yards and Mike imeadiaetly hooked a nice snook that made several jumps and came undone. Two wade anglers near us both hooked up so it was game on. Maybe not, Mark took a trout a couple more hits and it was over as fast as it started. Our last beach spot before hitting the canals we found only catfish. Catfish on the beach, guess they like the sand like we do.
Our first dock light looked so inviting, several snook and numerous trout all busy working in and out of the lights. Mike quickly caught a trout then the bite shut down. We hit dock after dock some with snook, some with no snook either way we were not getting bit. We moved a dock with 4 lights and what had to be 30 nice snook finally Mike got into a good snook. Sadly the results were the same as the snook came undone again. On the way out of the canal we saw a boat hooked up to a big snook, water was flying everywhere. The angler almost fell out of this small boat, very comical. Same result as us a lost snook.
Frustrating evening to say the least. Mark and Mike are great guys and repeat clients and I want so badly for them to score big time.
Capt. Steven
