I started fishing one of my favorite beach areas about 6:45 am this morning. The wind was light but the water was dirty and full of grass. The air was also tainted with a red tide like smell. I found out later that this was caused by algae; which is sometimes present in our area. The eel grass had washed up on the beach from previous tidal exchanges and was still prevalent in the water. The fact that the water was muddy and that I would have to fish through the grass made for difficult conditions and sight fishing was going to be almost impossible. Still, I was fishing and I was going to give it a go, no matter what!

I had been listening to the Capt. Mel show since I woke earlier in the morning, which I do every Saturday morning I'm able. Steve Gibson, the outdoors writer for the Sarasota Herald Tribune was the guest host. How appropriate I thought since an article of his on "Beach Snooking" several years ago, began my maniacal quest for beach snook. I had my walkman in my fishing vest with the earphones wrapped around my flats hat over my ears. Yes, you can still listen to the Capt. Mel show and beach fish at the same time! This technique I have developed over the years and have pulled many fish from the surf while listening to the show! I just had to pull some linesiders from the surf even though the conditions were tough, just to show my appreciation for Steve and Capt. Mel.

I had gone down the beach and noticed several bait fish schools and even a school of mullet. Good signs. The sun was blocked by some graying clouds and I was beginning to wonder if I was going to get wet. I also thought that this change in the weather may cause a bite, so I kept fishing, but with no action.

I continued to throw my white 3/8 bucktail while listening to the show when "thump".... a fish.

The fight began and in a couple of minutes a 24" beach snook was in my hand. I looked for my Gerber pliers and then realized that I had left them on my dresser at home! I slowly worked the jig out of the snook's upper jaw and noticed that this fish had a rather large hole on the side of his mouth where it had been caught before! Thanks to the fisherman that released this fish to fight again. I released this fish back into the surf and hopefully, I will catch it again. If only it had been two inches longer! I still would like to have a couple of snook fillets, but thinking that I might have more opportunities; down the beach I went.

The next couple of fish I caught were ladyfish. The acrobatics of these fish are really interesting and they are fun to hook on light tackle. The "poor man's tarpon" are great sport even though some anglers consider them "trash fish". I am not one of these anglers however and always welcome any fight from anything that tugs back! I also noticed that there were tarpon here and there, swimming just off the beach, traveling both south and north. They were just too far to cast to but watching them travel up and down the beach always makes my heart beat just a little faster. I don't think that I would get much of a fight on the gear I was using anyway!

I heard Capt. Mel and Steve talk about using Power Pro line and using "superlines" over monofilament. I absolutely agree that if you haven't tried them out yet, you are missing out.
I use 10 lb test off the beach and either 20 lb or 30 lb leader depending on if I am fishing structure or if the water is dirty. The clearer the water; use the lighter 20 lb test. When fishing structure or cloudy water, or if you think you may tangle with some surf monsters, opt for 30 lb.

I was using 30 lb Triplefish leader on 10 lb test line near some rocky structure when "thud", a heavy presence attacked my jig. I knew by the way it was pulling that it wasn't a snook, but just exactly what was it?

After a sporting battle, a redfish came to the surface. I measured it and it went 19 1/2", a keeper. Ironically, I was just talking to a friend yesterday about Cajun spices and mentioned that I haven't had blackened redfish in a while. I know that this craze started in Louisiana and almost wiped out the redfish populations. Now do to efforts by conservation groups, governmental authorities and fisherman, the population is healthy and thriving. I decided that I would take this fish home with me and satisfy my craving for "blackened redfish". I am thankful that because of conservation practices, the net ban, and yes even fishing licenses, we have a healthy redfish population.

I also caught a whiting on my bucktail jig before I decided to call it a day. I released the whiting since I felt the redfish was plenty for me on this day.

All said and done, not too bad of a day beach fishing in the gulf, considering the "circumstances".

See You on the Beach,