# Slump Breaking - Inshore 6/8/08



## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

This morning as I walked down to the dock in the ebbing darkness







and began preparations for the day’s fishing, I should have felt that inner calm which only a day on the water can bring.







However, today that tranquil feeling was replaced with apprehension, as I’ve been struggling on my last few outings, catching next to nothing in both salt and fresh water.







Even on my recent road trip to Sebastian, the only fish I laid hands on was the bait. So, when I pulled the cover off the Gheenoe and was hit with a cloud of gas fumes, my heart sunk.









Immediately checking the gas tank, I found it empty, even though I’d left almost three gallons onboard.







I also noticed some seepage around the vent and a bit of standing fuel in the bilge area. Pulling the tank, I headed to the gas station and returned with fresh fuel and oil. After cleaning up the mess, I reconnected the tank and gave the primer bulb a squeeze. A burst of air across my hand told me where my fuel went. The bulb had cracked.









Back in the truck, I was now headed to Wal-mart with the sun glaring at me through my driver’s side window…so much for the pre-dawn topwater bite!







After getting lucky with the last primer bulb on the rack, I got it installed and successfully fired the motor. More than ready to go, I pulled my auto-inflation vest out of storage and discovered it discharged.







Dang it…I’d just re-armed both auto-PFDs in March! I checked the other and sure enough, it was blown too. Guess I’ll be storing them inside from now on.







Aggravated but determined to get out of the slump I’ve been in, I headed out sans lifejacket.







I keep a couple of the cheap orange Type II’s onboard just to stay legal, but no way I’m wearing the things.









Once I got out on the smooth and glassy ICW, I felt my spirits rise a bit and then buzzing through the maze of shallow creeks at a faster clip than normal helped me burn off some tension,







so by the time I shutdown and started rigging, I was feeling right!

My first stop was a spot my son calls the “snapper hole”, because we used to catch (not keep) our limit every time we went there, but it hadn’t produced a mangrove in two years…until today!







Ended up with two of them that were just under 10 inches, so back they went.









After getting one unrepeated strike on the fly rod, I moved on and neither fly nor spinning gear could garner another strike for almost two hours.







The only red I saw was one that beached himself chasing minnows and then flopped on his side a few times till he slid back in.







At least I knew they were around…

The next bit of excitement came along a shady creek bend that I’ve seldom cast to with any success, but today a “snag” near some sheltered oysters turned out to be a family-dinner-sized flatty, at a hefty 21 inches.
























Slow was the best way to describe the day so far, but I wasn’t satisfied that I’d shaken the “funk”, so I kept at it, and as the tide dropped I started to see loner reds tailing and/or backing. I missed the hook-up on a couple, and spooked a few more as well, but managed to boat this 19 incher as he crept along a muddy bank where my Gulp shrimp just happened to be waiting in his path.
























A little trout was my next victim, and I enjoyed the aerial acrobatics he displayed on the way to the boat.

















Another undersized trout paid me a visit, and then a 17 inch red picked up my lure while I was eating a sandwich.

















By this time, the tide had started flowing back in nicely, so I ran out to a spot where I could do the trolling motor controlled drift through a small tidal creek. It’s a tough stretch to navigate because it’s so narrow, shallow and the numerous bends mean you often drift right up on your prey without seeing them.







Here’s a carefully cropped sample of the water I’m talking about. Don’t even think about turning around…

















I admit, this is water best suited for kayers, but reds seem to love it so I can’t resist. And sure enough, as I rounded one of these tight turns, I spotted a monster red slowly swimming the same direction as I.







I was literally 6 feet from him and afraid to move.







The hull doesn’t seem to frighten them, but any body movement whatsoever and they are outta there! Thankfully, I already had the bail open and attempted to make an underhand flip using only my wrist. “Plop”…it fell two feet in front of his nose. Staying as still and rigid as possible, I flicked the rod tip one time and he pounced on it!







Then in a streak of mud and foam, this red started tearing drag off my reel and headed for the nearest bend!









The last time I’d hooked a big red in this creek, I made the mistake of dropping the anchor, thinking I could control the fish enough to keep him near. That was a big mistake!







This time, I immediately hit the troller and between the fish towing me and the electric, I managed to stay with him.







What a rush though...in such close quarters and in water that shallow you never lose sight of your prey. Each time you see him roll over your leader, you cringe that he’s going to break it.







He’d also managed to wrap my trolling motor once, so I knew my line was damaged and I had to avoid over-pressuring him.

Under the circumstances, it took roughly fifteen minutes to wear him out enough to get him boat-side. I let him rest in the water until he started trying to swim again, then snapped two pictures, took his measurements and sent him on his way.







He went 29.5 inches, and just over 9 pounds. That makes him the second biggest red I’ve caught in the Palm Coast area.

















I so wanted to get a red on the fly rod, but they just wouldn’t cooperate, despite putting in at least two hours tossing different flies throughout the day.







I did manage to take two more reds on spinning gear though.







They went 20 and 18 inch respectively.

















With afternoon giving way to evening, I packed up the gear for the ride home. Although tired, I was elated that I’d persisted in spite of the challenges. I can now say that I am officially out of the slump!!









Tally for the day;
6 Redfish – 17” to 29.5”
1 Flounder – 21”
2 Mangrove Snapper – 9”
2 Trout – 13”ish


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## phishphood (Dec 15, 2006)

WooHoo!!! Finally a fishing report. Way to stick it out after a bad start and put some fish in the boat. What time is the lobster stuffed flounder dinner?


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## beavis (Dec 11, 2006)

> WooHoo!!! Finally a fishing report. Way to stick it out after a bad start and put some fish in the boat. What time is the lobster stuffed flounder dinner?



moooch, go get yur own


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## aaronshore (Aug 24, 2007)

HAMMER TIME!!!!


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## phishphood (Dec 15, 2006)

> > WooHoo!!! Finally a fishing report. Way to stick it out after a bad start and put some fish in the boat. What time is the lobster stuffed flounder dinner?
> 
> 
> 
> moooch, go get yur own


Lobster stuffed sailcat just doesn't sound quite as good. Got any good flounder spots?


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## stickwaver (May 13, 2008)

Nice report! I hate it when bad things just compound each other like that! I've been having trouble finding the fish in my new areas and it drives me nuts knowing that everytime I go out there is a substantial risk I'm gettin skunked. Nice pictures!!!! What kind of flys were you using?


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

Thank you guys!   I felt the same way as Phish...WooHoo! Finally something to write about!  ;D



> What kind of flys were you using?


All self-tied, although that doesn't say much since they didn't catch anything.  : Here's what I used...
















...and a slight variation on this guy.


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## aaronshore (Aug 24, 2007)

Just a piece of advice. Try tying one of those bonefish sliders with the eyes a little farther back toward the hook bend. Enough to where you have enough space to comfortably spin a clump of deer hair in front between the eyes and the hook eye. Just do one.


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## choppercity47 (Jul 30, 2007)

nice job, to be honest i love that tactical creek fishing better than flats, close quarters is alot more fun to me, even if you can't or can barley see the fish.


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## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

I want to get down there one of these days and fish that area. Keep the reports coming. I enjoy reading them every time.


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

> I want to get down there one of these days and fish that area. Keep the reports coming. I enjoy reading them every time.


Thanks Tom!







As long as the fish keep chewing, I'll keep sharing. 

On another note, I got an email suggesting that my fuel might have been stolen, and the primer ball broken in the process of siphoning out the gas. :-/ I hadn't even considered theft. Seems like a lot of risk for 3 gallons...

Anyone else have something like this happen? :-?


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## fish4reds (Mar 14, 2008)

Great report


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## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

> > On another note, I got an email suggesting that my fuel might have been stolen, and the primer ball broken in the process of siphoning out the gas.  :-/ I hadn't even considered theft. Seems like a lot of risk for 3 gallons...
> >
> > Anyone else have something like this happen? :-?
> 
> ...


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## thresher (Dec 18, 2006)

Great report! I loved the part about the flounder being a "snagged oyster"!! One of those swimming oyster no less!


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