# Under the stars



## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

Went out Monday night for some dock light action.  Picked up bait in short order under New Pass Bridge.  Anyone else looking for bait go there first, tons of it.  Don't throw your net in the shadows you will prob catch a Tarpon on accident.  You have been warned.

Started making the run south to our fishing locations and saw some flashing lights off in the distance.  Coast Guard running full tilt south in the ICW.  We went under the bird key bridge and was idling south when the Sarasota County Fire boat 30ft Whaler passed us going the same direction.  We followed them to see if they needed any assistance from a boat that floated shallower.  We pulled up on a 32 Cabo Express HARD aground.  They were heading out big pass from Sarasota Yacht club and missed the channel on plane.  There was a guy standing on the bow spotlighting the channel.  As he turned around to tell the captain that they were drifing out of the marked channel they hit, and he went flying.  Busted his head open pretty good.  SCFD took him to the hospital for stiches.  They were going to have to wait for a Tow Boat cause there was no way that we were going to be able to help there situation.  A couple other boats showed up including another Whaller 305 Outrage, more on that boat in a second.

We made our way to the first area I wanted to check.  As we were pulling up to the first dock we hear a boat running full tilt in an idle zone.  As I look back it's the 305 with twin Verado 300's running aground on the sandbar...the reason it's an idle zone.  :  Anyways had to ditch the shots on the dock to see if he needed any help.  He was hard around also, port side was a good 3" higher than the stb side.  Lucky for us there was deeper water close.  We hooked up a rope and pulled him off...very slowly.

Now time for fishing!  I had a spot that I needed to go to first to get redemption on pulling the fly from two baby poons a week before.  We pull up on the spot and it is loaded with fish.  You could walk across them.  There was a couple baby tarpon.  As soon as I reached in the livewell they all bolted.  All that was left were Snook.  First cast produced a very hard hit.  Passed the rod off to my girl for a good suprise...

Upper Slotter!









As I was taking the picture my Pa pitches a bait out...hooked up instantly









I fumbled around with the camera a little bit.  I pitch my second bait into the water...waited a second or two...and passed the rod off to my girl.  Biggest Snook of the night just shy of 7lbs.  She got lessons on how to hold the bigger fish.









Picked up a couple more littler ones and a catfish.  Time to move.  We checked a couple of my other Tarpon docks and was greated by Sarasota County Police Helicopter doing a fly by with the spot light on.  Heard a couple cop cars go by on Siesta Drive like they were chasing someone.  Watched him fly around for 2 hours or so looking for the perps.  Something about a stolen car and teenagers.

Tide started to slack off and the fish dissapeared.  Lucky for me I put my time in on these fish to know where they go.  Pull up to the next set of lights.  At least 30 Snook stacked up.  My pa put the first cast in, and was proptly broken off by a 7lber.  My first cast gave me the same result.  These fish would hit so hard and so agressive it was insane.  I tossed the Supreme Bendback pattern at them only to pull the hook after a short fight...came back with only one eye.  I epoxy them in!  I have no clue how this happened...no complaints though.  Re-rigged the live bait rod and put another one on the light.  Hooked up immedatly and passed the rod off.  She almost got schooled by this fish.  Hard fight all the way to the end!  6lber









Looking to round out the slam we looked for our trout.  They are easy to find.  Go to the first dock there is no Snook and cast, lol.  It seems that my fish are a little racist.  I casted out and it looked like my bait had swam outside the light.  Go to real it in and something a tad...only a tad bigger was on the line.  Dink Trout to round it out!









Ride back was uneventfull.  Off the water and in bed by 4am... 

-Richard


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## Canoeman (Jul 23, 2008)

That's a fine report. Plenty of excitement on and off the water. I guess wide open in a idle zone at night isn't such a good idea.


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## makin moves (Mar 20, 2010)

those fish are sweet. Thats alot of crazyness out there and just think of how crazy it will be this weekend. Holiday weekend+fullmoon be carefull there will be alot of people out there that shouldnt be


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

Geez...heck of a lot of action for a nighttime fishing trip! Awesome snook too,


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## out-cast (Jan 27, 2009)

Way to boat a slam Richard [smiley=1-beer-german.gif]


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## mark_gardner (Mar 18, 2009)

thats a decent catch for sure  congrats [smiley=1-beer.gif]


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## adc77 (Jul 23, 2009)

well it seems like slam was the theme of the evening. fishing and sandbars! lol nice work. when we going to do a fly only trip?


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## Gramps (Nov 1, 2007)

[smiley=1-thumbsup1.gif] Ya, what BlindMullet said...


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## MATT (Apr 30, 2007)

Sarasota was a quiet little town.....


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

> when we going to do a fly only trip?


When ya gunna make it down here? The only thing is you have to wait for a couple days after the full moon (tonight) before they really turn back on again.


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## adc77 (Jul 23, 2009)

the wife is off call so i am free all next week. i planed on fishing the tides in the beginning of next week. just let me know when and i will relocate my trip. i am still looking for a poon small enough to pick on with my 8wt.


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

Just checked the local tides, Monday night would be best. Something about a negative tide at 11pm


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## tbayray (Sep 18, 2008)

Nice fish.


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