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June 25, 2009
Summer's here, and with it comes new techniques
and tactics in order to effectively catch fish around Pine Island Sound.
A persistent Low that stalled off Florida's East Coast - bringing rain
and lightning both during the mornings and the afternoons - has moved
North off of New England and has been replaced by a massive High
centered over Florida. The result has been a heat wave with
extraordinary heat indexes and unseasonably minimal rain - until
yesterday. C.5 inches of rain fell over Cape Coral yesterday in just
over a two hour period, resulting in massive drainage into the
Caloosahatchee River. Even with all that rain, though, we're still 5
inches behind our average rain totals for the year. For fishermen, the
plus side to all this is that while Lake Okeechobee stands at 12 feet in
depth (c.17 feet seems to be the desired level for boat traffic),
preemptive water releases (in anticipation of massive tropical storm and
hurricane deluges) have been somewhat minimal (966 million gallons on
6/23), keeping water clarity fairly clear for this time of the year and
keeping floating tape grass to a minimum. In rainier years, a billion
plus gallons of water were released on a daily basis which threw the
carefully balanced ecosystem of the estauries into chaos. When the
releases take place, brackish water immediately turns to fresh water,
and anything that needs saltwater to survive either moves on or dies.
Our clear Winter water, the result of minimal rain and releases from
Lake Okeechobee, is replaced by a reddish-brown "coffee" water - the
result of the tannic acid from the red mangroves lining the river
staining the runoff and lake release water. Tape grass is one of the
most noticeable casualties and can be seen floating all over Pine Island
Sound. On incoming tides, it makes fishing some of the creeks most
difficult as the grass tends to funnel in with the rising tide. On the
outgoing tide, the grass tends to clog the passes as they are the only
conduit between Pine Island Sound and the Gulf. Piles three feet high
may be seen at times on the South shore of North Captiva Island at
Redfish Pass. The blue crab fishery in the river goes to pieces, and
scaled sardines - our favorite baitfish - get pushed off the flats
around the mouth of the river and are displaced further toward the
passes.
At the moment things are A-O-K, though Summer brings some nuances that
one most take into account to catch fish. With all this heat
(consistent indexes of c.107F. over the past week) comes the
oxygen/water phnomena; the hotter water gets, the less oxygen it holds.
Our water temps have maxed at a 90-91F. in some of the back creeks
resulting in minimal oxygen content. Snook move from their back country
haunts to the passes and beaches where the oxygen content (and food
supply) are at a maximum. Also, we experience our highest high tides of
the year, peaking at just over 3 feet, which makes redfish fishing a bit
of a challenge as they have higher water to swim in and can recede
farther back into the bushes.
Snook, BIG snook, are on the beaches at this time of the year, running
up and down the beaches in the 'trough' between the beach and the
offshore sand bar (40 ft. off) that runs the length of Sanibel and
Captiva Islands feeding on minnows and sand fleas (mole crabs). Rock
outcroppings such as Sanibel Rocks, Blind Pass, and Redfish Pass are
especially favorable to holding snook as the fish use the structure to
hang out of the current and to ambush bait. If you are strictly fishing
from the beach, a most effective artificial lure for catching snook is
the age-old leadhead/bucktail jig - in white, yellow, red, or
chartreuse. Cheap and simple - just tie one on and you're off! Use 40
lb. fluorocarbon leader and bring extras, you're going to need them!
Redfish are most effectively targeted along the Western shore of Pine
Island as it has miles of undeveloped waterfront well away from the
incessant noises of the Intracoastal Waterway. With higher Summer
tides, the reds tend to recede farther back into the trees, making the
presentation of one's bait very difficult. Of course, you're dealing
with an opportunist here, not Einstein, and the simple employment of
"chumming" with live bait will usually have them rushing out into the
open. Make a few extra throws with the castnet in the morning, grab a
handfull, crush them a little bit, and give them a toss. Some folks
take those oversized wiffleball bats, cut them down and carve a 'scoop'
shape on one side, and use them to effectively throw bait farther.
Wounded baitfish emit strong electromagnetivity, which appeals to the
predatory fish's lateral line - driving them into a frenzy!
Tarpon are still around, albeit spread out along the beaches or
concentrated in Boca Grande Pass. The most effective time to target
these fish is early in the morning. While out in the Gulf, triple tail
are still around, hanging on the line suspended between the buoy and the
crab trap. Use shrimp or flies and set up upcurrent from the fish. If
the fish is spooked, it will simply run down the line and will
eventually come up again.
Trout are scattered around the flats for the Summer, the heat taking its
toll on oxygen and available bait.
The First Quarter of the Moon takes place 6/29 with the Full Moon taking
place 7/7.
Don't jerk it 'til you feel the tug; and be prepared to yank and crank!
Cheers,
Capt. Dave Torrance
Mercury Saltwater Fishing Team
Bait Box Fishing Staff
May 7, 2009
It always seems the hardest fish to catch is the
first fish of the day. And true to form, the pressure was on as I was
fishing an 'especially elite' clientele this particular day, namely my
Pop, Ted, and two very close friends: 'Hap' Merriman and 'Chili'
Foresman. As a family living in disparate locations around the country,
we try - as most do - to get together several times a year. Aside from
the traditional holiday visits, each May Dad brings a couple of buddies
over from the Vero Beach area for a great dinner the night before,
followed by some hard fishing the morning after.
On paper, the day was shaping up to be a corker, with a cloudless sky,
moderately breezy conditions, and a healthy rising tide of c.1.7 ft.
over 6 hours - starting at the c.5:30 AM hour - which would produce
decent tidal flow throughout Pine Island Sound and the Caloosahatchee
River. Because the bait (shiners - scaled sardines) is coming in and
petering out before daylight, I gave the guys the option of joining me
while I castnet for bait. Fish - especially snook - bite in the
lowlight hours, and we could effectively be fishing - hooks in the water
- by 6:30 AM. 'What does that entail?,' they asked. Shove off at 5:20
AM... Silence. Suffice it to say I cooled my heels for an hour, dining
on my Circle-K chicken salad sandwich at the dock, while they caught a
leisurely breakfast in front of CNN at the hotel.
My original intention was to run to Redfish Pass and the beaches where
the snook bite has been rather spectacular of late. That idea was
quickly snuffed out as I drove to the ramp and checked out my 'early
indicators': the massive flag at Tanger Outlet on the corner of McGregor
Blvd. and Summerlin Rd. (if that is outstretched at 5:00 AM, forget it),
and the small flag at Naumann Real Estate, just short of the Punta Rassa
boat ramp/Sanibel bridge. The big flag was flapping a little bit
(which, already, is not great), and the traditional sized flag was
virtually shredded with an East wind: no Redfish Pass today. Actually,
getting there wouldn't be a problem, riding the wind and the waves; and
once there would be rather calm. Getting home, though, would loosen
your fillings and bust your bladder and we weren't that hell-bent on
fishing. With a strategy of staying in the lee (calm) all day, we
started off in the Caloosahatchee River where the tide was still
falling, as opposed to the beginning of the rising tide at the ramp.
Tides in the river run c. 2 to 2.5 hours after the predicted tides at
Punta Rassa, and we arrived to fish the last hour of the falling tide.
And, consistent with a slow tidal movement, the fishing was just that.
Nary a hookset. While the river is a highly productive spot to fish, we
were also using the first hour of the morning to allow the backcountry
creeks to fill with water in order to have enough draft for the boat to
(barely) enter.
Other than,"I think I had a nibble...," (sorry,boys, no nibbles here -
just 'hammer time!') and some good ol' 'smack talk' back and forth, we
reeled up and headed out of the river and over to a Cape Coral creek to
try our luck. One of the idiosyncrasies of Spring here in Ft. Myers is
that various boat companies hire helicopters and pilots with
gravity-defying acrobatic skills to fly exceeding low along the water at
breakneck speed while filming their boat product for advertising
purposes. Typically, filming is done just after sunrise when the early
morning colors are intense. As we idled out of the manatee zone at the
mouth of the river, we had a Checkmate brand photo shoot taking place,
with a boat screaming up toward Matlacha doing c.80 mph (in a 25 mph
channel, but what the hey) paralleled by a helicopter that corkscrewed
forward and backward so much, it made me dizzy. What a sight...
Up in the creek, and out of the breeze, we had a nice little incoming
current to stir things up. After 10 minutes of "0-fer fishing" (and
now, after an hour or so of constant casting, a few sideways glances)
the ice was finally broken when Dad let out a "hey, hey, whoa, whoa" and
hooked and yes, by jove, landed (after umpteen years of being 'guided'
by me) his first snook! Whereas the apple doesn't fall far from the
tree, it's fair to say the pulp doesn't necessarily share the same
passion. A quick father/son photo snap and a release for another day.
Perfect. After several more missed snook opportunities we became
infested with mangrove snappers - mosquitos, in my opinion - which
machine gunned our leaders. Time to move.
Keeping with the strategy of staying out of the wind, we headed over to
one of several entrances to Sanibel's J.N. 'Ding' Darling Wildlife
Refuge. An incoming current again provided favorable conditions, with a
pesky problem being the micro brown algae that seems to appear in Pine
Island Sound each Spring (I can't repeat what the locals call it) and
really affects the creeks on the North shore of Sanibel and Captiva on
the incoming tide. Not only does it foul your hook and bait, it can
also clog the water intake of your engine's water pump, wreaking havoc
with the thermostat and overheating the engine. This was a problem to
contend with, but I have a specific "bush" in a specific creek that
always seems to yield fish and, algae or no algae, it was worth the
extra effort to get a bait in there. After five minutes or so of
'zeroes', an enormous explosion coming seemingly out of nowhere took
place butt up, next to shore, with white water surrounding a swirl
quickly disappearing beneath the bush on the incoming current as an
indicator of what had just taken place! Hap reared back and set the
hook on a bully, and now it was time to yank and crank! After a few
nice runs to the tune of a screaming reel, Hap boated a beautiful gag
grouper c.22 inches ($18 a pound in the local stores)! Another release,
a few "Atta boys", smiles all around, and we were off to another Ding
Darling creek.
Shhh. I have this hole I use as a backup when things are slow. Because
it takes a while to motor to, I don't necessarily take customers there
because I have to manage a 'clock' in my head that that is dictated by
the mantra, 'You can't catch a fish if your hook isn't in the water."
Time spent motoring is less time fishing, and I typically only have 4
hours to produce. With time on our hands, though, we went in - and
Opportunity presented itself, in the form of a monster snook! Once
again, Hap lit into a beast yanked out from a pronounced, deep shadow
beneath a mangrove blob. A quick 'on', a quick 'off,' and a positive
philosophical approach to the hookset/fight experience, and it was time
for lunch at the Waterfront Cafe on Pine Island. The day couldn't have
been any better! Good friends, great times!
The tarpon are here! Getting to them has been a bit difficult, though,
as a result of the consistently windy conditions that have prevailed
over the past month or so. Big threadfins can be found in the deeper
waters around structure such as the legs of the Sanibel causeway
bridge. Windy conditions have confined boats to Pine Island Sound and
the Passes, though, and have kept the fish from rolling early in the
morning. As a result, targeting the fish has been difficult - though
fish are being caught despite the wind. Summer weather patterns are
about to take over, the winds will stop, temps will be c.94F, and
customers soon will be begging me to move the boat just to get some air!
Don't jerk it 'til you feel the tug; and be prepared to yank and crank!
Cheers,
Capt. Dave Torrance
Mercury Saltwater Team
Bait Box Fishing Staff
April 19, 2009
Just like a Swiss watch, water temperatures warmed
and the snook fishing exploded just on or about March 15! All over Pine
Island Sound BIG snook are being hauled in as they make their way from
their Winter haunts - backwater creeks and deep water reefs - to the
Gulf beaches and passes in pursuit of baitfish and sand fleas. Tarpon
are the next fishery that is about to ignite with early strays showing
around various sights in Pine Island Sound beginning c.March 10, and
threadfin herring - their favorite meal - just now showing up in bulk.
Snook are a nocturnal feeding fish with light-sensitive eyes. When
fishing by 'day', the best results take place early in the morning and
late in the afternoon when light conditions are low. As the day
brightens, snook will recede to shadows where they can ease the strain
on their eyes. Any shadow may hold a snook, whether it be a dock, a
boat, or a mangrove. Because we have miles and miles of mangroves
lining the shores of Pine Island Sound, Matlacha Pass, and the
Caloosahatchee River - it tends to be the environment in which one
typically targets snook. Two styles of fishing are typically practiced:
anchoring and fishing; and constant movement with a trolling motor.
When anchoring, the strategy is to target points of land and deeper
pockets of water around key islands that have a shadow falling across
them. When using a trolling motor, running a mangrove line with fairly
deep water allows one to cover 100% of the accessible territory.
Because snook move around a bit, neither style is necessarily more
effective than the other; rather, it is one's personal preference.
Scaled sardines are the number one live bait for snook and can only be
obtained by castnetting them and keeping them in a highly oxygenated,
thoroughly flushed environment (livewell). Most grass flats will hold
them at this time of the year; the only caveat being that they show in
the dark just before 'first light', so one has to get crackin' early to
get a chum line out.
Other equally effective means of catching snook entail night fishing by
boat, and shore fishing along the Gulf and the Ding Darling Wildlife
Refuge. Night fishing involves the targeting of spotlights on docks
that are mounted close to the water and shine down. The light attracts
baitfish and shrimp, which in turn attract snook. Shrimp are typically
used at night as shiners can be harder to castnet in the evening hours,
and shrimp are readily available from the bait shops like the Bait Box.
Look to the edge of the ring of light in the water, where it diffuses to
dark. You'll see some humongous snook lurking in that 'zone.' Shore
fishing may be done by artificials, shrimp, shiners, or sand fleas - all
with tremendous results. With regard to artificials, a simple white
bucktail/ 1/2 oz. leadhead jig - about as simple a lure as one can find
- retrieved in a style that allows it to bump along the bottom will
yield effective results. Rat-L-Traps, Mirro-Lures, and Yozuri brand
swimming lures all work equally well also. Shrimp may be purchased from
the Bait Box and either 'free lined' (fished without a weight), weighted
with a bit of splitshot, or suspended beneath a 'trout popping cork.'
At times, clouds of baitfish tend to swarm next to the shore which
allows one proficient in throwing a castnet in obtaining bait - with
longterm storage a bit of a problem. When the bait is en masse, though,
its simply a matter of throwing and rebaiting. Sand fleas are an often
overlooked source of bait that is easily accessible and readily
available along the Gulf Beaches. A sand flea/shelling rake is all it
takes, again available at the Bait Box. If you walk to the edge of the
Gulf beach where it meets the water you'll notice a c.6" dropoff where
the beach meets the water. By digging a sand flea rake sharply into the
drop off, pulling up and shaking out most of the sand and shells, you'll
see 1" - 2" long little gray "bugs" that are actually sand fleas or mole
crabs. As each wave recedes, it takes with it several fleas that are
then devoured by snook that literally cruise the shoreline. Sand fleas
burrow into the sand like sulphuric acid through Jello, so you can't let
them get back onto the beach. A small pail with damp sand will preserve
them for quite some time. And no, they don't bite. Hook them in the
'tail' (small jointed carapice) and suspend them from a trout popping
cork (or else...) for best results.
The Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge (closed Fridays) is another great place
to fish - literally from the side of the road! Use shrimp and either
freeline them or suspend them beneath a popping cork. Target the
culvert areas that run beneath Wildlife Drive, and some of the deep
water accesses found along the Drive. Tides run c. 2 hours after the
Point Ybel (Sanibel Lighthouse/East End) tidal prediction. A final word
on snook: if you're going to catch and kill, you have 11 days left as
snook season closes May-August.
Tarpon are what we have been licking our chops over for the past nine
months, and we are finally on the cusp of the season! My setup: I use a
G. Loomis SUR 965S 8' Medium Mod-Fast Action rod. I think it's
classified as one of their bluefish rods. I use different reels;
currently I'm favorable to the Quantum CSP 80 PTS, though I have no
allegiance. I have it strung with 50 lb. test PowerPro. I tie in a
bimini twist with a rather long loop at the end of the PowerPro. I then
marry a c.18" butt section of 60 lb. test SeaGuar brand fluorocarbon
leader to the bimini twist at the end of the PowerPro via a triple
overhand knot. I then marry a c.6' 80 lb. test SeaGuar segment to the
60 lb. test butt section via a double uni-knot. Finally, I'm partial to
the Gamakatsu #221316 (6/0), #221317 (7/0), or #221318 (8/0) Oct-Inline
circle hook., which I tie to the 80 lb. test leader via a Loop Knot.
The tarpon fishery has a 'pulse' to it in terms of fish movement as the
season progresses. On calm days, fish may be targeted in the Gulf off
Sanibel, Captiva, and the Barrier Islands North. Tarpon 'roll' in the
early morning when the seas are calm, sucking in air and filling an
airbladder. They may also be targeted throughout Pine Island Sound with
specific areas holding concentrations of fish. By basically targeting
the various deeper pockets of water around Pine Island Sound, one will
encounter a school or two. Threadfin herring and 'pass' crabs are the
favorite diet, with large pinfish and severed catfish tails being
equally effective. Threadfin herring are caught by castnet around deep
water structure - the legs of the Sanibel causeway bridges being a prime
example. Pass crabs may be found at night around the Full Moon on an
outgoing tide floating in massive numbers. I prefer threads because
they are readily available. I hook them through the nose and through
them out behind the drifting boat with the reel drag set as lightly as
possible. When a tarpon picks one up, the key is to get a clean hookset
by hooking the fish in the very corner of the jaw, referred to as the
'clipper.' A hookset here will maximize the odds of landing a fish, as
the bony insides of their mouths are not conducive to a proper hookset.
By keeping the drag off and allowing the fish to run for a moment, the
intention is to allow the hook to ride along the tarpon's lip and down
into the corner of its mouth. After a '5 count' or so, I tighten the
drag and put all I have into setting the hook. Immediately thereafter,
I'm prepared to 'bow to the fish' or create slack in the line as the
fish is apt to rocket out of the water, shaking its head - which is when
the non-clipper set hook typically comes flying out. Fight the fish
'down and away' - a back breaking task that keeps the fish from
surfacing and refilling its air bladder. Each time a fish refills its
bladder, it comes back to life with a burst of energy that is mind
boggling, and results in more brutal work. Remember, it is now illegal
to take a tarpon out of the water in Florida - which, yes, does make
taking that picture of you and the 'big one' difficult. But, the law's
the law.
The New Moon takes place 4/24 with the best tidal fishing days taking
place 4/19 -4/27. Don't jerk it 'til you feel the tug, and be prepared
to yank and crank!
Cheers,
Capt. Dave Torrance
Mercury Saltwater Team
Bait Box Fishing Guide
March 1, 2009
"Opening Day!" In New England, specifically in
Maine, it refers to the first day one may legally fish fresh water -
typically for brook trout, landlocked salmon, and togue (lake trout).
All Winter long, one lives for ESPN fishing shows on Saturday mornings,
staring at a snowbank outside, tying flies and fantasizing about the Big
One on Opening Day. And every year, without fail, Opening Day is a
cold, wet, and miserable experience. Cigar chomping old boys O.D.-ing
on testosterone and Jack Daniels stand shoulder to shoulder in the only
available open water, lobbing cast after cast toward phantom fish. Lines
tangle, tempers flare, and there's always the boozed up zero who somehow
manages to 'fill his waders' in the only productive hole of the day.
You fish with Jack, and you'll end up on your back...
Opening Day in Southwest Florida marks the day snook season starts. For
the next two months, an angler is permitted (with a valid fishing
license and snook stamp) one snook per person per day between 28" and
33" WITH THE TAIL PINCHED. Many anglers will mistakenly measure a snook
with a natural 'square' tail, when in fact a pinched tail provides for a
supposedly more accurate measurement. The jury may still be out on that
one, but the law is the law. FYI: reds and trout are measured the same
way.
Opening Day also coincides with what I consider to be the most exciting
and productive stretch of fishing in Pine Island Sound. I am often
posed the question as to when my favorite fishing time is, and without
hesitation I tell them March-June. All the elements converge to provide
for the perfect fishing environment. Over the next several weeks, the
water will warm to a consistent 75F - the point at which productive
fishing becomes fairly consistent. Dry season still predominates with
83F days, allowing one comfortable access to the water virtually every
day without fear of lightning. And what comes up at the end of your
line can be BIG. C.March 15, snook will be into their migratory run
from the backcountry creeks and offshore reefs to the beaches, where
they feed on schools of threadfin, scaled sardines, and sand fleas (mole
crabs). Redfish, while being a Fall-run species, are plentiful
throughout the Spring around oyster bars, grass flats, and beneath the
mangrove bushes on the higher tides. Trout can be a 'dime a dozen'
during this time on the grass flats ; find one and you'll typically find
another 4 or 5 with it. Triple tail will start to show up on the stone
crab trap lines in the Gulf, and monster cobia may be seen free swimming
along the surface of the water.
With regard to snook, live shrimp is always a winner - either hooked
through the 'horn' on its head, or through its tail starting from the
back to the front. Just as effective is a 1/2 oz. white or chartreuse
lead head bucktail jig; or the lead head, rubber shad or worm body
configuration. Some people like to lob it out there and reel back with
a 'straight' retrieve - that is, where the lure 'swims' back without
touching the bottom. Personally, I prefer to 'bounce' it back by
jerking back on my rod tip while retrieving, creating slack and allowing
the jig to brush the bottom and kick up a little bit of sand. 30 lb.
to 40 lb. mono or fluorocarbon leader attached by a surgeon's knot or
double uni knot to your fishing line is a must as snook, reds, and trout
shy away from steel leader. Most folks use 12-15 lb. test mono or
PowerPro brand; and a 1/0 hook when using live bait. Shrimp may be
'free lined' (i.e. no weight/sinker) and allowed to swim naturally; or,
they may be suspended between a 'trout cork', also referred to as a
'popping cork' due to its concave top that creates a 'popping' sound
when jerked - driving fish crazy. When fishing beneath the trees on a
higher tide from my boat with live sardines, I'll throw a handful or two
of shiners into the bushes to stir up some action. Once you have a
snook's attention, it will bite almost anything. Redfish are approached
the same way on the higher tidesunder the bushes, and are then targeted
on the grass flats on the lower tides. Set up on a drift, look for the
yellow sand holes, or 'pot holes', that pock mark a grass flat, and
target your cast toward the middle of the hole. The natural instinct of
a bait fish is to dive down into the grass in order to hide from its
prey. Gamefish tend to hang on the edge of a hole; and when a bait fish
ends up in the middle of a hole with no grass to hide in, they're easy
pickens.
Trout are found in the same grass flat environment as redfish and tend
to run in groups of 3-5. An old school method of trout fishing is to
pre-rig several small floats with weights and drift downwind. Each time
a pod of trout is found, a float is dropped overboard to mark the spot.
On subsequent floats, the markers are targeted with typically successful
results. Triple tail like to hang on the line that runs between a crab
trap and its buoy. Crustacean eaters, they shun sardines but readily
take shrimp, sand fleas, and fly patterns that mimic shrimp. Their
noses always point into the current and one wants to set up upcurrent
from the buoy and cast downcurrent toward it. Cobia can be found in
schools or roaming solo right on the surface. My most effective means
of catching cobia are to target the area immediately behind swimming
manatees, whose tails stir up the diatoms and crustaceans upon which
cobia feed. I've seen up to eight cobia hoovering around behind a pod
of manatees. Another method is to look away from the sun at the surface
of the water with polarized glasses during the mid-day hours (10 AM - 2
PM). Cobia will swim just beneath the surface and can be seen as a
large shadow (typically where there shouldn't be one). They tend to be
dumb as dirt, which conveniently allows one to pull up fairly close in a
boat without spooking them. Shrimp, shiners, or sparkly leadhead jigs
all work with great success. An oddity about cobia is that they fight
as hard as you fight; stop fighting and they stop fighting. Probably
because they know that if you get them aboard, they're gonna kick your
ass. Once out of the water, they're like a rhino on meth. A backbone
of armored spikes akin to a stegasaurus come out of nowhere and will
give you a thrashing like no other. Forget your tackle, these brutes
will break you engine! Keepers are 33" from nose to fork of tail with
one per person or no more than 6 per vessel. Jacks, ladyfish, pompano,
spanish mackeral and bluefish tend to make up the Spring bycatch.
Just around the corner comes the Silver King, a.k.a. tarpon! Tarpon
season starts c.middle of April when the water warms, and the migration
of threadfin herring - upon which tarpon feed - show up en masse.
Running anywhere from 40 lbs. to 225 lbs., these brutes are completing
their annual migration to Boca Grande Pass - which brings them by
Sanibel and Captiva as they migrate from the South to the North.
Threadfin herring, 'dollar' crabs, pinfish, catfish tails, and flies
resembling crabs, shrimp, or bait fish all work effectively. Look for
schools of tarpon at sunrise rolling in the early morning calm water as
they fill their air bladders. Position yourself ahead of their path and
cast back toward them. If you hook up, hold on! Fight them 'down and
away', and don't let them come up for air!
This is about as exciting as it gets in the fishing world. All those
possibilities (and maybe even the 'Big One')! Today I fantasize;
tomorrow I practice! Don't jerk it 'til you feel the tug; and be
prepared to yank and crank!
Cheers,
Capt. Dave Torrance
Mercury Saltwater Team
Bait Box Fishing Guide
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