Katmaster Jr.
04-23-2006, 08:51 PM
We just got back from our trip to Florida, I got to fish Monday evening threw Friday night. I fished the Sunshine Skyway, St. Pete. everyday, and I fished at Gandy Bridge a little on Thursday afternoon.
Here's the report for each day fishing
Monday evening
The tide was going very strong, so strong in fact that I could not keep an 8 ounce weight down! I caught some bait very easily, they were threadfin shad, Blue fish, and other small fish. But with the tide going that strong it was pretty much impossible to fish, I tried though and didn't get any hit's at all from the big fish. So I just called it a night.
Tuesday
I got out to the end of the pier at about 5 am, nothing was biting when I first got there, when the sun came up a lot of very small Spanish Mackeral were biting good so I got out my ultralight pole for them. Later in the day on Tuesday the King Mackeral started biting, however I did not have the proper hook's and rig's for them so I pretty much watched everyone else catch them right beside me and I only got like a few Spanish Mackeral.
Wenesday
I hit the bait shop right before going to the pier and got the stuff I needed for the King Mackeral that a lot of other people were catching. I switched 2 of my pole's to King Mackeral rig's and hooked a King Mackeral after waiting about an hour, he hit a free lined Greenback (which is a type of shad). The fish got off after about a 1 minute fight, I was pretty discouraged but I did not let it stop me. Some people on the end left and I moved down there and took their spot, the end is usually a lot better then any other places. I got out my small rod and reel which is a Abu Garcia Ambassaduer 6000 on a Medium action rod, I normally use it for Striper Fishing. It only has 15lb Line on it. I put a nice live bait on it and tossed it off the end, patiently waiting for a strike......and all of the sudden.....BAM!!! A big King Mackeral hit! The fish took off on a very fast run and took about 100+ yard's of line in a matter of second's! I just held on praying that the fish wouldn't spool me or get off. Everytime I got the fish close to the pier it would take off on another blistening fast run, after about a 45+ minute fight I had the fish up to the pier. Someone came over with a Gaff on a rope, they missed with the gaff and it wrapped around my line a number of time's, this had me feeling pretty discouraged...as it looked like I was not going to land the fish. But wait, someone come's over with a big net on a rope and after struggling for about 15 minute's we managed to have the 22lb, 46 inch, King Mackeral on the pier! I was really excited, it was probably the best fight I've ever had. Anyone that has caught a King Mackeral know's how great they fight, but on a small pole like I had it was really crazy! The guy in the pier baithouse took my picture and said that was an awesome catch, he said that was a very big Kingfish for the pier, and that on 15lb Line it was even better of a catch! I fished the rest of the day but didn't get anymore after that one. I gave my fish to the person who helped me land it, well right before he left he came over and gave me $20 and said that someone had offered to buy the fish from him so he sold it to them and gave me the money!
Thursday
I fished the Skyway again in the morning until about 2pm, I went to Gandy Bridge to meet Big Country01 (a member on here) around 3pm. The fishing on the skyway was pretty slow until about noon. At noon I started catching a lot of nice Spanish Mackeral, and I even caught a Bonita, which is in the Tuna family, I caught the 2nd Bonita off of that pier according to the man working in the pier baitshop. It was an awesome fight and took about 15 minute's to land. After that I left for gandy bridge and met Big Country, the fishing was tough there, I only had one hit the whole time but I was really more into meeting Big Country then to the fishing part. Let me tell you, he is an awesome guy! Very friendly, and my grandparent's also met him and said that he was a very nice person. I can't wait to fish with him again. Only thing about him is that the only thing he would talk about is Nanner puddin......nanner puddin this, nanner puddin that......LOLhttp://www.********.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Friday
This was my last day fishing in Florida, I fished the skyway pier again all day. I threw a Silver spoon carolina rigged with a 3 ounce weight. I caught a countless number of BIG Spanish Mackeral and even had another big Kingfish up to the pier that got off right before we gaffed it. I was giving away all of my fish and then once again someone came up and gave me money for the fish. In the evening Big Country01 came fishing with me again and I showed him how a youngin' does it!....LOL I caught a bunch more of big Spanish Mackeral and Big Country only caught one....I tried not to rub it in too much.http://www.********.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif
I really had a great trip, I'd have to say it was some of the best fishing I've ever done, and meeting Big Country was a blast! I got a good amount of picture's of some of my fish and of the scenery. I now wish I had taken more picture's but I was pretty busy fishing.
Hold for picture's......I will post them in several post directly below.
Here's the report for each day fishing
Monday evening
The tide was going very strong, so strong in fact that I could not keep an 8 ounce weight down! I caught some bait very easily, they were threadfin shad, Blue fish, and other small fish. But with the tide going that strong it was pretty much impossible to fish, I tried though and didn't get any hit's at all from the big fish. So I just called it a night.
Tuesday
I got out to the end of the pier at about 5 am, nothing was biting when I first got there, when the sun came up a lot of very small Spanish Mackeral were biting good so I got out my ultralight pole for them. Later in the day on Tuesday the King Mackeral started biting, however I did not have the proper hook's and rig's for them so I pretty much watched everyone else catch them right beside me and I only got like a few Spanish Mackeral.
Wenesday
I hit the bait shop right before going to the pier and got the stuff I needed for the King Mackeral that a lot of other people were catching. I switched 2 of my pole's to King Mackeral rig's and hooked a King Mackeral after waiting about an hour, he hit a free lined Greenback (which is a type of shad). The fish got off after about a 1 minute fight, I was pretty discouraged but I did not let it stop me. Some people on the end left and I moved down there and took their spot, the end is usually a lot better then any other places. I got out my small rod and reel which is a Abu Garcia Ambassaduer 6000 on a Medium action rod, I normally use it for Striper Fishing. It only has 15lb Line on it. I put a nice live bait on it and tossed it off the end, patiently waiting for a strike......and all of the sudden.....BAM!!! A big King Mackeral hit! The fish took off on a very fast run and took about 100+ yard's of line in a matter of second's! I just held on praying that the fish wouldn't spool me or get off. Everytime I got the fish close to the pier it would take off on another blistening fast run, after about a 45+ minute fight I had the fish up to the pier. Someone came over with a Gaff on a rope, they missed with the gaff and it wrapped around my line a number of time's, this had me feeling pretty discouraged...as it looked like I was not going to land the fish. But wait, someone come's over with a big net on a rope and after struggling for about 15 minute's we managed to have the 22lb, 46 inch, King Mackeral on the pier! I was really excited, it was probably the best fight I've ever had. Anyone that has caught a King Mackeral know's how great they fight, but on a small pole like I had it was really crazy! The guy in the pier baithouse took my picture and said that was an awesome catch, he said that was a very big Kingfish for the pier, and that on 15lb Line it was even better of a catch! I fished the rest of the day but didn't get anymore after that one. I gave my fish to the person who helped me land it, well right before he left he came over and gave me $20 and said that someone had offered to buy the fish from him so he sold it to them and gave me the money!
Thursday
I fished the Skyway again in the morning until about 2pm, I went to Gandy Bridge to meet Big Country01 (a member on here) around 3pm. The fishing on the skyway was pretty slow until about noon. At noon I started catching a lot of nice Spanish Mackeral, and I even caught a Bonita, which is in the Tuna family, I caught the 2nd Bonita off of that pier according to the man working in the pier baitshop. It was an awesome fight and took about 15 minute's to land. After that I left for gandy bridge and met Big Country, the fishing was tough there, I only had one hit the whole time but I was really more into meeting Big Country then to the fishing part. Let me tell you, he is an awesome guy! Very friendly, and my grandparent's also met him and said that he was a very nice person. I can't wait to fish with him again. Only thing about him is that the only thing he would talk about is Nanner puddin......nanner puddin this, nanner puddin that......LOLhttp://www.********.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif
Friday
This was my last day fishing in Florida, I fished the skyway pier again all day. I threw a Silver spoon carolina rigged with a 3 ounce weight. I caught a countless number of BIG Spanish Mackeral and even had another big Kingfish up to the pier that got off right before we gaffed it. I was giving away all of my fish and then once again someone came up and gave me money for the fish. In the evening Big Country01 came fishing with me again and I showed him how a youngin' does it!....LOL I caught a bunch more of big Spanish Mackeral and Big Country only caught one....I tried not to rub it in too much.http://www.********.com/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif
I really had a great trip, I'd have to say it was some of the best fishing I've ever done, and meeting Big Country was a blast! I got a good amount of picture's of some of my fish and of the scenery. I now wish I had taken more picture's but I was pretty busy fishing.
Hold for picture's......I will post them in several post directly below.