AFW

By Jason
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Saturday, June 18, 2005 - Father's Day Weekend

We have been looking forward to a nice dry day to go out for several weeks now.  After monitoring the weather for the last few days, I felt today would be a prime opportunity to get out on the water and do some fishing and recreation.  I was able to convince Karla to hold off on the garage sale (BORRRRRING!) so we could go fishing instead.  Also, on Friday, Karla picked up some menhaden oil which prompted me to put together a special soup of chum, for the first time.  I used the "other blender", you know, the one that the wife says will never be used for food (lol).  I blended ingredients to make 1 gallon of the special mix.  Next time I'll make 2 or 3 gallons.

Today I was awakened at 5am and snoozed until 5:40am at which time I awakened the family.  We were on water by about 6:40am, which was right around sunrise.  On this trip was Karla, Amber, Carlos and myself.  A party of 4 which was just the right number before people start to get in each other's way.

With an excellent blend of coffee in hand, courtesy of Carlos, the water was as smooth as glass, and we glided down the river, through the miserable mile, which wasn't so miserable at this hour, and out near the Sanibel Causeway where we were promptly anchored about 7:30.

We began releasing some of that special chum on the incoming tide.  After some time, perhaps 30 minutes or so, and patience wearing a little thin (take a deep breath, this is suppose to be fun!), we begin to see movement in the water.  ALL RIGHT!  Yeah!  I put Carlos to work distributing some other chum right next to the boat while I made numerous casts over the critters.  After perhaps 20 casts or more, we had a load of about 50% shiners, & 50% pinfish, one of which was big - 5 or 6 inches.

Of course, the kids went through the bait well and picked out some "pets" that they put in other containers and played with for hours.  Amber & Carlos found what appeared to be 2 baby inch-long snook in the mix.

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11:00am

Some guys in a 19 foot bay boat came over and we helped them catch a few bait fish.  The bait was most abundant between 8:15am and 8:45am.  But after that, it was very thin.  They were able to catch some bait fish. 

We went on our way and ended up near Tarpon Bay, and we drifted about 100 feet off the mangroves.  With a load of bait, and confidence high, we quickly got a little bored when we had zero bites.  After some time we motored to between the mouth of TB and St. James City.  We anchored and worked the water.  After much time, I got a bite!  All right......bringing him in....oh man, it is pulling like a cockroach....bring him up.....yes, it was a stinking catfish.  

After some time and the fact that Carlos wanted to go shark fishing, we decided not to work Pine Island sound, but go around Sanibel to Knapps Point.  Before were able to get out of the bay, we saw a line of grass & weed with lots of jumpers in it!  We quickly stopped and observed.  There were hundreds of fish 2 to 4 inches in length and churning.  We made many attempts to cast to them but after much frustration and being told I don't know how to drive (LOL) we were not able to net any of them.  

We abandoned this area and continued outbound toward the 3rd span of the Sanibel Causeway were we saw no less than 10 boats anchored.  So we became #11 and worked the water for a while. We had a friendly pelican take position near us:

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1:00pm - Sanibel Causeway Span C

We fished the strong outgoing tide for a while (23 foot depth), and I set the pole in the holder and enjoyed the relaxation.  After a while, I looked back and saw that my pole was bent over half way with the line in the opposite direction of the tideflow!  I struggled to gain control of the line but shortly after the line snapped.  Tarpon? Shark?  Something big for sure.  With 20 lb line, and 40 lb leader, I found that it was my line that snapped, not the leader nor did it snap at any joints.  Karla eventually caught a catfish.  Thinking this may be one of the few opportunities we have to take a picture of a fish-on-hook today, I snapped this shot:

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1:32pm - Sanibel Causeway Span C

We finally moved on, swung around the light house, and stopped a little short of Knapps Point, and about a mile offshore.  The water was remarkable; it was very clear with a light green tint.  We drift-fished.  Each time I brought my bait in there would be fish the same size or a little bigger schooling with it.  Several times I brought my bait back with it's entire tail and abdominal area was clearly bitten off.  One time as I brought my bait in a fish that appeared to be a small shark about 12 inches in length bit the bait fish sideways and held onto it for several seconds as I reeled it in.  Then, I gave my pole a yank but was not able to hook this guy.  The fish did not eat my bait!  Strange!

After a long bout of drifting and disappointment, I finally caught this little Crevalle Jack:

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4:35pm - Gulf South Side Of Sanibel

We then headed to an area a mile SW of the light house in hopes of finding some sharks.  We were not able to find anything there.

Next stop: Fort Myers Beach.  We stopped near the Lani Kai and relaxed for a while.  Carlos was soon picked up and so now the crew was down to 3.  

We headed out to the SC tripod channel marker and noticed several flats boats fishing that area.  We drifted away from that area and fished without any luck.  We did catch another amazing sunset once again:

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8:19pm - Sunset Over Sanibel

At this point we (I) are feeling pretty much like we need to take a fishing class or something!  What a terrible fishing day!

Bugs were minimal but we did get a few bites so out came the Off.

We eventually powered up and made a b-line towards the lighthouse.  Watching the depth steady from 10-15 feet, it quickly dropped 6-5-3 ahhh!!!!  HOLD ON...2, 1.5 feet!  We shut down and fished for a while about a mile from the lighthouse, drifting inbound and toward the lighthouse. 

A while after this was when things really started to get interesting. 

I caught a lady fish:

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9:16pm - Between Sanibel & Ft. Myers Beach

Amber also had some activity of her own:

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"I  was  fishing  then It start  of  pulling.  I  had it  and was big tarpon  IT BROKE OFF.IT WAS BIG AS ME. IT was so HEAVY."

Now her experience and the next event that happened made this whole trip worth it.

Karla is fishing and a all of a sudden the clicker goes off - A NEVER BEFORE HEARD SOUND IN OUR BOAT! Something is pulling toward the right of the boat.   Karla started brining in the line and eventually it was on the left side of the boat.  Winding and winding.  I shine the spotlight and holy smokes Karla thought it was a big redfish but I saw it and WHOA it was a shark!  Karla handed me the pole, and I sent Amber to the back of the boat for safety.  She got on the bench with feet up!  There was no way were were not going to try to land this guy.  Karla was reluctant with this idea but I had her get the brand new fish net we have had for a month (and never needed to use it LOL).  This sucker was big...I wedged him in the net and he fell out, several times.  On the 3rd try, I wedged him just right and got him on the front deck:

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9:51pm - Between Sanibel & Ft. Myers Beach

His teeth looked razor sharp.  The hook was a monster to get out, just as it always is with a shark.   This shark was far bigger than ANYTHING we have ever caught.  Karla's pole was a month old pole from Walmart I respun with 25lb Renegade line, 40lb Trilene leader, a weighted regular J-hook, and 2 splitshot weights above the leader.  I struggled to hold the 16.5lb 4 foot shark up for this picture to be taken:

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9:51pm - Between Sanibel & Ft. Myers Beach

What an amazing catch.  This was a very satisfying feeling.  I set my mind to landing this and together we were able to do it.  I am not sure what depth we were in but I would estimate 10-15 feet.  In the black of the night some boaters came by to watch the 10 minute event. 

After cooling down a while, about 50 minutes later in 17 feet of water Karla hooked up this nice Spotted Sea Trout:

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10:40pm - Between Sanibel & Ft. Myers Beach

14 minutes later I hooked one up too.  See the pinfish still on the hook:

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10:54PM - Between Sanibel & Ft. Myers Beach

We continued to drift coming to about 1/4 mile to the lighthouse.  We saw several boats anchored in this area.  We dropped the anchor and gave it a try but go no hits whatsoever.  

We headed back and returned returned a record 18 hours after we left - 12:30am.  An hour to wash the boat and to bed at an exhausting 2:00am.

• Water temperature (Fahrenheit): 87-88

• Wind: minimal

• Distance Traveled (mi): 54
  Running low on our fuel budget for the month.  With these fuel prices, I'm going to have to start paddling everywhere soon.

• Hours out: 18

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