Low water narrows the playing field
Capt. Joe Porcelli
December 31, 2008
Mosquito Lagoon - Saltwater Fishing Report
Happy New Year!
Reds are in the grass as well as in the white sand holes. Toss your Gulp shrimp past your targeted sand hole and crank it into it. Let it fall and you should get tapped. If that is not your style, fish one of many schools of reds. If you can get to them, the water level in the lagoon is very low so be careful. It wouldn't be a good new year's ending if you hurt a loved one or anyone for that matter. I have heard some nightmares from other guides running aground this week...wonder what that feels like? I don't want to know. The water level is down 1.5 feet. This is where my tunnel hull shines.
Tarra and Terry Williams (above) show a Black Drum from the Mosquito Lagoon
Mike, Tarra and Terry Williams dancing with rods.
Chris from Georgia and Lonnie Everett joined forces out a few days ago and caught over thirty reds. Chris also caught his first black drum as well.
We took many reds on every trip this week with many over the slot. Big trout are in the sand holes as well. January 1st is opening day for trout and I have been holding out on the special trout baits I use until that time. Not holding out, just avoiding using the Gulp 5" chartreuse Jerk Shad rigged Capt. Joe Porcelli style. Kayle hook in the nose about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch just in the tip of the nose. I like to sharply twitch the bait so it jerks and pauses duplicating an injured bait. This is one of the styles I have taught at seminars for almost 20 years now. I have been rigging artificial baits like this since 1973. I remember showing how to rig a shrimp backwards, pinch off the tail, and hook it just 1/2 inch into the first joint. All you do is slowly troll it in just under the surface (or deep if need be) or drift it in the current, or add a lead six inches ahead. One time I was showing this and one guide (Capt. Bill) replied in the crowd to belittle me "You silly boy... shrimp don't swim backwards!". My suttle reply was "EVER SEEN A SHRIMP GET CHASED?" LOL. I teach many weedless rigs as well, but this was easy when you want to go from natural to artificial in about a second. Now that other baits have evolved like Gulp shrimp etc., pinch the tail off and rig it like you do your real ones. They fly further when you cast them and that is only one benefit. The temps have dropped a few degrees yesterday; now our highs will be 70ish for the next few days. The water temp in the lagoon was 67 yesterday down from 70 a few days ago. The black drum were in full force this week as they have been for me for the last four months or more. Tails sticking straight up taking almost 20 seconds to suck his prey off the bottom. I fished them in a crowd yesterday and the appeal is not what it was many months ago when they were calm and happy all the time. The fish are about three to 12 pounds. Try to pitch a Gulp crab at these blacks in the natural color. They eat light so I spool my Abu Garcia Soron STX 20 with 8# Fire line, then you can feel everything, even a fish swimming at you. We took just a few small flounder this week, nothing to brag about but I have seen a few scurry off in the past few days.
Remember...think like a fish to catch fish, or just call me 386 314-5656
or email me at [email protected]
Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Forecast:
Low Low water so go around!
Target Species:
Black Drum, trout and redfish
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