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Stick Marsh & Farm 13
Capt. George Welcome
February 28, 2004
Stick Marsh-Farm 13 - Freshwater Fishing Report
Over the last 10 days Scott and I have done a combined 16 trips on the Marsh.
During that 10 days we have had three high pressure cold fronts come barreling
through Florida combined with rain and high winds. Rain falls were adequate
enough to get St John's Water Management to open the SE spillway to lower waters
south of the Farm. Presently we have a high hanging right over us with winds
blowing 25 MPH and gusting. Through it all we have had some good days, some fair
days, and some not so good days.
However, all of our customers came to fish, and fish they did no matter what
mother nature threw at them. They all fished like pros, never letting a skinny
bite, wind, or rain, dampen their enthusiasm.
Big fish honors went to Mike Packard on day one of his trip. This 10 pound bass
came on a Senko in the south end of the Farm. Fishing with Scott they worked the
south central area of the Farm using the Senkos ahead of the boat in a stiff SW
wind.
Scott followed up with this 8 pound bass, again on a Senko, late in the day.
We use the Senko weightless, and color choices are all in the dark ranges.
Most of what we have on board are in the watermelon varieties. The key to
success with this bait is to work it slow keeping it in constant contact with
the bottom. The fish are either down in the grass or holding tight to the grass
and if you don't go slow you are not going to catch them.
One of the 2 day trips was with friend and client Tommy Anderson and his
friend Tony, We found a real good rattletrap bite on day two on the Stick Marsh
and Tony landed this 7 pound bass early on in the day. Tommy missed what would
have been his second monster bass on the last cast of the day as a big gal
slammed his rattletrap and headed for home with it.
Tommy's first trip netted him this giant bass. Note the apparent weather. It was
close to 90 with no wind that day. This trip we dealt with wind on one day and
cool temperatures both days.
Previously in one of my reports we dealt with how to measure a fish as
published by the Florida Game and Fish. However, measuring in no way can be as
accurate as weighing the fish, and we carry Boga Grips on both boats. All fish
photographed are weighed, measured if the client wants to get a replica made,
and then released for the next fisherman that has the luck to find her.
Sometimes we leave the water feeling as if we blew it. Although this is
fishing and the fish will do as they wish we really feel bad if the fish just
won't bite. My last trip was a mega-disaster with the customer catching only one
fish. We fished in several locations on both the Farm and the Marsh and my
client just couldn't get bit. It wasn't a case of missed bites, it was the case
of no bites. I don't know, but I suspect someone put the whammy on him. However
through it all George Pelletier, my client, maintained high spirits and never
stopped casting. Thanks George for all your good humor. You turned what could
have been a bad trip into a grand trip and I look forward to your return in
June.
See you on the water. Say hi if you get the chance.
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