Small Flounder @ Flattie Bridge 9/17

This report is from last week, I forgot to post this picture of a short flounder I caught that night on Gulp shrimp new penny.

13" Flounder @ Flattie Rock 9/15

Another later than usual trip to the bridge. I arrived after midnight and immediately started working the north side. No hits but I kept going. Then the famous flattie rock spot opened up again, and I make a jetline to the area before anyone else. I'm working my 1/2 red jighead and white grub tail, aka river killer. I feel the tap and give it a few seconds, then set the hook. Saw it was a flounder and quickly got it over the rails, this one measured 13" long. As soon as this flounder went into the bucket the weather changed instantly. It went from calm to gusty winds, to the point where I couldn't feel the bite if I wanted to. Then it started sprinkling, so I packed up and headed back to the car. I thought my trip might be over, but after checking the weather I saw it was breaking apart. I figured it would be a good time to visit the local Walmart and look around while I wait for the weather to clear up. This plan worked because when I got back from Walmart, the winds were calm again and no rain in sight. And better yet, my flattie rock spot was still open! yay!
So I went back where I left off but couldn't buy a hit. I even fished the leftover live mullet that I had in the car from yesterday. I got a few hits on the live mullet but nothing would take the whole bait. They were half ass striking the mullet. Packed up the live mullet rig and started working my way towards the car using my flounder rig. I got a few taps here and there, almost had a fish but I'm not sure what it was. Felt like a flounder but I didn't see it. By now, I'm almost back to the car and nothing is going on. It's late and I'm tired, so I called it a night.

14" Flounder @ Flattie Rock 9/14

Headed over to the flattie bridge for some more flounder. I wasn't in any rush getting there on a Saturday night knowing it would be busy. I arrived after midnight to find only a few parties still hanging around. So I unloaded and started jigging. The ladyfish are busting all over the place on the north side of the bridge, but they have been difficult to hook lately. I'm still trying to figure out the right combo that'll entice them to bite. I'm not sure what they're eating and why they're not striking the typical lures I'm accustomed too. So far the last couple weeks, though, I've hooked two on a small silver body/red head gotcha plug working it relatively fast with vigorous twitches. Thats the report on ladyfish if you want to catch them.

Though tonight I was tuning my flounder fishing. Couldn't buy a hit though, then my favorite flounder hole opened up. This spot is where I've caught most of my flounder in the past couple weeks, and it's the only spot where I've landed the keepers. It was known as the snook hole by rumor but I still haven't found any snook at the bridge, so I'll call this spot "Flattie Rock".
I put on a 1/2oz red jighead and a pearl white Gulp Swimming Mullet and worked the bottom slowly. I got a strike as soon as one of my casts hit bottom, and landed a fat 14" flounder in the bucket. Worked the area thoroughly some more but didn't get anything else. Packed up and went over to the long pier under the tall bridge for some finger mullet. Two castnet tosses later I had 8-10 perfect sized finger mullet on the bubbler. Moved back over to the flattie bridge and hooked up those live mullets on a free line. The ladyfish were still striking out in the distance and a few times they hit my live mullet but thats all it was, a strike. Didn't get a chance to fight anything. Called it a night and brought home the remaining live mullet for tomorrow night.

Two Short Flounder @ Flattie Bridge 9/12

Yuuuuuup another night another fishing adventure! Last night I headed to the flat bridge to catch the last of the outgoing tide, it was only a few hours until low tide. The current was still moving pretty good when I arrived around 10pm, so I had to use a 1/2oz jighead to feel bottom. I started on the south side of the bridge and fished all the way across without a hit. Not looking good.

By now a few people have left and a couple gentlemen were just leaving the "snook hole" I like to call it. I crossed over the road to fish the north side on my way back to the car. Figured I better get on it while it's still available so as soon as those guys left I took the spot. Tried again for flounder closer to the rocks but no hits...so I went to the light post and jigged both sides. I caught two short flounder in pretty much the same spot. The first one was very small, it bit the gulp mantis shrimp - new penny color. The other 10.5" flounder inhaled my famous "river killer" combo. Both got a quick release to grow.

Fun Fact:
River Killer combo = 1/2oz red Mission Fishin jighead with a 5" white curly tail scented with Pro-Cure Shrimp Super Gel.
Now you know the secret!!

1st GOLIATH GROUPER! Flat Bridge Sunday Night

Drove solo out to Port Orange to hitup the bridge again. After hanging out with my friend for most of the evening, I arrived late to the bridge around midnight. I started on the north side this time using my "river killer" combo. Near the middle of the bridge I almost caught a nice flounder but lost it at the surface. I dropped the bait near the same spot I lost it and it went after it again, but didn't commit. After a couple tries the flounder must have lost interest or got spooked away, I couldn't get another hit after that. So I crossed the bridge to the south side, working my way near Aunt Catfish's and the rocks. I couldn't buy a hit next to the bridge so I casually casted out several feet near the rocks. Before I could start reeling I get a nice hit and it's running towards rocks for cover. I get it out of the danger zone and lift it up. I was surprised to see my first Goliath Grouper! It was only about 12" long but very cool to see. These groupers can get huge, up to 800 pounds. Florida record is 680 pounds. All Goliath Groupers are protected and must be released.

Saturday Night Flattie Bridge Report 9/7

Took my friend Kyle to the flat bridge Saturday night for some fishing. We started on the south side of the bridge and worked our way down with very few bites. Near the middle of the bridge I finially got a tap and after a few seconds I pulled up an undersized flounder that got a release. Continued to fish the south side with no more hits, so we crossed over to the north side where we had the rare opportunity to fish the "snook hole". It's the spot on the north side all the way to the left near the rocks. This spot is usually taken by other fishermen everytime I visit the flat bridge.

I started with a silver/red head gotcha plug and hooked a ladyfish that took my line for a ride. After a huge leap out of the water the hook popped off. That was it on the ladyfish action. Couldn't get another one to bite my hook.

Switched back over to the "river killer" combo, which is simply a white twister tail on a red jighead. This is the same setup I caught the undersized flounder I mentioned above. So I dropped it straight down and started working it slowly, then felt the tap tap tap. Pulled up a nice 14" flounder that went into the bucket. I dropped my jig down at the same spot and felt another tap tap tap...it was another flounder! Though this one came off as soon as it surfaced the water. That was it for the night!

A Day Fishing with Cody - NSB Redfish

My son Cody had the day off school Thursday for a jewish holiday and I was off work by 1pm. We had all day to mess around so I took him to New Smyrna for some fishing. We each only brought a jigging pole so we were working artificials. First stop we arrived at a boat dock across the street from the popular bar in New Smyrna. Tide was very low. We walked out from the parking lot and noticed a bunch of fiddler crabs scattering about along the shoreline so we walked over there. Cody got a kick out of hunting the fiddler crabs and trying to catch them. When he finds one he traps it with a small cup and then yells for me to retrieve his catch LOL. We did this for awhile and actually caught some nice sized fiddlers. I put the ones we caught in a bucket so Cody could watch them. After we were done with the crabs we walked over to the wood dock and started throwing the jigs. I didn't have any luck but on one of Cody's casts I was watching the jig in the water. Cody wasn't paying attention, but as he's reeling in I see a small flounder chasing his bait for a second. Cody had already reeled up, not knowing there was a fish chasing his lure. He almost got one. That was it for that spot, so we moved to the South Causeway.

There we fished by the shallow area near the parking lot. Throwing a white gulp swimming mullet I casted as far as I could with a 1/4 jighead. As soon as it hit water I felt a bite and it was fish on. Nothing spectacular but it was a cute little redfish about 12" long. Gave it a safe release after a quick photo. While we were there Cody noticed a lure stuck in the water near the seawall. I grabbed a trebble hook and started playing around trying to snag it. It lifted up easily, it wasn't even stuck to anything. I was surprised how easy it came up. Inspected it and decided to keep it, it's a chartruese silver Catch Jr Mirrolure. The hooks are rusted out but those can be replaced. Free lure, can't beat that!

We hit the flat bridge after this and noticed the wind had picked up on that side of town. We didn't spend too much time here but I did jig the bottom for a little bit with a white twister tail. Felt the flounder tap and hooked a nice flounder, but my knot failed when I tried to lift it out of the water. oops! That was it for us, we had a good day and it was time to start heading back.

Flat Bridge Report 8/29

Hit the flat bridge last night from 10pm to midnight. Still trying to find the ladyfish pretty much all week but haven't had any luck. I know they are still hanging around the area but they are shy on the bite. The ladyfish are used primarily for sharking, it's my #1 bait for sharks in fact. I think every shark I've caught, besides bonnetheads, has been on cut ladyfish. Alot of times I go to the flat bridge to specifically target ladyfish for the bait freezer. I'm probably the only person there that wants to catch a ladyfish LOL.

Intel from locals that fish the flat bridge often are catching a few small ladyfish, trout, flounder, and now some small snook have made an abundant appearance recently. My online friend "fishnfool" fishes the flat bridge just about every morning at 4am to sunrise. He says most days the bite only lasts about 20 minutes and then shuts down. He has been catching some ladyfish too, so I know they are in the area.

So last night I returned with the same agenda but unfortunately yet again I couldn't get the ladyfish to bite. I tried several spots around the bridge lights and only came up with an undersized flounder that got a release. It was caught on the DOA mullet paddletail. During the last couple weeks the needlefish have found a new home around the bridge lights too. Those annoying fish can easily snip the tails off my plastic bait, rendering them useless. Hopefully the needlefish depart soon so I'm not spending so much money on soft plastic baits!

Saturday Night Sharkin' - Bethune Beach

Another night trip to Bethune Beach with Zack. We arrived before midnight and setup two rods, both baited with cut crevalle jack. The action was very slow most of the evening, in fact, only a few small bites but nothing was hooking. I didn't catch anything but my friend Zack caught another 3' Atlantic Sharpnose shark at the end of the night. The fight was disappointing though, it really didn't fight at all. It pretty much came in without any aggresive runs. The shark swallowed the hook and was already bleeding out when it came on the beach. So I began the process of cutting and gutting the shark for the cooler. We had to packup to ice down the shark so we ended up leaving a little earlier than planned. Here's Zacks shark on the beach...

Wednesday Night Shark! 37" Atlantic Sharpnose

Took my two friends Kyle and Zack to the Bethune Beach last night and had a blast again! Armed with ladyfish, each of us had a chance at a toothy shark tonight. The first hit came on Kyle's rod but it didn't stick to the hook. It quickly came off after a brief battle. Next turn was Zack. He had just casted and was about to put his pants back on...wait wait...let me explain this. We typically wear long pants and shoes on the beach at night because of the no-see-ums and mesquitos. They can be really annoying and uncomfortable during the summer. So everytime we cast our lines out, we take off our pants leaving our boardshorts on so we can get wet. Once the rod is set in the sand spike, we dry our legs off to put the long pants back on. You have to keep exposed skin to a minimum during the summer nights in Florida. =)

So back to the story, as I was saying it was Zacks turn. He had just casted his line out and dried off. As he was putting his pants on, his rod gets a bend. This is the crucial moment where you have to rush to the rod. Needless to say, Zack was a little delayed in getting to the rod with his pants around his ankles haha. The bite didn't stick unfortunately and the fish was gone.
And finially, it was my turn. My rod gets a good lick and I immediately feel the battle. During retrieve it tangles lines with another rod, but I still successfully got it in. It was a 37" Atlantic Sharpnose shark! And to top it off, Zack and Kyle untangled the lines without cutting anything off. It took them a good 10-15 minutes, but they got it figured out.