TEAM JO-JO:
Me had a solid first mate locked in for Friday’s trip—none other than Big Rudy, a seasoned veteran of Team Jo-Jo’s adventures. But something felt missing. A good crew thrives with more hands, more laughs, and more memories, so me turned to me trusty Team Jo-Jo Fishing Curriculum Session list to recruit a second mate.
First up, Big Penney—me dialed her up with high hopes, but she quickly shut it down. “No can go,” says she. Undeterred, me rang up Big Denise, thinking maybe she’d be eager to wet a line. “No can go,” says she too.
And just like that, me was transported back to the days of youth, standing in dimly lit lounges and dance halls, mustering up the courage to ask the ladies for a dance—only to be met with a once-over and a firm “No.” Ah, the sting of rejection! A shy, timid, and vulnerable soul me was back then, and those moments shaped me into the fisherman me be today. No more waiting around—just cast the line and see who bites!
So, me switched tactics. No more asking the ladies. Me went straight to a reliable catch—Big Don. One call and his answer were music to me ears: “Count me in,” says he. Now we had a proper crew—Big Rudy, Big Don, and Oneofthepack, all set for a grand fishing escapade.
Plan “A” was Delacroix, but when me checked the water levels, they told a different story—3.6 feet and dropping. That meant no water in the slip, and barely any in Delacroix itself. A fishing trip without water? Not a good look. Me had to call Big Don with the dreaded words: “Trip’s off.”
But fear not, for where one plan sinks, another sets sail! Plan “B” was immediately in motion—MRGO it was! With Big Rudy by me side, we turned our sights toward the reliable waters of the Gulf Outlet, where the Silverwonders awaited.
Stay tuned, for the real adventure was just beginning!
SIGNS:
· Been off water to long
· Saw an opening in weather Friday so we took it
· Did not sleep a wink, tossed and turned all might
· Up at 3:30 AM for our 5:00 Am meet up at Waffle House in Oak Harbor
· Me was early for me got a bowl of grits & cup of coffee
· Big Rudy right on time
· Loaded up his gear and we on our 11 & 90 had no wildlife sightings’
· Not many boats on Hwy, gas stations, and/or boat launches
· Made stop for go juice, now have to full tanks
· Made our way to Gulf Outlet Marine, Big Tony greeted us outside, gave us some intel, not good it b, not much catching going on, noy=t many going out.
· Big Rudy backed down the Bay Flat Jr, Yamaha Nightmare Machine took 2 pulls to get her started, not bad at all
· Off to MRGO rocks to start our day of fun.
CONDITIONS:
· Perfect
· Wind, calm, E.S.E. 6-8 mph
· Water status / conditions: Calm, very slight chop
· Sky, sunny & clear
· Temp, Kept jumpsuit on all day
· Water level, down 4-6”
· Water Temp , 60.08 F
· Salinity, 2.0
· Specific Conductance 3720
· Pressure, 29.99 F
· Water clarity on a scale of 1-7, 3 minus very sandy looking
· Mississippi gauge: 11.8’
· Caernarvon Outfall: 6200 ft3/s wide open, not good
· Tide, falling all day (crazy tides today)
· Peak tide, 05:30 L 0.03’
· Peak tide, 06:35 H 0.3’
· Peak tide, 08:15 L 0.03’
· Peak tide, 19:28 H 1.64’
· Major Feed Time: 10:47 / 23:18
· Minor feed time: 01:19 / 11:17
· Tidal Coefficient: 36 Very low not good
· Fish Activity
· High Activity
· Boats went out and about 10-12 came out late
· ONEOFTHEPACK’S REPERTOIRE OF TECHNIQUES / STRATEGIES
· Be safe.
· Have fun.
· This is me daily therapy for ALL me aliments.
· Put some run time on the Bay Flat Jr and the Yamaha Nightmare Machine
· Gather Intel for future trips, and to share with fisherperson, (on Facebook) to help assist them in their choice of areas to fish, lures to use and presentation of same to the elusive Silverwonders.
· Catch what catch can.
· Learn what learn can.
· See if:
§ NMRs still along rocks
§ If jerk baits till working / producing
§ Water clarity fishable
· Bring home some fishes for petite Yana
Find a spot # with the seven fundamentals / criteria of catching:
1 WIND AT YOUR BACK: (Wind not a factor today, fish anyway we wanted)
2 MOVING WATER: (Moving all day but not to strong)
3 WATER CALRITY: (A 3 minus, sandy and dirty looking, took all the wind out of me sails for the day)
4 HOLDING FISH: (The Pen)
5 PATIENCES: (Needed plenty of slow action day, but kept us interested most of the day)
6 SKILL: (Tight lining)
7 LUCKS: (Did not get skunked)
· Oneofthepack’s repertoire of Techniques / presentations:
· Anchor up cast & retrieve slowly along the bottom, with a twitch every now and then, tight lining…………………………………Most fish caught this way
· Drift with the wind cast & retrieve (DWWC&R)……………DID NOT TRY
· Oak River Troll (ORT)……………….Nothing.
· Reverse Oak River Troll (RORT) ………..DID NOT TRY
· Oak River Skim (ORS) ……………DID NOT TRY
· Cork ……..Nothing
· Lake P Troll (LPT)…………….Did not try.
· Drop shot: Did not try.
· Dead bait……None
· Live bait………………None
· Oneofthepack ‘S repertOIRE of LURE DU JOUR:
· 3” H&H Purple Beetle, matched up with H&H ¼ oz. round white head with gold hook……………Did not try
· 3” Chartreuse Glow Beetle, matched up with H&H ¼ oz. round white head w/gold hook………….Did not try
· Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with H&H ¼ oz. round white head w/gold hook……………Did not try.
· Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with H&H 3/8 oz. round white head w/gold hook……………(2) Redwarriors
· Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with H&H 1/2 oz. round white head w/gold hook……………DID NOT TRY
· Salt Strong Power Prawn (added 10-25-24) matched up with: Did not use:
§ 1/16 oz:.(1) NMR
§ 1/8 ox:
§ ¼ oz. jig head :
§ 3/8 oz. jig head :
§ Tandem Rig:
· Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with 3/4 oz. round lead head w/ 2 trailers, ……Did not try.
· Tandem rig, ¼ oz. round H&H jig head with gold hook, matched up with Matrix Shad Lemon Drop …..Did not try.
AREAS / SPOTS / NUMBERS ON THE MAP FISHED:
MRGO (1)t, The Pen (1)t & (2)r, stopped fishing at 9:50 AM, to slow.
OUR REWARDS:
· Lived to fish another day.
· (2) NMR Silverwonders
· (2) Redwarriors, 1 Ratworriers, 1 Bull Redwarrior
· Missed big hit
· Missed big girl popped line
· (4) Popped lines, bottom gave us most of the action today
· Plenty snickers bars
· Fresh cool dry air in our lungs
· Being on the water with one of the best fisherpersons me know, he be Big Rudy
· Lessons learned:
§ Water is dirty all over 3 minus at best
§ Jerk baits don’t work well if the front bill breaks off. My Bill Lewis Scope Stick was not working right, so me checked to see if hook, hooked on lien, but it clear. So then asked Big Rudy is bill broke off yes says he, there goes a $10 lure without a fish.
§ Seems Silverwonders gone from MRGO rocks
§ Silverwonders located in The Pen, along with some Redwarriors.
§ Todays trip lowered me expectations for Saturday trip with Bog Pablo to MRGO.
· Best fishing trip of my life, until the next one.
FISHERPERSON OF THE DAY:
Me be!
SUGGESTIONS:
Might want to take care of honey dues and/or projects that you have had on hold!!!!!
PONDER OF THE DAY:
"Catching life isn't about finding yourself. Fishing life is about creating yourself."
Q&A:
Where be the fish?
TEAM JO-JO’S future stratagem:
Back at them in the AM with Big Pablo, until then:
Good Fishing
Team Jo-Jo & Oneofthepack
釣り先生
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