Feb 21, 20246 min read

Charlie vs ICW

TEAM JO-JO:

First mate today be that of Big Charlie, we got to talking at our Team Jo-Jo Fishing Curriculum Session, and before you know we had a plan, plan to make a fishing trip this week, today, (Wednesday) be the day for us to jump on board the Bay Flat Jr and search for the elusive Silverwodners in the ICW.

It be very foggy this AM, Big Charlie got in FORD transporter at Waffle House, said he texted me about cornered about fog, told him me did not see it.

Says he do you think you should go, (Me subscribe to “You got to go to know”) me said the important question is do you want to go, me going says me, says he let’s go!

Told him me glad he made that decision, cause if not me would have to put him on the “B” list and at the bottom of possible first mates.

SIGNS:

· Oneofthepack be fish at Monday night card game, don’t know what me doing wrong, used all me luck up fishing

· Card game fish Fry was a success, had enough fish to bring home, Loveofthepack frying some up now for us to eat

· Wanted to go fishing Tuesday in a bad way, heart & soul was ready to go, but body had other plans, just rested up for today’s trip

· Got good 4 hours sleep

· Up at 4 AM for our 5:30 AM meet up at Waffle House in Oak Harbor

· Me was early so me gassed up Bay Flat Jr, and had some grits & coffee at Waffle House

· Big Charlie was early too, but me did not see him, and he did see me, so we met up when me went back to Bay Flat Jr

· No wildlife sightings along Hwy 11 or 90

· Hard to see with all the fog

· Thought a black cat crossed our path to Gulf Outlet Mariner, but it must have been a Nutria, cause us had a good day, except for broken rods.

· Had (2) boats in front of us waiting to launch

· Off to ICW, we had to work with the fog, followed shoreline out, when me got to green bridge use it to cross ICW to north side of channel.

CONDITIONS:

· Perfect

· Wind, S. 6-6, S.S.E. 4-4, S.S.W. 6-7 S. 6-8 mph

· Water status / conditions: little ripples / clam

· Sky, sunny & clear, sun fought through fog, snow bird type day

· Temp, kept jumpsuit & rain jacket on all day, me was very comfortable me be

· Water level, down 8-10”

· Water Temp , 58.28 F

· Salinity, 3.5

· Specific Conductance 6500

· Pressure, 30.32 R

· Water clarity on a scale of 1-7, 6 minus

· Tide, falling all day

· Peak tide, 12:29 AM H .98’

· Peak tide, 12:57 PM L /33’

· Major Feed Time: 1:55 AM / 2:25 PM

· Minor feed time: $:36 AM / 2:55 PM

· Tidal Coefficient: 63

· No birds diving

· Fish Activity

· Average Activity

· Boats out and about, 10-15 in area we be fishing

§ Had (4) Along Hwy 11 bridge, 2 of them trolling

· ONEOFTHEPACK’S REPERTOIRE OF TECHNIQUES / STRATEGIES

· Be safe

· Have fun

· This be 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

· Re-introduce Big Charlie to the Lake P Troll technique / presentation

· Try different areas to troll see what producing and how to fish it

· Bring home dinner for Big Charlie & Family

· Confirm depth finder still working

· Try out new bait caster to see how it works with existing rod

· Find a spot # with the seven fundamentals / criteria of catching:

1 WIND AT YOUR BACK: (Wind not a factor today, no impact on us at all, it be bowing across ICW south to north)

2 MOVING WATER: (Falling all day, stronger as the day went along)

3 WATER CALRITY: (Minus 6, still a little sandy looking, but fish did not seem to mind)

4 HOLDING FISH: (ICW both north & south channel edges / drop offs)

5 PATIENTS: (In honey hoe mat 6:54, 7:06 first NMR in boat, slow early morning, but around 10:30 we hit a spurt of NMR’s, real nice girls they be)

6 SKILL: (Lake P Troll technique / presentation)

7 LUCK: (Knowing Captain Danny Hunter, strongly suggest others get to know him too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

· Oneofthepack ‘S repertOIRE of TECHNIUQES / PRESENTATIONS:

· Anchor up cast & retrieve slowly along the bottom, with a twitch every now and then, tight lining…………………………………DID NOT TRY

· Drift with the wind cast & retrieve (DWWC&R)……………DID NOT TRY

· Oak River Troll (ORT)……………….Did not try

· Reverse Oak River Troll (RORT) ………..DID NOT TRY

· Oak River Skim (ORS) ……………DID NOT TRY

· Cork ……..DID NOT TRY

· Lake P Troll (LPT)…………….(All fish caught this technique)

· 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……………DID NOT TRY

· Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with H&H 1/2 oz. round white head w/gold hook……………DID NOT TRY

· Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with 3/4 oz. round lead head w/ 2 trailers, ……All fish caught with this rig

· 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:

ICW

OUR REWARDS:

· Lived to fish another day

· (25) Silverwonders, 9 Miniwonders

· (3) Flounders

· (1) Bass

· (1) Stripe bass

· (1) Croaker

· (1) 5-6’ Gar

· (8) bottoms, (2) popped lines

· (2) Crab traps

· (3) Tangled lines

· (2) clam shells

· Fresh peeled orange slices

· (2) Ultra-Light rods broke backing boat into garage, not good this be

· Nice relaxing trip it be

· Lessons learned:

§ Finally fund a protocol to start Yamaha Nightmare Machine on (1) pull, prime ball, chock, (2) sharp pull, (3) let run (4) push chock in, hope this keeps working.

§ Trolling with current has more action

§ Southside of ICW channel drop offs holding some BIG (NMR) girls too Trolling covers a lot more area then cast & retrieve as you use trolling motor to move you along shoreline / drop offs.

§ Flounders still the kiss of death when fishhg, catch one and Silverwodners bites are over

§ Target depth to maintain 15-18 feet

§ Ideal boat speed 1.5 to 2.1 mph

§ You got to play Russian roulette, (re: hang ups) with bottom, if you don’t feel bottom on down stroke just very little / slight feel, you wasting time.

· Best fishing trip of my life, until the next one.

FISHERPERSON OF THE DAY:

Big Charlie was on a roll in the AM, me thinking once again me going to be out fished using me technique, how can this be??? Then Big Charlie started to have a problem where his trailer wound get all caught up with his main ¾ oz. jig head. Me think he be having go much slack letting line out, and it starts to roll on bottom and tangles up his rig. Big Charlie thought this out and out a swivel on his rig, (me a strong advocate of always say less is best) things seem to change, and me started to catch up and pass his efforts. Big Charlie feel just a little short for today’s honors.

It was tough going in AM, but after me fight with the Gar, it was like me had no trouble finding a few (NMR) ladies along the drop offs.

SUGGESTIONS:

Please learn Lake P Technique / Presentation and add it to your repertoire of techniques, it is the way to go now, all the way into May it will work in Lake P trestles and other areas like ICW.

If you have question, need info, on Lake P Troll technique, call me 504-915-4896 will be happy to discuss all with you.