Some wise wag once wrote that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Obviously, after just one week, it is too early to give absolute credence to that ancient soothsayer, however, over the past week, we had roar through the greater Orlando area tornados, gale force winds, driving rain and even hail. As a result, we were graced with only two fishable days – Wednesday and Thursday – and these days were as different as different could be.
Now Wednesday, the fine weather not withstanding, was as funky a day on the Indian River Lagoon as we’ve had in sometime. Capt. Roland, guiding a party from Texas out of Melbourne Beach, had his clients all over fish, and good fish too. This hard-luck charter threw everything but the bilge pump at big numbers of giant snook, gator trout and, what had been, heretofore, gregarious redfish. Nothing worked. These fish had gone into a strict fast and simply refused every temptation. What frustration!
Also fishing on Wednesday, Capt. Rocky, guiding out of Titusville, had the pleasure of hosting Jack and Ilene Kling from Delaware. Again, fish, fish, everywhere, but bites were few and far between. Fishing on this day was proving to be tougher than a two dollar steak from IHOP!
Finally, after frustratingly flinging live finger mullet at a vast school of tailing redfish for what seemed like forever, one lone brute broke with the fast and saved the day from utter futility. (Pictured below are the Klings with the lone Wednesday triumph.) Thank goodness for second chances because Thursday would be so, so different.
Fishing essentially the same three spots as the day before, Capt. Rocky, Jack Kling and Ed, a fellow Delawarean, found the fish in a much different frame of mind. The first location, where redfish tails where wagging so impressively the day before, appeared deserted on Thursday. The party quickly moved to their second spot. This time, opting to anchor at a distance, the trio waded back to the fish in the calm, clear water and lobbed baits from afar. Bingo! Huge gator trout gleefully greeted them in a most hospitable fashion. Some of these monster trout were in the 32-35 inch range. (None of the trout were handled to avoid over-stressing these actively spanning fish – no pictures were taken). This was fun but it would be the third and final spot where the real fireworks would occur on this day.
The third location was also a repeat from the prior day but, again, the outcome was so different this time around. Instead of giving a blow by blow account, we simply offer the following photos are prima fascia evidence of the truth of another old adage, “Oh, what a difference a day can make.”
Native Sons Fishing Guides
Captain Rocky Van Hoose
321-986-9588
rvanhoose@cfl.rr.com
Captain Brad Jones
321-626-5072
jonesmelb7@bellsouth.net
Posted by Rocky Van Hoose on March 08, 2008 at 07:23:46 PM
