Been on the water at Hole in the Ocean County Park everyday since the 16th. The flats and holes have been very productive despite cooling weather and some foggy mornings. Tides have been extremely favorable for the last week. Speckled Trout have bounced back from last year’s Red Tide with good numbers every morning along the deep grass and channel edges. They are still on the small side but a number of 16”+ fish have come to hand. The TFO Axiom IIX 7 weight with a 200 grain SONAR line has been the workhorse with Gartside Soft Hackle Streamers and Gibby’s Myakka Minnow. When conditions are right, Gartside Shrimp Gurglers have also produced well.
However, the 7 weight has occasionally been overmatched by some tarpon and sharks that just insist on crashing the party. Of course none of them were landed but I did get one shark and one tarpon (~4’) close enough to the kayak to make an identification. It’s always nerve racking to have some unknown brute take you into the backing with no intention of stopping. So far beyond specks, tarpon and sharks, the ladyfish have be plentiful and large, 4-5# bluefish have done a number on many flies and there have been the occasional jack to spice things up.
I’ve christened this particular fishing spot along the Florida Gulf Coast “Hole in the Ocean Park” for the numerous man made holes and channels that are plentiful in the park. The big, deep holes were dredged to generate fill to connect various keys in the park. The large pot hole fields are the result of practice bombing in this location during WWII. At low tides, one can wade along the edges of the big, deep holes and fish them just like you might wade and fish a lake shore.
Although the great majority of my fishing is done with the two TFO fly rods, I do carry a 7’ spinning rod in the kayak for when conditions are not comfortable for using the fly rod while sitting in the kayak. It’s always rigged with a topwater popper that works well in windy, cloudy conditions.
Segue to the “Death at” aspect of this post. Small sharks (4-5’) were especially active this morning. This poor lady fish never had a chance. Another shark grabbed a small speck just a few feet from the kayak taking the fly and half the leader. It was a vicious day for predators on the water that created some excitement at kayak level.
However, the 7 weight has occasionally been overmatched by some tarpon and sharks that just insist on crashing the party. Of course none of them were landed but I did get one shark and one tarpon (~4’) close enough to the kayak to make an identification. It’s always nerve racking to have some unknown brute take you into the backing with no intention of stopping. So far beyond specks, tarpon and sharks, the ladyfish have be plentiful and large, 4-5# bluefish have done a number on many flies and there have been the occasional jack to spice things up.
I’ve christened this particular fishing spot along the Florida Gulf Coast “Hole in the Ocean Park” for the numerous man made holes and channels that are plentiful in the park. The big, deep holes were dredged to generate fill to connect various keys in the park. The large pot hole fields are the result of practice bombing in this location during WWII. At low tides, one can wade along the edges of the big, deep holes and fish them just like you might wade and fish a lake shore.
Although the great majority of my fishing is done with the two TFO fly rods, I do carry a 7’ spinning rod in the kayak for when conditions are not comfortable for using the fly rod while sitting in the kayak. It’s always rigged with a topwater popper that works well in windy, cloudy conditions.
Segue to the “Death at” aspect of this post. Small sharks (4-5’) were especially active this morning. This poor lady fish never had a chance. Another shark grabbed a small speck just a few feet from the kayak taking the fly and half the leader. It was a vicious day for predators on the water that created some excitement at kayak level.
