Thread: Throw Back Thursday

April 28, 2010 (6 years ago today)
State Record Pompano (6# 13 oz) by Tricia Cluck on the GSPPier

My report this week from the 'old pier' in 1999...
Saltwater Fishing Home Page Report System

Water Temperature: 75Water Clarity: 20 feet plus!
Seas: flat to 2 foot chop
Weather: Variable clouds all day, just decoration mostly, sun went out a few times. Light SE breeze at dawn freshened to a moderate breeze by midmorn, and 13-15 knts by noon. GREAT for kings!
Fishing_for: king naturals
Boat: .
captain: .

Report:
Got to the pier at 7AM, only a handful of mackeral fishers at the end who told me there was a "good show at dawn". Several tore up some tackle, only one was landed though. Otis "OB wand" caught a nice fat 20#r on a small hardtail shortly after I got setup. Plenty of LYs (greenbacks or whitebait) from the "T" to the beach, but NONE at the end (a 200 foot walk). Only saw some BIG scattered sheepshead and small spadefish at the end. But it was like fishing in a pool and in the clear water it was noticable that the longshore bar has migrated out to the end of the pier and the water is only 12' deep at the end. I spent the next hour trying to coax an LY to swim out to the "deep end" (20' water about 40 yards out). After a few tries finally got a bait dumb enough to go looking for trouble. And he found it at 7:55 when a king came from the bottom and skyrocketed on him. It sure looked neat flying 15 feet though the air with that bright green float following like a tag. After a couple of screaming 200 yd runs, he gave it up (put a fork in that one, he's DONE!) Another chunky looking fish, fat and healthy looking, weighed 24#. A fine way to "break the ice" (my 1st this year :-) Later I caught a 7# and broke off one about 12#.
After 28 years since catching my first king, it STILL has the same mystique. I thank God I fish! (and LOVE IT ;-)


They didn't "eat the pier down" but it was the most shown up so far this year. About 10 caught before I left at 1:30 PM including a 27# and 31#. I heard there were more caught after I left. With this drought (0.05 inches rain in April) and lack of sustained swells to muddy the Gulf water maybe it will stay clear? Stay tuned