I
went out fishing last night (10-24-01) to hit the docks in the Johns Pass
area in FL for snook before they slow down as the water gets colder. I
thought I went fishing by myself.......... but it seems "Murphy" went with
me. (No not Rick Murphy) It seems I was trying, with Murphy’s help, to
see how many ways there was to LOOSE a snook!
The
night started with my most consistent docks having tons of floating grass
around them. The lack of tide near these docks, which are in a little cove,
made the grass sit in here making flyfishing just about impossible. (Thanks
Murph!)
I left those docks and went find some cleaner waters. The next dock I fish yielded and fat 20 inch Seatrout on a Dan's Neerly Live Bait. (For those who fish dock lights as much as I do, you will learn that most of the time, if you catch Seatrout on a dock, you usually won't find snook too.) The next cast I hooked up with a Ladyfish. As I was fighting that fish the Snook started crashing baits under that light. I hurried up and pulled that ladyfish in and quickly cast my fly to those Snook. Strip Strip Strip...BANG......... I hooked a nice Snook and after a few frantic seconds........ It got off. In my rush to cast to the Snook I failed to check my leader which was most likely a little worn by the ladyfish, and the snook finished it off. Murphy "1"..... Me "0"
I then put on a new leader of 25lb test and another Neerly Live Bait fly. I tried a fly with an Owner circle hook this time. I let the fish settle down and threw the new fly into the light. I had another strike pretty quickly and got a short fight..but the hooked pulled...GGGGGGGRRRRR. Murphy "2"- - Me "0"
That was enough to shut down that dock. I went to another dock. I fished that same fly with the circle hook. I hooked up another good snook, and as he tried to get back to the dock......... pop.... the hook pulled. I was mad at the circle hooks not sticking to the fish and started to change the fly. As I was changing the fly, I noticed that THE HOOK BROKE!........ Double GGGGGGGRRRRR!!! Murphy "3" - Me "0"
I moved away from that dock to let it settle down and fished the dock beside it. I put on a pearl Dan's Flippin Shrimp for a change up. First cast....slow strip..... and then an explosion! A really nice Snook killed that fly. Again as the crazy Snook tried to get to the pilings, I felt that rotten empty leader. I wasn't so mad at this one at first because it was a big fish...... and they win allot. I guess I had to go up to 30lb leader to land one of these dang fish! As I was putting on a new leader, I saw that the loop connection actually broke. That is the first time I ever had that happen, but it is something I should check and change more often because it gets allot of wear. Oh well......... Murphy "4"- Me "0"
Figures.....That was my only pearl Flippin Shrimp in my bag. I put on a tan on and had a fish give it a halfhearted swipe. I then ran went back to some other docks that I had bites on earlier. The tide finally started moving again and this dock was now loaded with bomber sized Snook! I put on my old reliable Neerly Live Bait in size 2/0 and flung it in the load of big boys. Boom.....A great strike followed by a few seconds of fury...and another limp leader ......... GGGGGGeeeeeezzzzz! This one was the biggest Snook I hooked all year and as the fish turned, he must have sliced the 30lb leader with it's gill because it was a clean cut, and he never got to the pilings. Thanks again Murph! #$@^! Murphy "5"- Me "0".
For those who have never experienced big Snook under the docks, it is hard to explain. The odds are in the Snook's favor when they get larger. They hit the fly and turn for the pilings when they feel the sting of the hooks and they are strong, fast and smart! The smaller ones you can turn and keep from getting back to the docks. I use a 10wt with 30lb leader and once the fish get around 30" you can't make any mistakes or hesitate at all and even get some luck some times to land one. When I hook a Snook I assume it is a big fish. I do what ever it takes to try and keep them out of the pilings. The barnacles on the pilings can slice heavy leaders and even ruin your expensive fly lines!
Now to even the score!.....(Yeah Right!) I went to some other docks after those other snook refused to eat my flies any more after the thrashing that last Snook did. I tied on another big Neerly Live Bait and cast it under the light. There was some grass in the water here but after a few casts I found an open spot and hooked a fish! When it jumped I saw the yellow fins of a sporty Snook. I prayed as I pulled and this guy was a little smaller and not as smart as some of the others hooked earlier. Murphy TRIED to join in on this one because this fish managed to wrap on my trolling motor...... but I managed to get my hands on this one. It was a nice 24" fish, but now I really wanted at least one more. Gotcha MURPH!
I did catch a dozen or so Seatrout along with a couple in the 20-inch range and a few ladyfish. I usually am just happy when I get a fish to eat my flies, but I wasn't that happy with all the ways they got away tonight. I didn't hook any other snook this night, and donated 3 flies to the snook gods. Final score Murphy "5" - Me "1"
Get ya NEXT TIME MURPH!!!!
SALTWATER
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