Jetties or Beach Breakers?

[reelguy1]

Here's my rundown from yesterday: Got to the Jetty Park just before sunrise. I was in the water as the sun was coming up. The water was not quite as clean as I hoped for, being that clumps of seaweed was just here and there; but still much better than usual as far as the clarity goes. The wind was still blowing around 5-10 from the NE so that was good. The water was very salty and I thought it was more than enough for specks to be there. No boats at all by the jetties so I had my doubts. I first tried a white rattle-trap that look very much like a pogey. I went out to the second sand bar for around an hour or so: not even a bite. I switched to an LSU (purple/chartreuse) plastic cocahoe; again no bites. There was absolutely no sign of specks as I usually look for pogey schools with the familiar sounds and sights of them jumping out above the surface. I was pretty disappointed at that point and decided to go to the jetties and cast for finger mullet schools swimming alongside the channel side. I caught some and put them in my floating bait bucket. I changed my rig to hang a finger mullet below a popping cork. Went back out to the second sand bar hoping my luck would change. I then caught two small sharks and became even more disappointed. It was then around 10:30 am. I then began seeing the pogey schools and something was slashing them from underneath. I casted my bait for them. I caught two schoolie specks around 15 inches and thought my luck had changed. I put them on my stringer and tried for more but wound up catching another small shark. Disappointment set in again as I tried for a couple of another hour or so. I was getting hot and needed to take a break at that point. I felt a tug on my stringer and lifted them out of the water. The biggest one had been bitten in half as clean as a surgeon's scalpel. That was like salt in an open wound. I headed back in and rested in the shade for a while and decided to canvas the jetty pier anglers. The couple at the far south side of the pier had caught two bull reads. While there, another fisherman caught about a 30 pounder. There were some sharks being caught there too. The couple at the far end of the pier caught two more bull reds and were giving them away to whoever wanted them. I tried on the rocks across from the pier and had one humongous bull red on, but I had rigged with the bullsh*t clamp style leader and the red easily destroyed that and got away. I wound up leaving around 5 pm pretty disgusted with the results of the day but deep down I really enjoyed the trip. Good Luck everyone and I hope this report helps whoever that might want to try the jetties. Kenneth Liner

[meaux fishing]

at least you got to get out there... I was planting grass seed all day then got back and saw all these fishing reports. Now thats salt in the wound...