Fishing Log

Fishing Log

 

 

Friday, Nov. 14, 1997 - A long slow week.  Took a spot on a jig yesterday, bait is scarce.  The annual Fall mullet run has begun.  Lots of small mullet boats in the river and encroaching into the Naval basin, all throwing the big cast nets.  Jacks and yellow mouth trout are showing up.  I saw a cooler full of medium to large (2 to 8-lb) flounder, taken along C-1 today.  I was skunked.

 

Nov. 15, 1997 - Turned 49 today.  No gamefish, but I threw the big net twice to fill the cooler with medium sized (17-18-in) roe mullet, 2.25 to 2.5-lb. each.

 

Nov. 16, 1997 - Kathy took me to dinner for my birthday, then to a sporting goods store to buy me a new fishing rod, any rod in the store; but the catch was, that I only 6-min. to make my selection.  I settled on a 6-ft. 6-in. Fenwick Falcon spinning rod, with a fast action and a little nose heavy.*

• The tip on that model is very sensitive but a brittle.  I snapped it off playing a ribbon fish, but Fenwick has a good warranty and will replace any of its rods that break, but you have to pay for the shipping.  Mitchell makes a 'Fulcrum' model, that is cheaper, more resilient, and has much better balance, but it is less sensitive than the Fenwick.

 

Nov. 20, 1997 -  Nailed the big mullet today.  Took over 100 pounds, one was 22 inches long and weighed over 5 pounds, a big female.  Smoked a few and gave the rest away.  Most were in the 2.5 to 3 pound weight bracket.  Traded a mess to Stoddard for a bag of hickory nuts.  Also gave some to Dave Fisher and some cleaned fish, to one-armed Bill Williams.  Gave Wally a mess too.

 

Nov. 22, 1997 - Bought a new Mitchell 'Fulcrum' spinning rod and a $100.00 smoker today.  Modified the smoker by cutting a small access hatch in the bottom to stoke the coals or to add water to the steaming pan.

Also hit the mullet hard again today along F-Pier.  Filled the cooler, but missed on a few throws that would have doubled my catch for the day.  Spent the evening cleaning fish to smoke for Thanksgiving.