Fishing Log

 

Dec. 30, 1999 - I finally got tired of eating ham and turkey, but am thawing a 21-lb. turkey to smoke for Tyler (Greenwell's) 2000 New Year's Eve party, Friday night.
 

Kathy has been working like a dog at her shop.  The double axle trailer I bought her for Christmas should be ready for pick up tomorrow afternoon.
 

I'd looked for some yellow mouth trout at the bottom of E-Pier, on the incoming tide, but only bagged a single jack crevalle. I had several other fish that were break-offs, but nothing to brag about.  Looking forward to fishing in the new century.

 

     

Fishing Log

 

 

Saturday, Nov. 20, 1999 - Took Doug Oswald to the base.  He caught 2 back-to-back flounder on jigs, at Fox Cove.  My own first flounder was short (just under 12-in.).  My second fish (flounder) was a 16-in. keeper.

 

Saturday, Nov. 22, 1999 - Picked up a jack on a jig at B/C Corner.  Gave it away.

 

Dec. 5, 1999 - West Wind - We took 4 keeper trout at A/B Corner, and caught 3 mullet and 2 jacks in the cast net, which I plan to smoke.  One mullet measured 23 inches.

 

Thursday Dec. 9, 1999 - I hit Echo Pier just before dark.  The ships were all dressed out in Holiday lights and passing Christmas music over the 1-MC.  I caught 3 large bluefish, a 17-in. trout, and many jacks, which I gave to Stoddard Andreu.  The action was fast and busy.  Using any crummy jig in my box would trigger some very aggressive surface strikes.  Wind was from the southeast.

 

Friday, Dec. 10, 1999 - Jacks were making surface strikes on every cast I made from the bottom of E-Pier.  Too many to keep.

 

Dec. 20. 1999 - Landed 3 jacks and a blue on jigs at the bottom of E-Pier.  Released all of it.

 

  

 

  

 

Fishing Log
 

 

Sunday, Oct. 10, 1999 - My first flounder since the rotor cuff operation.  Took it on a green jig off the east end of F-Pier.  Fish-boy Chuck and his flounder posse have invaded the base for the annual flounder run.  The fish I caught was 16-in. long, and we'll have it for dinner.  Kathy and I were talking last night, about how ready we both were for some fresh fish.

 

Oct. 18, 1999 - 15-in. yellow mouth trout taken at B/C corner on a live finger mullet, fished on the  bottom, during the incoming  tide.  The bait was provided by the young captain of one of the sea tugs.

 

Oct. 19, 1999 - Worked the jig and live finger mullet along the corners with no luck.  A 10-lb. flounder was taken at B/C corner, but a construction crew has that spot tied up during working hours.  The Good News is, that the piers outside the fences are wide open to fish, 7 days a week, 24-hr. a day.

Can't find any more Spider Fusion line in the stores, so I've gone to 20-lb. test Fire Line (in smoke grey) @ $14.00 a spool (ouch!).  Seems to be working well enough so far.

 

Oct. 29, 1999 - 19-in. flounder taken on finger mullet just before high tide at B/C corner, with the fish-boy posse looking on.  It weighed 2.5-lb. on a digital scale.  Iced down the fish and drove it down to Big Jim Devaney, down in Winter Haven.  His illness has progressed so far he couldn't eat the fish or pass Halloween candy to the neighborhood children.  Very sad.  We watched the Fla/Georgia game and he won a $2.00 bet from me, he'd placed on UF.

Fishing Log

 

 

Jack crevalle

August 23, 1999 - Foul hooked a small jack crevalle at Foxtrot Cove about 9:00-am, released same

 

August 26, 1999 - Thursday, hooked a small (13.5-in.) flounder at Fox Cove, just before lunch, and released same.

Bluefish

August 30, 1999 - Plentiful finger mullet at B/C Corner, big schools.  Took a large bluefish (same spot) on live bait.  Gave the bluefish and some soft drinks to two young Pilipino boys who were catching bait for me.  A shipboard injury to my shoulder prevents me from throwing a cast net.  Surgical repairs to my rotor cuff are scheduled for tomorrow.  Wonder how long it will be before I can fish again.  Sept. and Oct. are the two best months for flounder - too bad.  I'll probably miss many good fish this season.


 



From my old Fishing Log

 

 

July 25, 1999 - At 11:58 this morning, Jessica delivered Mason Tyler Althar, an 8-lb. 11-oz. boy, who may become my fishing partner some day.*  I also caught a 14-in. flounder at B/C corner, a decent croaker at A/B Corner, and 3 impressive sea bass, on dead shrimp, from the LA Cruise dock.

*Mason turns 20 today (7/25/2019) and captains my old 15' Boston Whaler.

July 27, 1999 - Seven flounder : A Banner Day - All fish taken on 3/8-oz. jig heads and MrWhiffelure, soft plastic bodies.  They ranged from 14 to 19 inches in length, but I was too busy to weigh them.  All fish, except the smallest, were taken at B/C corner.  The 14-in. fish was taken at Foxtrot Cove.  I gave 6 fish away to Mac & Helga, Dave Fisher and Bill Williams.  The last fish will go to Jessica or my Mother.  Kathy and I still have plenty of uncooked fish from earlier this week.



July 28, 1999 - Returned to work today.  We cleaned up the shop and grilled Bubba Burgers and hotdogs for lunch.  A nice thing for management to do.  The real work begins tomorrow.  Also caught an 18-in. flounder at B/C corner, on my way home.  A sea tug captain (same spot), working a jig from his fantail, seemed to be having no luck.

July 30, 1999 - I worked 2nd shift with the welders aboard the USS Taylor (FFG-50), which is berthed at Delta-2.  During our lunch break, I hooked up with a large bluefish from the fantail.  It jumped twice and did some did some fancy tail walking before it spit the hook.  Some of the Taylor's sailors who were standing by, were impressed by the fish's acrobatic performance.


Saturday, July 31, 1999 - Fished Guano with Andy Williams, about 2.5 miles north of the dam, using live finger mullet for bait.  We boated several keeper size spotted sea trout, a 23-in. redfish, and several throw backs.  A fun day.  

Fishing Log


 

Redfish

June 25, 1999, Friday - Picked up 2 small flounder Monday and Tuesday at C-2-West: the first fish (12.5-in), I released, and the second fish (13.5-in), I gave to Stoddard Andreu.
 

Also caught an oversized (29 to 30 inch) redfish today at B/C corner, behind the tugs, at low tide.  It hit the jig about 18-in. from the bottom then began stripping line so fast that I thought I'd hooked a shark.  After many strong runs and anxious moments, a passer-by rigged my landing net, and the fish went directly from the water to the cooler.  The last 7 or 8 feet of the 10-12# test, braided line had been badly chafed from contact with barnacles.  The fish weighed 9-lb. 7-oz.

 

June 29, 1999 - Landed 3 flounder at Fox Cove: tossed 2, kept one that measured 17-in. and weighed 1-lb. 13-oz.  More grief from Security about fishing from the piers.

 

July 9, 1999 -  A 20 inch flounder

 

July 11, 1999 - A 17 inch flounder

 

July 12, 1999 - 3 seabass taken from the La Cruise dock

July 13, 1999 - moon phase

 

July 14, 1999 - A 22 inch, 4-lb. 1-oz. flounder from B/C Corner and a 16 inch, (unweighed) flounder from C-2 East.

 

July 23, 1999 - Took a 17 inch, 1-lb. 12-oz. flounder from B/C Corner, at low tide today.

July 24, 1999 - A croaker and a jack crevalle, taken on the base; and a sea bass, taken on dead shrimp, from the La Cruise (old Strickland's) dock.

 

 

 



Fishing Log

 

June 6, 1999 - Picked up another 15-16 inch flounder on a gold metal-flake Whiffeltail jig w/ a red head.  Took Dorothy (my mother) a couple of pretty flounder for her birthday.

 

June 7, 1999 - 16 inch flounder taken on a live mullet at C-2 East. A guy who saw me catch was back fishing the same on the next high tide, with a nice flounder and a bluefish already in his bucket before I could get back there.  Wind - ENE.

June 8, 1999 - We got released from work early today so I worked the corners along C Pier hard with no flounder to show for it, but did add some seabass fillets to the (zip lock) bag for Kathy's party.

June 17, 1999 - It's been a slow week.  Lots of seaweed and green crud have drifted into the basin on a NE wind, reducing the water clarity to nothing.  The jacks and bluefish have been tearing up an abundance of baitfish, but I've taken no flounder.  Manatees, sea turtles, and schools of 2-lb. mullet have also moved into the basin.  The porpoises have been putting on spectacular acrobatic displays of catching, killing, and tossing big mullet back and forth to each other in the air.  With so much live bait around, it's probably time to break out the cast net and give the artificial lures a rest.

Fishing Log
 

 

 

Wednesday, May 19, 1999 - Caught a nice 16 inch, female trout at C-2 West, just off the nose of the Kennedy, at low tide, just before first light.  (Did not weigh the fish)

Thursday, May 20, 1999 - Caught a 18-20 inch, yellow mouth trout, before first light (5:45 AM), at C-2 West, on a jig.  There were more there, but they were biting short, and I had to clock in for work.

May 25, 1999 - Picked up a 17 inch flounder At the B/C tug corner.  Got news from Base Physical Security via my boss, that my pier pass had been revoked and that I would not be welcomed back on the base to work if I got caught fishing on the piers again.  OUCH !!

Thursday, May 27, 1999 - I snagged a shrimp mammy east of C-1-1, then came back in the afternoon and harvested a 17.5 inch flounder at B/C corner, behind the last tug's transom.  Cleaned it and took it over to Mac and Helga's house.  Also picked up a keeper black sea bass on a jig at Mat Roland's dock.

May 28, 1999 - Lost a 2-lb. flounder and a nice sea bass at C-2-East, during a dead low tide, and on the first of the incoming tide, I hooked a big stingray from Mat Roland's dock that I never landed.


Black and white Wifflelure jig

June 3, 1999 - Landed a 17.5 inch flounder at C-2 East notch after work, wind SSE.  The fish was taken in the lee of the carrier (USS Kennedy) on a black and white Wiffelure  with a red .25-oz. jig head.  I broke my rod tip off heaving her up onto the pier.

June 5, 1999 - Caught 4 flounder and a big croaker at C-2 East and lost another 2-lb. flounder at the same spot.  All of the fish in the box were between 13 and 22 inches long.  Kathy is planning an end of the school year party for her faculty friends.  If the bite holds, I should have enough fish to feed all of them.  Can't wait for tomorrow.




Fishing Log

 

 

May 3, 1999 - 2 small sea trout and a sea robin, caught before dawn at the east end of C-1.  Kept one trout and cooked it with the flounder for Kathy.

 

May 6, 1999 - A jack crevalle and a 14.5 inch flounder taken at Fox Cove, just after noon, on a Christmas tree colored jig, on a white, .25-oz. head.  Released the jack.  The flounder fought so hard that I thought she was a jack too.

 

May 7, 1999 - Caught a toad fish at C-2, brisk breeze from the SW.  Yesterday's flounder filets are cooling in a Ziploc bag with curry seasoning and olive oil.  The cat ate the liver.

 

May 9, 1999 -  2 jacks, a sand perch, and a black sea bass, all released.  Saw 2 flounder at the west end of C-2, both (estimated to be) under two pounds.



'Christmas Tree Firetail' jig

May 10, 1999 - 18 inch flounder taken at Fox Cove, on a 'Christmas Tree Firetail' jig.  A nice flounder for this time of year.  NE wind, 5-10-mph.

 

May 11, 1999 - Lost about an 18 inch flounder at the West notch of C-2, just after work.  Was walking him along the pier, just below the surface, when he shook loose of the jig.

Saturday, May 15, 1999 - New moon, bottom of the outgoing tide, brisk wind out of the NW, overcast, and crummy conditions; But, I got a 21 inch flounder (just under 4 pounds) at the B/C corner, using a chartreuse jig.  Two young boys with a landing net helped me land the fish, which is a big one for this time of year.  Gave the May 10, 18-inch flounder to Kay Kaufman.



Mangrove or Gray Snapper

Sunday, May 16, 1999 - Caught and released the biggest inshore mangrove snapper I'd ever seen, at B/C corner, on a chartreuse jig.  I had misidentified the fish as a snapper species which (I thought) had be much larger to legally keep.  The tug boat crew that watched me land the fish, was shocked when I released it.



Fishing Log

 

St. Patrick's Day, Mar. 17, 1999 - 3 yellow mouth trout, 2 jacks, and a 13 inch flounder, all taken on the clock at work, and given to John Hitchcock.

 

April 3, 1999 - Got married, and off to England.

April 20, 1999 - Wedding preparations, honeymoon, and thank you notes have kept me from fishing, but today I caught a 15 inch flounder with a 'Christmas tree' colored jig on a white .25-oz. head, at A/B corner, high tide.  A bright day with a slight WSW breeze.

 

April 23, 1999 - Caught and released a small grouper @ Foxtrot Pier, during high tide, just after lunch.

 

April 26, 1999 - I was jigging for flounder @ B/C corner when a large school of jacks crevalle showed up.  There were hundreds of them with their tails slicing the surface of the water.  I could hear their heads banging into the steel transom of a moored sea tug, like hard rain on a tin roof.  I dropped my jig below the surface and hooked up with a very large jack immediately.  I alerted a crewman on the tug about the frenzy, but the school was gone before he could get a line in the water.  By the time I finally landed the fish, it had frayed the braided line badly and had almost straightened the hook.  I blackened him over a bed of hot hickory nuts with Jamacian jerk seasoning, and we dined on the porch.  A beautiful evening.

April 28, 1999 - 14 inch flounder taken on 'Christmas tree' colored jig at Foxtrot Cove, on an incoming tide.  Slight wind coming out of the South West.

Fishing Log

 

Feb. 17, 1999 - Kept four more trout and gave away several ribbon fish today at the bottom of E-Pier.  Conditions unchanged since yesterday.

 

Feb. 20, 1999 - Took two small blue fish from the North end of B-Pier, just before dawn on an incoming tide.  Gave both fish to Stoddard.  No trout, but have been picking up a few small flounder during the day which have been too small to keep.  Windy, cold front moving in from the North.

 

 Feb. 23, 1999 - First quarter moon. Caught 2 trout (only 12 and 14-inches, but fat) during lunch, at the bottom of Echo (the trout hole) on the incoming tide.

 

Feb. 28, 1999 - 6 trout taken just before dark at A/B corner, and many more at the bottom of Echo Pier, from just after dark until about 9:00 pm.

March 1, 1999 - Waxing moon.  Caught 6 or 7 large trout, between 8:00 and 9:00 am, on the last of the incoming tide.  Came back after dark and fished 'til we got run off by Security.  No accurate head count on the fish caught, but we filled the cooler with 13 to 15 inch trout.  Took the whole batch down to Bobby Langston (brother-in-law) to smoke for the wedding.

 

March 2, 1999 - Full moon.  Just one small trout taken this morning, at the bottom of Echo.

March 12, 1999 - 13 inch flounder taken on a plastic jig at Foxtrot cove.  Gave it to Stoddard Andreu (neighbor).

 

 



Fishing Log

Feb. 4, 1999 - Undersized trout taken on a jig at A/B corner, and released.

 

Feb. (no day recorded) 1999 - 2 nice (14 & 15 inch) yellow mouth trout: one on incoming tide at Fox cove, and one at the bottom of Echo, just before dark.  Worked the flat water with jigs as the wind shifted.

 

Feb. 11, 1999 - Caught and released 2 small flounder from the little dock on the rip-rap, during lunch.  Both fish taken on white bodied jigs with pink tails.

Feb. 12, 1999 - A cold front to move in tomorrow.  Caught 7 (14 to 18 inch) trout on the first quarter of the incoming tide at the bottom of E-Pier, using white bodied, pink tailed plastic jigs, tipped w/ dead shrimp.  Also landed a big bluefish, same M.O.  One trout had his aft section removed by a barracuda just before I pulled him from the water.

Feb. 15, 1999 - Doug Oswald and I caught 14 nice (12 to 17 inch) yellowmouth trout  at the bottom of E-Pier, just before dark, on the incoming tide, using white, pink tailed jigs, tipped with shrimp.  Got run off by Security.  Bluefish also mutilated several other hooked trout.  Slight SE wind.

Feb. 16, 1999 - Kept 5 large yellowmouth trout, taken on the incoming tide, just after dark, at E-Pier corner (the trout hole) on same jig rig as above.  Also caught many ribbon fish and smaller trout that I gave away.

 

Fishing Log



Black Drum

 

 

Jan. 13, 1999 - Caught a yellow mouth trout from the new concrete fishing pier at the Little Jetties, using shrimp on the bottom.  Also saw 5 or 6 large (8 to 12-lb.) black drum taken there at low slack tide, with dead shrimp on bottom rigs.

 

Jan. 19, 1999 - Hooked a small (11-inch) 'potato chip' flounder at the west end of C-2, on a pink tailed white jig.  Released same.

 

Jan. 30, 1999 - Got covered up with toad fish at the Little Jetties fishing pier.  No black drum as expected there, and no yellowmouth trout in the Navy basin today, either.  Fishing has been awful.

Jan. 31, 1999 - Fished the last of the outgoing tide at dawn, expecting trout in the Navy basin.  Nothing - two months without a decent mess of fish.