Pbsbac On Tour

[Swainiac]

Well, the holliday finally came to an end, I landed back at murky Gatwick Monday, and took a leisurly drive home, jetlagged and a little dispondant.

 

Compared to last year, the fishing was awfull. The Gulf coast has experienced what they call a Red Tide, an algal bloom which strips intercoastal waters, and shallow beaches of oxygen, litterally asphyxiating the entire sea life around it. This coupled with the extremes in air pressure, Hurricane Katrina bring lows of around 920mb, added to low oxygen levels in the sea.

Entire stocks of baitfish, surface, midwater and bottom feeders, were wiped out. I saw Redfish of around 25lb, washed up on beaches, mullet,(what looked like thick lips) by the thousand, Sheepshead, some good specimens, similar to our Black Bream, by the score. A walk along Clearwater Beach up towards Caladesi Island, showed that the Sea Turtle population had also been hit, with 62 specimens being collected by the Clearwater marine aquarium rescue unit.

 

Days that allowed fishing, I had sporadic sport on the fly, with some great fights from Bonefish early morning, on a home tied Bass lure, so I was happy that this worked. I also managed to land a sheepshead of just under three pounds, three trips worth of fishings efforts!! Of all the baits I have tried, this one immediately took a Barnacle of all things, whipped onto a size 4 worm hook, and flicked in front of its nose! Great eating on the BBQ!

 

I met up with an old friend out there, and he took me out into Clearwater pass, on his Whaler, and for the second time in two years, we had Tarpon around the boat. He sems to think I'm a good omen for these, as he's only had these oversize herrings around the boat while I've accompanied him, so it looks like I have a place next year!! Alas this year I didnt hook into one, but Ladyfish gave us furious sport under the Bridge Stantions.

 

I'll look forward to next years trip, hopefully with no Red Tide! Back to work(ish) now, but three trips arranged for next week, and the weymouth festival next weekend. Its good to be back!!!

 

Tight lines......Rich

[great white]

Hi Rich

 

welcome back

 

perhaps you should have tried here

 

Charlie

[Gnasher]

interesting read rich and welcome back. Didn't u post in a thead b4 u went that a hurrican was comming, but only small compared to what you experienced last time?

[Swainiac]

Yes Dan, had two bigguns last year, the second being Jean (Ithink), which was a grade five storm, the highest on the scale. This one was a one when it came across the southern state, then increased as she moved across the warm GUlf Waters.

 

Like a true mad englishman, I ventured out last year to see what it was all actually about, taking a stroll across to the beach. The winds whipped up the sea into a frenzy, tons and tons of sand shifted with ease, but the most amazing thing to see was how the infrastructure over there is built to such a low standard, with power lines stacked one on top of another on age old pine posts, which inevitably snap!! Theres no wonder it all looks brand spankers out there........I guess it gets a rebuild every second year!!

 

Rich

[Bob F]

Good to have you back Rich.

 

I'd forgotten about the red tide. It bl@@dy stunk didn't it??

 

Fortunately, we were lodged on the bay side of the islands, so we didn't suffer from it. The guys that were shacked up in the expensive hotels on the ocean side were really p****d off at the stench from the algae and not being able to use the beaches.

 

I didn't see the numbers of dead fish that you saw, but there again I didn't go wading in the stinking stuff. Once out to see the numbers of fish seemed to be ok, at least where we were snorkling, anyway.

 

Still can't get over the sights of those shoals of big Tarpon, and the big Permit on the reef. Awesome!!

 

cheers

 

BF