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I went to visit my Dad with the family. We had a great trip and I fished off his dock on the Indian River each day. I started out with artificials only and caught a nice Gafftopsail Catfish on a topwater the first day. They are very aggressive and fight hard.
The next morning, I caught a nice Jack and a Mangrove Snapper with a swim bait on a jig head.
The next day, I caught a bigger Jack that hit a Z man shad on a jig head. I caught another the next morning that almost broke me off around a piling. It was so strong, I could not get it under control before it got under the dock. I gave it some slack and was able to finesse it to the side of the dock. It was probably about 4 pounds.
We bought some shrimp the third day and my daughter Caroline caught a Ladyfish that jumped 3 feet out of the water 3 times. Those things are crazy. She also caught a nice sized Mangrove Snapper. I was happy that she caught some fish as she does not fish that much. The wind kept the no seeums away so she could fish.
Here is another ladyfish.
This next fish is a Gafftopsail catfish I caught in the evening just before it got dark. I noticed it was bleeding, but I did not hook it badly. If you look closely, you will see teeth marks on it's side, likely from a shark. It was thrashing at the surface for a bit when I was fighting it and a shark likely hit it.
You may have noticed I am really covered up. It is to avoid the no seeums that will eat you alive when the wind is light. My younger brother saw the pictures and called me the fish bandit.
The day before we left, I bought shrimp again. I caught this nice Sheepshead that destroyed the circle hook I used.
In the evening, I had a good run of fish on the shrimp. I caught a good Mangrove Snapper and gave it to one of the healthcare ladies that helps my Dad. It was getting dark, but I had lots of shrimp and kept fishing. I caught a Ladyfish, then another fat Mangrove Snapper and then the largest Mangrove Snapper I have ever caught.
I gave that one to the lady as well. Here are the two in the sink.
I finished the night with my biggest Gafftopsail Catfish of the trip that was at least 5 pounds.
It was a great trip, with temps in the upper 80's to 90 degrees (cooler than VA). We did an airboat trip on Lake Garcia to see alligators and hit the beach a couple times. I bought a new Diawa BG 3000 to use for my saltwater trips and was extremely pleased with it. I have a 6'6" MH Bass Pro Extreme travel rod that I used with 30 pound Power Pro with a 25 pound mono leader.
Last edited by drxfish (Jul-04-18 1:39PM)
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Great report John...amazing how those no seeums can get you!
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What's a no seeum? Black fly? Sounds wicked
Looks like you got a nice bag of fish - thing about FL when I fished it was never know what's going to bite
Your daughter's pix looks like she's got a smallie
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My daughter is allergic to the no seeum bites. She gets big welts from them. They are tiny and the bite is small, but last year I got a lot on my hands and they itched a lot for weeks after I got bit. Even covered up, I got a dozen or so bites on my legs. My Dad has a misting system that sprays the bushes around his house twice a day and they are still bad. That shark bite on the catfish was a surprise. Last year, I had a lot of shark activity in the low light, but I did not see any this time. I saw lots of porpoise and manatees. A few pelicans as well. There was a wicked heat lightning storm the last night while I was fishing. I tried to take pictures, but kept missing. I had my wife take a video and it is awesome.
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No seeums are brutal!
A few years back, while visiting my mom, we went to a sea food joint on the water at the tip of Key Biscayne. I was wearing shorts. BIG MISTAKE They ate me alive! I was miserable for a couple of days. Benadryl helps.
Bastages!
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Hmm, so I've had a rash on my lower back for a week+ now...I'm thinking I got bite by one of these things:
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You might want to get that checked out if you do not see a bite, but especially if it has not gotten better. My daughter gets welts and you can see the little bites usually (small red bites). That might be something else.
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Those are some really nice fish from the dock! Those mangrove snapper are so much fun. I caught a few little ones on a trip to Key West a few years ago but those ones are much bigger. Must have been delicious. Oh and btw, your sheepshead is a black drum.
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Could be poison ivy or oak? I've seen allot of it with all the rains we've been having. If it spreads see the DR for some presidone (sp??)
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Bryan wrote:
Those are some really nice fish from the dock! Those mangrove snapper are so much fun. I caught a few little ones on a trip to Key West a few years ago but those ones are much bigger. Must have been delicious. Oh and btw, your sheepshead is a black drum.
Good catch! I did not notice that.
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Junger wrote:
Hmm, so I've had a rash on my lower back for a week+ now...I'm thinking I got bite by one of these things:
The rash maybe a reaction to the soap used on your clothes. You add the sweat to any residual soap in the shirt and you get a rash. But it can also be a host of other things.
I just cut the super tall grass at Starrett Pointe last Sunday and I have around 80 plus chigger bites now.. looks worse than it is and only slightly itchy. Next time down spray the yard.
Capt Mike
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