may 23 and 24 nightime feeshin

[eaglesfanguy]

North pier gulf side
Well its been a while folks.. but i've finally gone fishing.
Got out of work friday and decided.. since the better half in in Ny. for the next 2 weeks , Im gonna go fishing.
Headed to the Skyway about 5pm... Traffic was terrible.. But i got there around 6pm. Tide was moving out slowly. I started to try and sabiki some green backs.. got a couple.. and tossed one way out on the grouper rod.. Let it soak .. Tried some cut bait on double droppers not much other then pinfish..
Then i figured since the old lady wasn't here i have to use her pole " medium quantum something or other and a diawa something or other"
Light weight rod.. spooled with 10 lb ANde clear.
This is her bait rod. Well i had a fishfinder rig on.. simple 1/2 oz egg sinker a bead and a size 2 hook . Put a small live green back on tossed it near the pilings..
Figured id try for some mangrove snapper.
Well got one.. bout 6 inches . Tossed him back .. tried again.. another dink .. So i moved around nothing but babies.
Well tide started to pick up .. and i kept on working this pilling .. then BAM! 18 inch fat speck... tough to swing up onn that bridge on 10 lb test .. but i got em ..
Ran to the bait house to verify they were in season .. and they are .. 15 to 20 in slot one over 20 .
Well i had all eyes on me cause the pier had been pretty dead.
Well cast in the spot again.. BAM! another trout 19 inches... Wooo hoo im on a roll.
Worked it some more a few good hits and runs then nothing.. About midnight the tide slowed Moon came out and the mangos started to chew. Managed 2 keepers 13 inches and 14 inches and several throw backs.
The the trout came back .. Bam 24 inches.. theres my big boy..
Then another 19 inches..
Had a crowd at this point . managed 2 smaller specks and several break offs.

Guys next to me caught a 28 inch cobia and a huge one wanted to free him it was crazy ..
All in all a great night.. 4 big trout, 2 yummy mangos, 1 small spinner shark.. lots and lots of throwbacks of all sorts..
Man i love that pier! ok im off to bed.

[GoinDeep]

Great report!!!

Were you fishing closer to the booth or the baithouse?? And are trout common catches at the NSP? Id love to try to target some over at the SSP.

[filletnrelease]

Way to go Steve, been a while since I seen any decent size Specks around the Pier. Was over on the SSP Friday night, wish I would have known you was there. My luck was not as good by far. Caught some keeper Snaps and two nice Pomps. Grouper were small and the darn dolphin was steeling everything. Big Ladys moved in around midnight or so and were tearing up the bait schools. Caught three on a gotcha, must have been 30+ inches, looked like small Tarpon when they first hit, dancin on the water something fierce. Looking for another Friday evening/Saturday morning trip coming up. May take some family out in the boat, don't know which yet.

[eaglesfanguy]

I was up at the baithouse gulfside.....Pilling number 4.. Fished real tight to the pilling and let the tide drift the bait out.. lots of snags but the fish were there..
I think there is a small trough there about 6 top 10 feet off the piller.. bait would drift out then hit a spot and sink another 5 feet or so.. and thats where the fish were coming from..

[eaglesfanguy]

I should have some pics available tonight .. My old lady is in N.Y city and has the cam.. so i drove to a friends house to get pics.. so im waiting on him to email em to me.

[eaglesfanguy]

Wooooo hooooo Mike got the pic up of my good night of fishing.
picasaweb.google.com/skywaypiers/NorthPierPictures/photo#5205846578158122978

[filletnrelease]

That rocks Steve, nice catch. You might make a good ole southern boy yet. Yee Ha!

[eaglesfanguy]