Decided to head back down to the Peace River yesterday with Dave (stormy). Launched out of Harbour Heights ramp at 6:20am. I started off with the Spook Jr. in bone and Dave was throwing a DOA with a chugger head attached. We proceed over to the grassy points near the ramp, but no luck. Down to the little mangrove island at the mouth of Whidden Bay. Gave Dave first shot at the point of this island and he put it right on the money. One pop forward and a large fish exploded on it. He set the hook on a good fish. The fish tried to take him back into the mangroves, but Dave turned her and got her out into deeper water. After a great fight, I slipped the net under her at 6:35am. She measured 26 3/4".



No more strikes on the island so we proceeded down river towards the boat docks. Walking my spook past the front of the second dock and a fish engulfed the lure at 7:04am. It was a small snook of 17 1/2". I skipped my RT mullet in shadflash under a dock at 7:33am. As it cleared the dock, a fish thumped it hard. I set the hook on a decent snook that gave me a good fight. We got her in the boat and she measured 24 1/2".



Farther down river and I picked up a 15 3/4" snook on the shadflash hopped on the bottom under a dock at 7:46am. Seven minutes later I caught a 14" trout hopped along the bottom in front of a dock. At 8:23am, I caught a 16" trout on the same lure using the same presentation. Seven minutes later I caught a 13 1/4" trout using the same presentation out in front of another dock. Docks did not seem to be producing that well so we headed over to work some mangroves on the adjacent island. The water was kind of murky from recent rains. We worked the mangrove edges for a long time looking for the shady pockets. Finally at 9:57, Dave hooked a good fish on a mangrove point on a Super Fluke in white. The fish wrapped him momentarily and then the line popped free. The fish gave him a great fight and went all around the boat. We got her in the net and she measured 25 1/2".



We continued working mangroves and Dave caught a decent snook of 20 1/4" on the fluke at 10:12am. I realized that what I was using was not effective so I changed to the fluke. At 10:50am, I pitched into the mangroves. Twitched it a few times and saw a boil in the water. I knew a fish had sucked in my lure and set the hook. It was a decent redfish. She fought me hard and we slipped her into the net. She measured 22 1/2".



We continued to work the mangroves looking for shady spots. We got into some really shallow water, like maybe a foot and a half and Dave pitched his fluke into the mangroves. He twitched it back and said something tried to take it. A few more twitches and the water erupted. He set the hook but his leader popped. It was a very large snook. We began working the mangroves on Long Island. We were struggling a bit to get any strikes. Finally, at 12:06am, I caught a nice 26 1/2" snook on the fluke.



We were beginning to really struggle now. We went under I-75 and began to work docks on the north side of the river. They were just not very productive. It was almost two and a half hours later before we landed another fish. It was a 20" snook that Dave caught on the fluke at 2:27pm. One hour later I caught a 13" trout on the shadflash under a dock. Dave pitched under a dock and his lure got wrapped around a post. We eased over to it and as we got there, something that must have been large jerked his rod down violently and popped his braid. At 3:42 am, I caught a 14 1/2" flounder on the shadflash hopped along the bottom under a dock.



We continued towards the 41 bridge but there was only two feet of depth almost all the way down near these docks and the water temp was 88 degrees. The tide was rolling out also. We crossed over to the south side and went up river. We came up to the final dock prior to the 75 bridge and Dave hooked the best trout of the day, probably 19-20", on the fluke. He played it in and grabbed the leader but she got off. Now under 75 and there looked like a nice little bay just past some shallow spot out in the middle. The weather was getting rather omenous, so I started to throw the spook jr while Dave continued with the fluke. It was very shallow there. Dave pitched up next to a fallen tree and a few twitches later, it was fish on. This fish had some size and was giving him all he could handle. She went all around the back of the boat and we finally got a good look at her. It was a nice upper-slot red. After a great fight, I finally slipped the new under her at 5:25pm. She was a beautifully dark redfish with some great spots. She measured 26".



Just a few minutes later, the wind picked up dramatically. It was like the Fishing Gods were saying, "OK boys, that is enough fishing for you today." We had to get out of the wind. Thunder started booming in the distance. We headed for protecton behind an island. We continued to fish a mangrove shoreline, but then it started to rain. After a few minutes, the heavens opened up and it was pouring. We tried to head to the ramp, but we could barely see from the driving rain and the howling winds. It was the worst storm I had ever been in. Waves were crashing over the boat. Lightning was popping all around us and a huge thunder-clap exploded just over our heads. We needed to reach safety so Dave wisely suggested we seek shelter under the 75 bridge. We finally made it, beached the boat and waited out the storm. After a while, it passed and we headed back out. We fished another hour before dark, but caught no more fish. We headed for the ramp.

We had a pretty good day and caught some decent fish. We both enjoyed the change of pace working the mangroves. We saw some huge drum tailing in two feet of water under the 75 bridge. I did learn that when a storm is approaching quickly, you need to head towards the ramp. The other thing I learned is that if you think the water is too shallow to hold fish, you are wrong.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Great report as always!

Great day Dave & Dave. That multi-spotted red was pretty cool. Keep an eye on the weather, it can sneak up on ya quick!!

That's some great fishing! Excellent report as usual :)

Another great report! Thanks!

Great report.

Ho hum. What else is new? hahahahahahahahahaha

Just kidding, dudes. Great report and a great day. Glad you found shelter under the bridge. Lightning scares the hell out of me!

Sounds like a fun day Dave and Dave, well except for getting caught in the storm, lightning is scary up close. :angry-rain:

I am surprised you didn't try to tangle with those drum.

Great report BA - how in the world do you remember all the details like that after a full day of catching?

THanks guys. There were actually two guys that were under the bridge also and they were trying to catch them from across the way, so we didn't try. They were on them first. I use a small voice recorder to record times, fish caught, location etc. It helps me keep track of things.