Windswept Adventures Fishing Charter

The first place we stopped we noticed a fish coming out from the bushes and busting bait in the current-then going back to the bushes. Capt. Dave threw a DOA plastic jerk bait over there several times and the fish was not interested. Capt. Dave then put a thunder cork and hooked put white bait on his line and tossed it over to where the fish was feeding. The wind was at our back and the cork sailed into the bushes and got snarled up and Capt. Dave had to break his line. While he was re-rigging - I "brother-in-lawed" him (hey-I gave him first shot) and I put a 2 inch white bait on my hook and tossed it over there and before I could close the bail...it looked like someone dropped a bowling ball in the water the way that snook took the bait! I set the hook and the fight was on. ...It was a monster snook (well over 40 inches) and he headed straight for the bushes burning the drag (which you all know if you have fished with me - I keep cranked way down for situations just like this). After two good runs of about 30 yards each I managed to get him out of the bushes twice and the second time I had him coming to the boat and in open water- the rod was buried in the water all the way to the Penn Slammer reel.... He decided 'uh-uh' and did a 180 and headed back to the bushes and flared his gills - as he did the monster's razor sharp gill plates cut the 40 lb. leader and it was snook - 1 and Capt. Bob - 0. I use 20-22 inch leaders under the Cajun Thunder Cork and I got back about 8 inches of leader and the thunder cork - I estimate the gill plates were about 12-14 inches back from the snook's mouth!! Big Fish!

I did everything right and still lost the fish - I really love fishing for snook in the bushes!

We moved several times during our trip and the action was really good. We went to another favorite spot and on my first cast I tossed a white bait on a thunder cork right up against the bushes - the tide was very high as we have a full moon. I flipped the bail closed and within seconds the cork disappeared...I felt the 'thunk' of a huge redfish and the shoulders to match. When the fish came out of the bushes on a blistering 50-yard run it went airborne and Capt. Dave shouted TARPON! I had hooked into a tarpon under the bushes with a small white bait (rare but happens from time to time)!! After a great fight on my Calico Jack Hurricane Rod and Penn 360 slammer - and 7 or 8 jumps we boated the fish. Capt. Dave put him in the net - which now has a huge hole in it from where the tarpon went straight through the net - (I couldn't get Capt. Dave to use the boca on him) - I needed a new net anyway - LOL.

Photo is attached...we estimate it weighed 20-25 lbs and it measured over 36 inches long (the length of my law stick tape on the boat).

We then got into a school of Reds and had a blast with them. I kept a 23-inch red for dinner. I managed to get a snook in the boat a bit later at the 'snook hole' - now I was one fish short of the GRAND SLAM (Just needed a trout). Now here is the part that will shock most of you - It was so hot out there and Ol' Capt. Bob was worn out - I said to Capt. Dave - let's save the Grand Slam for another day - so we headed in around 2 PM. The last time I had a personal Backcountry Grand Slam (Tarpon, Snook, Redfish and Trout) was in Chokoloskee in the 1970's.

One final note - On opening day of Snook Season (Sept. 1) ...my good friend Troy Salmon (who always books me on Sept. 1st) 'skunked' me on my boat...I didn't get a hit all day-I don't ever remember being skunked on my boat.

On this day I 'skunked' Capt. Dave - he had several hookups but was having some 'knot tying' difficulties and lost several fish at the boat or on the setup when the knot pulled loose. This just shows you...we were fishing the same bait, the same spot and I had the hot rod and he came up empty handed on bringing fish to the boat. Sorry Capt. Dave - maybe next time it will be reversed - that's why we call it fishing and not catching.... LOL.

Until next time - Tight Lines and Solid Hookups!

Capt. Bob Winger, Windswept Adventures