Shoalwater

The fishing at Shoalwater last weekend was good at times and lousy at others. Friday morning offered really good conditions, caught first rat reds just inside the entrance to Shoalwater. About half way to camp, picked up a couple flounder in a small cove. Friday afternoon, paddled the north shoreline and caught several rat reds, but no keepers for dinner. Fish were hitting all sorts of lures; caught reds on gold spoon and baby 1minus and topwaters. Actually caught the flounder on a catch 2000. Barry S, Jim R, Mike F, picked up several keeper trout, and I think one keeper red, along with several throwbacks on their paddle in. Should have been fishing friday at sundown, but was too tired from the paddle in and setting up camp and the afternoon fishing. Naturally, the wind blasted in and wiped out the saturday morning all together. By Mid afternoon Saturday, we couldn't stand it any longer and paddled to the north shoreline to protected water, but caught nada. Went back out after supper to fish last couple hours of daylight and the wind lay down. Just at sundown, started picking up a couple rats on spoons. Jim was getting blow ups on topwater. I switched to a black/red she dog and picked up a keeper red, then a really nice trout about 22". Lost another good fish at boat as darkness set in. Sunday morning had relatively calm winds so decided to paddle to the gap between Long Island and Shell Bar. Big mistake, the wind had blown so much water out of the bay, that whole shore line was pretty much wiped out. Paddled about 2 miles down the Long Island shoreline in less than 12" water with no luck. Paddled across the bay and fished the south shoreline, and finally hooked a solid fish about 150 yards in front of camp. Turned out to be a 5# spec. Lost another good fish at the boat. Since it was now lunch time, paddled in and enjoyed exceptionally fresh trout for lunch. Decided a siesta was in order, another mistake... Wind came up and blew out the afternoon. Decided to try the last hour or so of daylight and hope the wind would lay again. Bob S and I found a protected shore line and Bob proceeded to kill em. 2nd cast, a personal best 5.25 pound trout, then a keeper red, and several small trout. For about an hour he caught several other small trout before the bite quit. Fought the wind back to camp and called it a night. Not record numbers of fish caught, but considering the lousy, high wind, high pressure, post norther conditions, not too bad.