LSJ_S04E08 Snook Fishing in Chassahowitzka

Friday, June 21 running Dawn Patrol along the Nature Coast in the Chassahowitzka NWR In Hernando County, Florida.
The Snook were in the shallow water over rocks and I fished them out using surface running hard baits until late morning when the weather deteriorated.

[@WesLovelace]

Nice Linesiders in the open water.....If people don't know about the ragged lime rock bottom they just need to run up the coast in the skinny water in a 1.5 to 2.0 low water tide.....LOL!!😎👀

[@longstrangejourney4776]

That's for sure. I just cultivated a new track that runs from Bayport channel north, just in front of Pine Island, that essentially follows the 2' MLLW contour. I wanted an alternate route for when winds are high and waves are rollers at the Marker 3 depth. It is shallow though and you have to go down the way swerving like a drunken snake. It has to be 1.5 or better for me to take that. Never take anything for granted. But, hey, that is where the fish are!

[@WesLovelace]

@@longstrangejourney4776 I've had my track for 20 years..... right by Rock Island, Pine Island Beach and and brushing the mangroves by Nickel Island.....From there it's thru Mud Bay the S-turn and into Wall Bay.....Kinda skinny but I never lost my skeg in 19 years with the 2 stroker.....Got another 20 to go with the new 4 stroker.....LOL!!😎👀🎣

[@longstrangejourney4776]

Very nice. I veer out by Nickle and come back in a Net Spread. The boat that you see in the vid is a 1988 Maverick Deluxe. I just had the bottom redone and when I did, I replaced the Jackplate and moved the Suzuki up one hole. I can get on plane in 1.5' feet and remain, but I do feel safer running out a bit at Higgenbotham bay and staying with the 2' depth contour. It's not a tunnel-hull boat like yours. But I do like how one boat can do that and run 30 miles off in the same day, so it serves me well. I grew up playing on the river, but only started fishing the outer NWR and creeks since 2018. What is interesting is that I have fished it pretty hard for the past 6 years yet in the last two trips better than 80% of the areas I have fished are completely new to me. So expansive that there is always some nook or cranny that you have never ventured into. Such a treasure.

[@WesLovelace]

@@longstrangejourney4776 It's great to have access to about 50 sq. miles of flippin' beauty!!

[@EthridgeMarkS]

With the chop why did you not go with a spoon? Jimmy asked me at the Chapter meeting Wednesday that once I feel full strength that I needed to hit him up to go to the Chaz with him.

[@longstrangejourney4776]

Good day Mark. A lightweight Aquadream might actually be good, but you'd have to keep it constantly moving. There is literally 10-12" of water over top these limestone rocks and the fish hide between them. It is not river-rocks or pea gravel, but large outcroppings of rocks, so any lures that fall towards the sea floor will get caught up in these rocks. For instance, in a similar location on Friday, I caught two of those Rat Reds I mentioned on a Jerkshad on a rigging hook with a 1/8oz belly weight. The thing is, I also lost two of those jerkshad/rigging hook setups to the rocks. Its only maybe $3 to lose a DOA jerkshad and an Owner Twistlock, but you wouldn't want to do even that that over and over. If you have something that settles to the sea floor, you will either lose it or end up blowing out the spot to get out and wade over and get it (the boat can only get so close). Especially if you pause your retreive to work the trolling motor or something. Having a lure that returns to the surface when you pause the retrieve is key. The Topwater, Wakebait and even a Jerkbait are three that work very well in this setting.

[@longstrangejourney4776]

BTW: When you are ready ping me here or on Salt Strong Community. I am always going up there. Give me a shout and come on board. Jimmy and I fish together a lot and fish that way often. We've both been working like crazy and he's participating in a few digital tournaments, and it gives him focused fishing time, so we have been fishing separately a lot this Spring.