Day 2 started with a high confidence and higher expectations. My day 1 goal of 50 inches had grown to a 60 inch minimum for day two. Launching Saturday Morning the road was crowded with boats headed to the launches and I hoped no one would be in my trout spot by the time I got there. I got to my launch early rigged everything up on the outback and waited for safe light to launch. Finally after launching I headed out full speed to my trout spot. When I got there a couple boats were in the area but they weren't catching much. I worked around them for a while throwing top water but all I could get were two blow ups. I left them and went to work the shoreline I had so much success on the day before. I started on the bottom with a 5 inch jerk shad and quickly picked up a big gaff top and then a little pinfish after that I switched back to topwater. This was the correct decision and on my first cast I was hooked up with a nice trout I took my time to not apply too much pressure, but as I raised my rod to put the fish in the net the hooks pulled and the big trout swam away. Next cast one twitch and fish on this was a visibly smaller fish but I took my time and ensured this one made it to the net.
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| A small speck. |
I worked this shoreline for another 45 minutes never catching a trout over 18. By this time it was past 9:00 and I needed to begin looking for a 40 inch plus redfish. This was the part I was most concerned about I knew they were in the area but I wasn't sure if I could pull one out for a second day in a row. I started jigging my gulp on a drop off in about 25 feet of water. On my first cast I was about to reel up and recast when my drag starts singing. I couldn't believe it on my first cast I had hooked a huge Bull red. After taking the initial run I was able to work the fish about 6 feet under the boat I could barely see it but I could tell it was long at this point it took another deep run. This time after it stopped I was able to work it to the surface and I realized I wasn't fighting a Bull Red I had perfectly hooked a big Alligator gar he was about 4 or 5 feet long.
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| Not the intended species but a nice catch. |
After unhooking it and snapping the above picture I went back to jigging for the intended species. I continued jigging for an hour and a half with nothing to show but I stuck to my plan and kept dredging the bottom for that one big bite. At around 10:45 I felt a peculiar thump and immediately set the hook the line started stripping off my reel and I was sure I had the big one this time. I took my time fighting the fish but after the first minute or so I could tell it wasn't as big as I needed it to be. after a mishap with the net I was able to land a thick baby bull red.
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| Not quite big enough for a check. |
At this point time was getting low and I decided to move to a different spot closer to the launch. I had about an hour before I had to get on the road . I did hit a little flounder there but that was it I headed in with 47 inches to see where I would place. I ended up in 20th after a disappointing day 2 but overall I was proud of what I had accomplished. The entire weekend was a great experience and even though I didn't reach my goal the experience I gained will help me exceed the goals I set next year.
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