Florida Keys Trip

My Family and I made a trip to the Keys June 15th-19th.  It was a once in a lifetime trip and one I had looked forward to for the last few months. We stayed at probably the best resort in all of the Keys. World Famous Cheeca Lodge.  Wow, what an awesome place.
Here are a few pics of this famous Lodge.

On our second day, we traveled down south to Key West.

On our way down, we stopped off at Big Pine Key to find the elusive Key Deer. This deer is the smallest subspecies of whitetail being isolated from the Florida whitetail on the mainland for over 6000 years .  It didn't take long and we saw a very nice Key Deer Buck.

Awesome place.  Big Pine Key is one of the few Keys that has Pines on it.  Most of the Keys are too low in elevation to have Pines but a few do.   These Pines are Slash Pines which are found from the Keys up into North Carolina. If I ever go back I hope to spend more time around Big Pine. 

After leaving Big Pine we made our way to Key West.

Key West is a pretty cool place.  We saw Ernest Hemingway's house by accident. We were going down a road and there it was.   We also traveled on US 1 which ends in  Keys West and even has a sign that says "End of US 1"  Pretty cool since we live between US1 and old US 1 in Wake Co. North Carolina.
I  went on MapQuest and it is ONLY 964 miles from Us1 at my house to the end of Us1 in Key West!!

We finished up the day at a public beach in Key West.  I saw a few fish swimming around so I broke out one of my rods. I caught a bunch of these Snapper but all were small. I even had what I think was a bonefish hit my small swimbait but I didn't get a hookset.

On our way back to Islamorada we stopped by the  world Famous Robbie's Marina where you can hand feed Tarpon. 3 bucks gets you a bucket of fish and there are Tarpon ranging from 20lbs up to a Hundred plus. 

Wednesday Morning my son and I met Capt. Fred at the Cheeca Lodge Dock and we made the 50 minute run to the southern tip of the Florida Mainland.  We first stopped by a small Mangrove Island and anchored just off of it where you could see small Tarpon hitting bait along the shore. The guide had brought live pinfish and live shrimp for bait.  We got zero hits on the pinfish but we caught right many fish on the shrimp by threading them onto a white headed jig.  We caught Black Drum, Snapper, and Jack at this spot and I lost the one Tarpon Hookup because she got me tangled in a Mangrove root. Dang!  Here are a few pictures of that spot

My son and myself with Black Drum

After an hour or so at the first spot we left and went closer to Flamingo to a place called Snakebite creek. This actually wasn't a creek but 2 big flats with a deeper channel running through it. Here is my  First Tarpon caught here.

I caught another one that may have went 20 lbs but Captain Fred didn't want me to take it out of the net, which was ok as I was happy just catching one. Pretty cool though to land 2 out of 3 hooked. My son caught a nice red drum and we also caught a bunch of snapper  as well as 1 sheepshead and a lot of saltwater catfish. The snapper we caught were actually pretty good sized ones but we were so busy trying to catch Tarpon and Drum that I never took a picture of some of the nice Snapper.

Here is what we caught almost every fish on. A 3/8 ounce jig head with a live shrimp threaded onto the hook. First pinch the tail off then thread on. I am going to have to try this  for NC fish. 

While making the run back to Cheeca lodge we saw a Manatee . Captain Fred slowed down and we got a real good look at this awesome animal. Thanks Captain Fred!

Captain Fred did an awesome job and he can be reached on his website- http://www.captainfreddie.com/?Name=Value

Wednesday evening we enjoyed a nice dinner at the World famous Lorelei Restaraunt and Cabana Bar on Upper Matecumbe Key. This location is noted for it's sunsets. 

Thursday we had booked a snorkeling trip which was just a few miles out from Cheeca. The dates on this camera are wrong. 

Here are a few pictures of a few spots I fished early or late in the day.  

These pictures are  right across from Robbie's.  No bites here but I am sure if someone floated livebait here you would get a Tarpon. 

These next pictures are at mile marker  74?? This is at the bridge separating Lower Matecumbe Key and Craig Key  

A GOOGLE EARTH  screen shot of this spot.

I lost a nice Snook between that first pole and the bank. That is a channel between the Power lines and the bank with a flat on the other side.

Even though I lost that Snook it was a good evening where I got to see another awesome sunset. You can see the old railroad pilings on the right side halfway up.

Here are a few Lizards who I  saw every day at Cheeca.

Here are a couple of types of trees that I saw all over the keys. One is a  Royal Poinciana

( see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delonix_regia ) and the other is some type of Fir? If you know the second one please let me know.  Both are defiantly non-native but cool.

It was an awesome trip.  I probably will never get back there unless I win the lotto but I am defiantly gonna try to go back one day . 

Mack

Jeff Gets a Flathead

I  Just got back from a week in the Florida Keys crossing a few fish off of my "Bucket List".
Tarpon, Black Drum, Cuda, Mangrove Snapper, Jack are all now off of that list. I even wanted to see a Key Deer and after 2 hours of sitting still a nice Key Deer Buck came by. Ok, it was actually only 5 minutes but I got to see a Key Deer.
So, Saturday the 20th I was taking a nap recuperating and my wife comes into the bedroom and says Jeff is here. Crap, there went my nap.

Jeff talks me into going to a local flow for a short float for Bass. We look at usgs.gov and the water level looks perfect.  We arrive at our destination and the water looks like crap.  Too bad usgs.gov doesn't show water clarity.  Now I like stained to slightly muddy water but this was so muddy I think I actually saw a Raccoon track float by!  We stood there deciding on our options and after a little arm twisting  I talked Jeff into going to a nearby spot for Flatheads.

First we would have to get bait. So off to the Bait store it was. I had only brought  1 cat rod since this was originally a bass trip so we took turns fishing for cats.  I went first and caught one 20 lbs or so. Now, it was Jeff's turn .  He casted to one hole and after 15 mins or so he casted to another hole and  almost immediately his line started moving to the left. he set the hook and after a short brief battle he had his first Flathead!  Awesome! Now, if I could just get him to go after Shad on the Shad run.

Note - no Flatheads were harmed today but 7 goldfish were.   7 x $2.75 apiece and a 4.99 baitbucket = $26.24
Catching Flatheads- Priceless

Rod - 7ft Heavy American Spirit NiteStik-   This imo is the best rod on the market for the money

link to Rod........

http://www.bottomdwellerstackle.com/american_spirit.htm


Reel- Abu 7000C
Line- Cajun 40 lb
Hook- 9/0 Gama J hook
Bait-Goldfish
Weight -2 oz Bank Sinker
Time-6pm-8pm

Picture of Rig-

Picture of How I hook the Bait-

Results-

A great afternoon on the water. Mack

Danville, Virginia

#flatheadcatfish

#fishing

Piedmont Float 5/29/15

Steve and myself fished a 5 mile stretch of a local river.  The action wasn't like we have seen it in the past, the 1st half of the trip was good but not the great we have been used to, The second half of the trip the bite was terrible. I managed 1 small bass and lost on 3lb bowfin,

I usually fish this river with either a White Buzzer or a white spinnerbait.  Instead today I started off with good solid fish on a Pearl White Super Fluke. I caught maybe 10 of the fluke.

 I then switched to a white spinnerbait and was rewarded with the ole gal.  She was a Brawler.

And another decent bass

probably had 54-56 inches in these 3 fish. For the tourney I will need to add at least 5 inches to do well. A different spot it will be, 

                                      

   Date 5/29/15

   Location- Central North Carolina River

   Lures used- White Pearl Fluke and White 

   Spinnerbait.

A good day on the River, It sure beats workin. We saw herons, Ducks, Osprey's, Deer and 1 lone huge Bald eagle.

Mack

May Bream on the Long Rod

I was coming home from work the other day and Jeff called me and asked where I was at. I replied I am at the intersection of road a and b.  He then replied he was only one block behind me so he asked that I pull over up a head so he can give me a lure.  Sure, anytime someone wants to give  me a lure I am all for it.   So, I pull over at this business that I pass every day and golly there is one really nice looking pond here that you cant see from the road.  Jeff couldn't resist throwing some lures and he caught a couple of bass. What I noticed was the Bream bedding.  

I made it a point to take my flyrod with me to work 2 days later so I could hit this spot after work.   I arrived at aprox 6 PM and fished till 830 pm.   The Bream action was awesome and I caught some really nice ones along with some average sized ones which were still fun.   Here are a few pictures

Now this Bream below is not a big one but it is one of the coolest I have ever seen, This bream has a face that is  Greenish white and is identical on both sides. It was actually better in person.

This one was one of the last ones and she put up one heck of  a fight.

Outfit Used-  Daiwa 706 fly reel on a 7 ft rod loaded with 5 weight floating line.

Flies used were a tandem rig of a Yellow popper and a Black ant trailer tied directly to the poppers hook.

Location- Piedmont North Carolina Pond

Last Shad of 2015 ??

LAST SHAD OF THE YEAR FOR 2015???

Everyone talks about when the first Shad of the year will be caught in North Carolina.
Will it be caught in January or February????
There are even several shad tournaments giving prizes to the First Shad caught. But for some reason no one seems to talk about when the last one will be caught.

Well, when will the last shad be caught?? Will it be in late April? May? or possibly June?  Note- I have seen them in a river in June.

Here is a Mothers day shad caught May the 10th, I caught a bunch and left at 7pm upon releasing this one , It was a fun few hours on the river....This is 8 days later than I have caught them on the Neuse. My previous latest day in the year was May the 2nd catching White Shad on the upper Neuse.

Pete knows where this is but he ain't  talkin.lol

Date- 5-10-2015
Outfit -Daiwa 1300 on Penn Prion Rod with 8 lb line.

lure- Pink headed 1/8 oz Jighead with 2" white Gotcha curlytail

I Started at aprox 4pm and left at 7pm upon releasing the last one.  All were good hard fighters and all were caught on a white grub.  I also did catch a 3 lb  Bowfin to boot.  Lots of Osprey's and Herons doing the same thing I was doing.........Fishing!   A fun day on the water with Pete.

Those American Shad are a Blast!

34 lb Flathead caught on Shiner

Date 5-6-2015
Location- Central North Carolina Stream
Outfits Used-
Abu Garcia 7000 w/ 40 lb Red Cajun line on 7' Med Hvy American Spirit Nite Stik
http://bottomdwellerstackle.com/american_spirit.htm#Nite_stik_classic
This IMHO is the best Cat Rod for the money

Penn Mag 10 loaded with 40 lb Red cajun line on Berkley Big Game 6'6" Med Hvy
I caught the cat on this out fit.

Rig- Carolina Rig with 3 oz Bank sinker, swivel, 1 ft leader and 7/0 J hook. 

Time- 5:30 PM - 830 pm

Bait Used- 4 goldfish from my last trip and some river shiners and shad caught in castnet

Headed out to one of my favorite spots for Flatheads and and set up my rods in surfrod holders.
I had zero hits on Shad and goldfish. My one lone hit came on the shiner and it was also the smallest bait I had. This Flathead was a mean one.  I doubt I have ever had one fight harder. She was a real brawler and I was lucky to have landed her.   Released her unharmed for another angler to catch.

Bait-

Here is the Trophy of the day. 

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my YouTube Channel here Mack's River Fishing YouTube Channel

#catfishing

#flatheadcatfish

#NorthCarolinafishing

Maple Cypress Landing / Boat Ramp

This ramp is Located a few miles north of Ft Barnwell, NC. This was  my choice on my first Shad fishing trip for this year. see  http://mackinncblog.blogspot.com/2015/03/neuse-river-and-my-first-shad-of-2015.html     The NCWRC has put in a new ramp and parking lot which was very much needed.  The old ramp was in very bad shape but that also meant less traffic which was good.

Here are 2  Google map shots of the ramp and river.  You can see the ramp and parking lot on the north side of the river just above the bridge.

Here are a few pictures of the updated ramp which went from 1 to 2 lanes.

A shot of the Parking lot.

A Shot of the Dock and my Scanoe!

Here is a video of the river above the ramp. We are upriver and headed back to the ramp. This is generally what it looks like in early Spring. In the Summer it is a lot lower.

  

What a nice ramp . 

Mack

Fun evening White Bass Fishing

Date 4-8-2015

Time 430-700PM
Quarry- White Bass on their spawning run
Reel-  Daiwa Tierra 1500
Rod- Berkley Lightning Rod 6'0" Med Light
Line- 6 lb Original Stren
Lures Used -  Bitzy Minnow White/Chartreuse & SSR5 shad colored

Get them here -   

Shallow Shad Rap 5 SSR5  https://amzn.to/3XUbO88

Bitzy Minnow - 
Location- Tributary to Falls lake
Water Temp-  70 Degrees!

Left work a little early today to get in some White Bass action. I start off with Chartreuse/white Bitzy Minnow and caught 3 white perch and maybe 20 White Bass.   The average size was small but they were fun, I lost my last Bitzy Minnow so I then switched to a Rapala SSR5 in Shad Color.
The size of fish Immediately went up and I caught maybe another 20 or so on it and 1 very small Striper.  I covered maybe a 1/2 mile of water and no one else was fishing this stretch. It was a fun evening on the water. I ended up with 47 White's, 3 White Perch and the one lone Striper.

Thanks, Mack

#fallslake

#whitebass

Awesome Evening White Shad Fishing

Date 4/16/2015
Time 5-7 PM
Lures Used -  1/8 oz Pink headed jig w/ White Grub
or Chartreuse Grub and a split shot aprox 1 Ft above it
Water Temp - 59 degrees

Sad day today.   We laid to rest my Mother in law ( Lillie Mae Turner) today.  She loved to fish so after everything had settled down we figured it was ok for My son(her grandson) and myself to go fishing for a few hours.

She must have been watching as my son put on a show catching White Shad.  He must have caught twice as many as me but that's OK. He is the only person that I don't mind out fishing me.

Like most shad they wanted the grub slow and deep. I actually caught a few while watching the Osprey's that were continually putting on a show for us .    I had several times stopped  my lure to watch the Osprey's and was surprised by several hookups doing this.

My son probably caught 10 big ones and me maybe 5.  The only other fish we caught was I snagged a big ole gizzard shad in the back.

My son has caught lots of Hickories before but today was his first time catching White or American shad.

Here are a few pictures.

Thanks, Mack

Big American shad

Date- 4/5/2015
Location- NE North Carolina
Water Temp- 54 degrees
Lure- 1/8 oz pink Jig head with white grub
and a 1/8 oz ~ split shot 1 foot above Jighead
Reel- Daiwa 1300 SS w/ 8 lb line

Had an awesome evening form aprox 3PM to 7 with 10 or so big White Shad caught.   All fought hard and deep.  The retreive had to be reel slow and deep to get a hit but they were there.

I also saw several Ospreys catch fish and one that grabbed a few sticks out of the water evidently to enhance a nest.

A day to remember!!

Thanks, Mack

Roanoke Shad 4/2/2015

Date- 4/2/2015
Location- Roanoke River, Weldon
Quarry - Hickory Shad
Lures Used - Single Barb less 1/8 oz pink Jighead w pink grub
Reel -  Daiwa 1300 SS and 8 lb suffix line


My son and me hit the Roanoke and had a blast, though he caught twice as many as myself.
Note- April 1st to June 30th this area is a single hook and barbless area, so that is why we are not using the tandem rigs now.

A good day on the water.

Thanks, Mack