I apologize for the lapse in reports, but I have a legitimate excuse. After nearly 30 years in the Tallahassee/Big Bend region, I have re-located to my retirement home in Pace, Florida. This area is where I first started my passion for saltwater fishing and it’s great to now be back re-exploring home waters. My Beavertail Mosquito will be the perfect craft for poling the shallow flats of Santa Rosa Sound and Big Lagoon, along with the upper tributaries of Escambia, Blackwater and Perdido Bays. So far I have made three trips to the Sound, the latest being Friday at the start of the long Memorial Day weekend. Here’s what I have encountered:
Redfish of all sizes have been cruising up and down the shoreline and adjacent flats. Many of the fish are spooky in the crystal clear water but sight-fishing opportunities are still viable. The fish are too shallow for a trolling motor so poling or wading is the best bet. Normally it’s hard to go wrong with an Aqua Dream weedless gold spoon. But lately those haven’t been enticing. CAL shad tails in mole` are working, especially when the competition is high, and the classic red head/white Skitter Walks are also fooling a few.
Previous trips have shown small pods of decent trout and some scattered sheepshead. There have been reports of trophy trout coming on suspending plugs along the docks elsewhere in the bay system. Fast-moving schools of jack crevalle are sliding through. Reactionary casts with a noisy topwater plug, or most anything really, will get their interest. Water temperatures are in the upper 70s and climbing rapidly.
Memorial Weekend marks the start of the Coastal Conservation Association STAR tournament. This popular family oriented event runs through September 9. It features 17 divisions targeting 12 inshore and offshore species, plus a trash clean-up category. The West Marine Tagged Redfish Division offers the chance of a Contender Boats 22 Sport, Pathfinder Boats 2200 TRS or Spyder Vapor 19FX rigged with Yamaha outboards for anglers catching a tagged redfish. The first two youth anglers catching tagged reds will also win a Salt Marsh Skiffs 1656 with Yamaha power, Minn Kota Trolling Motor and Humminbird electronics.
The first offshore enthusiasts registered that catches a tagged dolphin will win $10,000 in the Tigress Outriggers and Gear Tagged Dolphin Division. Youth anglers are eligible ti win up to 12 scholarships totaling $100,000 in the Academy Sports and Outdoors Youth Scholarship Division. Other divisions include ladies, kayak, fly, conservation and guide. Many of the winners are determined by random drawing to level the playing field and catch, photo and release is the primary scoring method through the tournament smart phone app.
Participants must be members of CCA Florida to win and registration is required to be eligible for the many prizes. To register or learn more, please visit: www.ccaflstar.com
Copyright 2021, Captain Dave Lear. All rights reserved.