Early May Redfish

Last Friday, May 2, I escorted three good men from Jacksonville out into the Cedar Keys Wildlife Refuge in the afternoon hours. Small craft warnings were posted for the morning, so we left a little later in the day.

We started fishing at noon, and high tide wasn`t until 1 p.m., so I wasn`t too concerned about getting out at that late time. We shoved off and went right across the shipping channel and around the west side and into Atsena Otie.

For ya`ll who don`t know, that`s the name of the first key just south of the end of Cedar Key. Can`t miss it. There`s a narrow cut through the key with oyster bars all the way along and grass up in the middle of and at the end of two oyster bars.

I made sure my guests were all set up fishing the edges and ends up close and then I threw a piece of cut bait up on a sandy spot in about one foot of water and let it soak there. Dave had caught a pinfish that I cut up for bait. I call that "redfish candy." They love pinfish; it`s like a little biscuit fillet on a hook.

The guys caught a 16" redfish which we released real quick and a small speckled trout that we tossed back, too. I was hooking a piece of pinfish on Andy`s line when I saw my rod jumping around and ran up to it and gave a firm tug on it and found a big redfish on the other end. The contest was on.

The little spinning reel was singing as line peeled off it. The old rod strained as it doubled over. The guys just stared at the water as the big red rolled over and thrashed about showing that beautiful sunset color through the splashing.

Dave jumped up and had the dipnet ready as the red came alongside the boat, and he snatched it up and over the side onto the deck. Whew! I could taste fried redfish and redskin potatoes already.

Neither of my guests caught a redfish there, so we anchored up and rode over to Seahorse Key and fished a redfish hangout for a while. Andy hooked into one that was so big we couldn`t turn its head, and the fish just peeled all the line off the reel. SNAP.

We ended up in the grass flats and landed three keeper speckled trout and some plump whiting. The guys had a great time and said they would be back with their wives. I hope so. Every day fishing is great; I just wish my guests could have taken home a big red like me.

Check out my wesite a www.inshorefloridafishing.com

Capt. Dan.