Weather conditions have made for some challenges on trips with the Reelin & Chillin, however if we worked hard enough dinner made it to the table. Offshore artificial reefs are holding sheepshead and Key West Grunts (white grunt). Inshore sheepshead, redfish, seatrout, and ladyfish have been around docks, oyster beds and mangroves.
On a morning trip with Ray Ribaric we headed out about seven miles to a Sarasota County artificial reef location finding mostly Key West Grunts and a couple sheepshead. With no limit to these tasty panfish we had over forty before we new it. After catching plenty for a nice fish fry Ray and I headed inside for some redfish action. Not much going on with the reds all very small, however we did pick up a few sheepshead.
It's been a little tough putting a slot redfish in the live well lately, however luck has changed. Yesterday on a trip with Bob Hughes and friends we had great action with several redfish tightening lines. Three made the slot to twenty-five inches. These reds along with five slot sheepshead made for fantastic light tackle action.
I used my standard outfit on these trips:
Offshore it was an Okuma 7.5' Guide Select rod with the Okuma Selena SA55 reel. Line used was 15lb test from the reel, a thirty pound test mono leader and a #2 Owner circle hook - #4 split shot sinkers were added as needed according to the current.
Inshore it was a St. Croix 7.5' Tidemaster rod with the Okuma Selena SA30 reel. Line used was 10lb test from the reel, a twenty pound test fluorocarbon leader and a #4 Owner circle hook - #4 split shot was used at times to keep the bait in the target area.
Bait used was live hand-picked shrimp from Hart's Landing Bait located at 930 John Ringling Causeway in Sarasota Florida.