Stick Marsh/Farm 13 - high winds

[George Welcome]

Date Fished: 4/29/2006
Water Temperature: 80
Water Clarity: 6 inches

COASTAL WATERS FROM COCOA BEACH TO JUPITER INLET OUT 20 NM- 414 AM EDT SAT APR 29 2006

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON... ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON...

.TODAY...NORTHEAST WINDS AROUND 20 KNOTS. SEAS 6 TO 8 FEET WITH A BUILDING NORTHEAST SWELL. INTRACOASTAL WATERS ROUGH. .TONIGHT...NORTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. SEAS 6 TO 9 FEET IN A NORTHEAST SWELL. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY. .SUNDAY...NORTHEAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS DECREASING TO 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 8 TO 11 FEET IN A NORTHEAST SWELL. INTRACOASTAL WATERS CHOPPY.

Yesterday's report initially called for 10-15 out of the east, but was changed to North winds 20-25 changing to East winds 20-25.

Early on John Tucker from Rhode Island and Ed caught several fish in the south end of the lake. However, previous day's scenarios of top water action was not going to happen as the winds pushed the water southward in increasingly higher and higher chop. Where visibility was over two feet just two days ago, the water was now muddied and visibility had dropped to less than six inches. By moving from one anchorage point on a stump to the next we did manage twelve fish before we were forced out.

We ran to the spillway to see what we would and found that they had raised the gate a bit which increased the current. First cast with a C-rigged Senko produced a nice 3-4 pound fish, but as Ed reeled it in St John's Water Management made their appearance and lowered the gate some decreasing the current. Over the next hour or so we managed four more as we moved to different casting positions, but that was it. The spillway is normally a good place to get out of the wind, but the north wind howled straight into the area which completely countered what current we did have.

We headed back out into the lake, but quickly gave up on the south end as it got too dangerous for the boat with the one to one and half foot chop that was beating the area. Working the stumps when it gets that rough just isn't good for boat or people.

We headed northward and checked the pipes in the NE area of the Marsh but that was a no-flow situation. We then worked our way west along the tree line on the north end of the Marsh, but that became difficult as the wind swung to the east.

All in all a tough day of fishing. As you can see by NOAA's report, it's not looking good until Monday at the earliest. Hopefully these winds will go away and leave us alone for more than 3 days straight in the near future. I can't wait to get back to the hot top water action that we have been having here.

See you on the water.