Keaton Beach Fishing Report April 10-11 2015

Keaton Beach Fishing Report April 10 - 11, 2015

Trout fishing is really looking up as several firsts this week indicate Spring is finally catching on on the flats.. We caught our first bluefish ( close to five pounds) our first Jack Crevalle, first Atlantic Sharpnose sharks, and I saw more Ballyhoo on the surface today in one acre than I have seen all year. Peng Chee of Tifton, Ga. was down and caught a Cobia over 40 lbs. also a first that I have heard of. Reports of oodles of baitfish on the surface down south of Piney Point should also be a good sign. Despite the fishing has been tough for a lot of folks lately; this week was producing limits for a few who were getting skunked last week.

My One More Cast trips have been spectacular! We netted 9 trout Saturday, 14 the next day despite 15 - 20 knot w-i-n-d-s for the Rocky Lowe party. Monday, Ben and Keith Golden of Thomasville, Ga. had eleven trout , of which 10 weighed 25 pounds, then 15 trout Tuesday which weighed a whopping 35 pounds for Ellen Williams and Joe Wallace from Vermont; who left 28 degrees on Monday, flew down, and then fished with me in 83 degrees here in Keaton Beach the next day. They were delighted!
Today, I took Mitchell Smith with his son Mason 13 y.o. from Newnan, Ga. out with Jerry Tillia of Hogansville, Ga. and they brought back 12 trout and a 27" red. Our top five trout weighed ...get this...21.3 pounds including a 28" monster for Jerry which weighed 5.6 pounds and a 24" trout for Mason which weighed 5 pounds! We had a Great day and caught them all on live pinfish under Back Bay Thunders in 2.5 - 3.5 feet of water on the rising tide.
I expect fishing to continue to improve through the weekend and with the addition of bait schools showing up the plug fishing should improve. The dead algae up North means the grub and Gulp bouncers should either put on a Cajun Thunder or move south if they insist on bouncing cause the bottom is covered in dead algae up there.
Don't forget to mark your calendars 'cause the first Weekend in May, actually Saturday, May 2nd is the 24th annual Perry Optimist Tournament Club Saltwater Tournament. Visit their website at www.optimistclubperryfl.com for complete details.