Keaton Beach Fishing Report Labor Day Weekend 2015

CAPT. DVE MALONE WITH A FINE 24" TROUT CAUGHT 8/30/15 

Keaton Beach Fishing report labor Day Weekend 2015
Trout Fishing has definitely picked up as evidenced by the Great scouting trip capt. Dave Malone and I had Sunday, August 30. Water temperatures in the open Gulf had dropped to 82 degrees as we begun our adventure.
The first stop in dark, but perfectly ( between ice tea and coffee) colored, water was in 2.5 - 3 ft. of water in a spot we had anticipated seeing more baitfish on the surface. Well, after a visual scan of the surface wasn't showing too much I was ready to move as we were both on our third pinfish apiece and I said, "whoops he missed it" as I saw a large swirl under my Back Bay Thunder. I gave it the old "shake and bake" and down it goes. The result was a 25" male trout which I quickly released. Dave's next cast brought a strike as soon as it landed in the water and as he set the hook, he grunted, "A good one" and landed a 24" trout which he also released. I said , "Well, we need to leave this spot." When you are scouting for a future charter you don't need to catch but a couple and then get out of there.
Well, our next spot was a zip with three short trout in four casts and again very little bait activity on the surface. We moved on to a hump with 3.5ft. - 4.5 ft. of water on the top and as I slowed the boat in 6 - 7 feet of water, to start our drift, the ballyhoo scattered as something large took a swat at them. Three baits later we had two keepers and then caught two shorts once we were up in less than 3.5 feet; so I moved back around to the edge of the hump and we caught four more keepers in 5 baits including a 21" trout. Then Dave grunted again and said, It's a good one" Sure enough, I netted a 24" trout so we had finished our limit in under 45 minutes once the "bite" was on.
Sunday, we had a Lo tide a 9:10 a.m. with a Hi at 3:14 p.m. We caught the large fish early around 10:00 a.m then from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. we finished our limit. Oh, yeah and did I mention we never had a breeze of any kind for the entire trip. Right, dead calm the entire day and yet the trout were biting. I'd say we have finally turned the corner on a HOT and Brutal summer.
This weekend you should fish in the best of your tidal flow and expect the bite to happen for the first two hours of the falling tide in the a.m. then go back in have lunch and get back out to experience the incoming tide in the afternoon. Water movement ( tidal current) is the key! Use smaller pinfish, our trout wouldn't kill a 4 inch bait; they had to be smaller. We caught all our trout on live pinfish under Back Bay Thunders with 48" long leaders. Well ...Dave had 32" on his for a while.
Don't Forget mark your Calendar! to fish in the 5th annual Taylor County Fall Trout Tournament
When: Saturday, September 19 from safelight to 3:30 p.m* $30.00 entry fee person
Where: Weigh-ins at Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee
What: Captain's Meeting Friday Sept 18** at Big Bend Properties in Keaton Beach
How much: Trout $1000 for 1st Place (heaviest legal 5 trout stringer)
$500 for 2nd Place
$300 for 3rd Place
What else?: Big Trout $300
Big Redfish $300
Lucky Dog*** $100
* Fish an extra hour ( til 4:30 p.m.) for a $20 fee/boat paid at registration before the tourney begins
** receive .3 lb. bonus for attending Captain's meeting
*** random team ticket picked at weigh-in
For more info contact Capt Ashley Mock 850.843.0566
or Taylor County Chamber of Commerce 850.584.5366