Lake Manatee

[noles]

Since my 4 wt hasn't seen any action in a while; decided to head down to Lake Manatee to see if I can find something to bend the rod. Loaded up the fly box with some flies. The poppers are from Wallyworld but everything else was tied by yours truly. The little guys on the right are my version of Steve's Myakka Minnow.

My first ever speck!! She hit a small tan gurgler. The second speck I hooked was much larger but lost it at boatside. The bite was decent until the wind picked up. Total for the morning was 5 specks, 10 bluegill, and a couple redbreast (i think).

Rumor has it that specks are great table fare so I invented three of them home for lunch.

Table for one please.....

Pan fried with mango & jasmine rice. Delicious! Definetely great table fare.

[Vlap]

Nice!!! I wish I had joined you today. All I was able to find was a sunburn and a spanny mack.

[BlueCrab]

Nice flys, nice fish, nice dinner. 8)

Rooster hot sauce: 8) 8) 8)

[Vlap]

siracha is the bomb

[Rooster]

Rooster hot sauce: 8) 8) 8)

WOW! Didnt know I had a hot sauce out

[FishingDL]

Nicely done. Sounds like you had a great change up kind of day.

[Broken12]

Glad you had a good day and good eating.Can't beat fresh specks!

Specks at Manatee run large and are quite dark and beautiful. They put up a surprisingly good fight on light fly rod.

[noles]

They put up a surprisingly good fight on light fly rod.

That's an under statement Steve. They are almost as much fun to catch on a fly rod as a tarpon.

[BearsFan]

Looks like I need to find me a good crappie pond.

[Rooster]

a good crappie pond.

I got a crappie pond in my bathroom. Its only crappie sometimes though.......

[yohan1973]

I was gonna comment on how big the fish looks but then I realized who's TINY hands were holding it! lol

Just kidding! Great catch!