Foul Weather Grand Slam 10/28

[DouGR81]

With tropical moisture from Rina and the onset of another cold front on the horizon, I wasn't quite sure what the bite would be like today. I started the morning off by poling my favorite flat, a flat that no matter how many times I fish, it still seems unfamiliar to me. The water receded slower than anticipated but once it did I was able to lock into a bunch of trout that were jumping clear out of the water for the plug. I also ran into a lone tailing redfish which broke in the new Stradic FJ very well. The tide came in quickly so to stay ahead of it I packed up and relaunched in a remote backcountry area that I've been meaning to explore. Right off the bat I found a big school of jacks near the launch that were willing to take a surface plug even during the midday hours. I covered 2 miles during the next few hours and caught a couple of snook along the way. The rain started coming down pretty hard so I decided to call it a day. While I was waiting at a four-way stop on the drive home I glanced out the window and saw a tarpon roll in a nearby canal. Knowing that I was one species away from the grand slam, I pulled over and dropped the kayak in. The tarpon were everywhere but were very fussy and refused 3 different lures until a scrappy 25lber eventually ate. It jumped damn high, higher than any tarpon I've ever hooked.

[IntimiGator]

very Nice1's you caught. That PA looks awesome like an aircraft carrier. Good job on some nice fish.

[1okbyme2]

Schweet day man..

[DaveR]

Well done! Haven't heard of a Grand Slam here in quite some time. Only have had one myself and it too was in your neck of the woods. Fish weren't that big though!
Again, a hearty well done sir!

[DouGR81]

Well done! Haven't heard of a Grand Slam here in quite some time. Only have had one myself and it too was in your neck of the woods. Fish weren't that big though!
Again, a hearty well done sir!

Thank you sir. It really isn't that difficult to get a grand slam around here if you know where to look. I gotta pick up a fly rod soon and try for the ultimate grand slam.

[DirksFishin]

Nice Dude! What'd you catch the Tarpon on? I saw some monsters rolling in Sarasota bay two days ago which I though they'd all be long gone by now... I've been catching Trout and Snook out the wazoo but no reds... The jacks are alot of fun on the top water they're little pigs.

[Bigfish171]

Very nice!!! Great pics too, as yours always are!!

[MarkM]

Very nice!!! Great pics too, as yours always are!!

What Bigfish said. Always great to read your reports!

[barrynfla]

With tropical moisture from Rina and the onset of another cold front on the horizon, I wasn't quite sure what the bite would be like today. I started the morning off by poling my favorite flat, a flat that no matter how many times I fish, it still seems unfamiliar to me. The water receded slower than anticipated but once it did I was able to lock into a bunch of trout that were jumping clear out of the water for the plug. I also ran into a lone tailing redfish which broke in the new Stradic FJ very well. The tide came in quickly so to stay ahead of it I packed up and relaunched in a remote backcountry area that I've been meaning to explore. Right off the bat I found a big school of jacks near the launch that were willing to take a surface plug even during the midday hours. I covered 2 miles during the next few hours and caught a couple of snook along the way. The rain started coming down pretty hard so I decided to call it a day. While I was waiting at a four-way stop on the drive home I glanced out the window and saw a tarpon roll in a nearby canal. Knowing that I was one species away from the grand slam, I pulled over and dropped the kayak in. The tarpon were everywhere but were very fussy and refused 3 different lures until a scrappy 25lber eventually ate. It jumped damn high, higher than any tarpon I've ever hooked.

Very nicely done!!!! What size FJ do you have and what are your first impressions of it?

[Manning]

A day you will long remember and I will long envy.

[DouGR81]

Very nicely done!!!! What size FJ do you have and what are your first impressions of it?

I have the 3000FJ. It is a good reel, you can definitely feel that extra cranking power when you have a fish on. It isn't much different than the old Stradic FH and it's probably even more similiar to the Stradic FI. I still like my CI4's better overall, for the lighter weight and better looks

[seeinred]

Nice job Doug, great pics like always.