Fishing Report: Summer Means Crab Flush!

BRADENTON -- Recently, I made a spur of the moment decisionÉas I often doÉ to go fishing with a good friend of mine. It was a calm 5-10 knot wind, partly cloudy with 30% chance of rain, so there wasn’t much deliberation. We were pleasantly surprised to catch the last half of a huge outgoing tide. During summer on the West Coast of Florida that means one thing -- CRAB FLUSH!

We headed toward the nearest pass to get in on the action. On the way out of the Manatee River, there was a school of eight to ten inch mullet, just milling on the surface in about 3 feet of water. Using the electric trolling motor to creep up on them, I managed to pancake my 10’ cast net on top of the school before they spooked. With a few dozen of the tantalizing baits, we headed to get our bait of choice, crabs.

Once at the pass, we kept an eye out for the most defined weed line, on the seam where two currents meet. By motoring up current, we began scooping up both calico (pass) and blue crabs that were washing out with the tide. With a baitwell stacked with fish candy, our vessel headed toward the gulf. On the way out, there was a defined color change and by motoring along it, a nice drop-off was located.

We set up shop for a minute, but it was not immediately productive, so once it was marked on the GPS and the bow was pointed toward a reef 3 miles west of the pass, we headed out. Upon arrival, there was one fish on our mind, the majestic permit.

I grabbed the nearest stout spinning rod and cast a fat pass crab up-tide of the structure. Moments later, the drag on my Fin-nor began a steady beeline toward the horizon. A nice cobia crashed at the surface, furious that he was hooked. After gaffing the rabid pitbull of a fish, we quickly threw it in the box and had a nice high five.

Free lining a couple of mullet with a wire bite tippet yielded a large lemon shark and five-foot-long barracuda that gave an impressive back flip out of the water. Still hungry for the main course, we decided that our best option was to head toward a shipwreck a couple more miles offshore. Upon arrival, there was a darker shade of blue hovering above our waypoint.

Drifting two succulent crabs back in the current had no success. Knowing there was permit around, I tied a balloon to the rigs and dropped them back in the flowing tide. My friend’s balloon began streaking through the water and he drove the hook home. The tenacious fight and sideways track were signs that we had indeed found what we were looking for. After Boga gripping the gummy mouth of a permit we both released a victorious cheer. With the sun setting in the distance, we knew it was time to head back.

Remember if you are too busy to go fishing you’re just too busy!

You can contact Capt. Ryan McClash at ReelAppealCharters@Gmail.com. Visit our website for more information, or call (941)773-1749