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Honeymooners enjoy variety

By RICK FRAZIER

© St. Petersburg Times,
published July 1, 2001

Honeymoon Island, with its long stretch of beach, is an ideal spot for wade fishermen. On the gulf side, pompano and permit regularly cruise the narrow swash that runs parallel to the beach searching for small crabs, shrimp, and sand fleas. The best way to find a school is to look for the headwakes they create or to look for the permit's long black dorsal fins sticking out of the water.

Fiddler crabs are great bait for these powerhouse fish. The easiest way to find fiddler crabs is to go out at low tide and look for their small holes in the sand. Once you find a colony of holes, use a small shovel or spade and dig deep around the hole so you can uncover the entire shaft. Turn the shovel full of sand and sift through the dirt for your prize. The small crab will usually be at the end of the shaft. If for some reason you have a hard time finding fiddlers, call around to some bait stores. They usually sell for around $1.50 a dozen.

Use a small No. 1 hook and hook your fiddler through the leg socket so you won't kill them. Normally, you would want to freeline the fiddlers so they're presented naturally with the current flow. If you need to get your crab down a little deeper, then add a small crimp on weight just a few inches above the hook.

If you prefer artificials over live bait for pompano and permit, then small jigs are the way to go. When I say small, I mean small in size, not in weight. Both these fish like turbulent or fast-moving water, so light-headed jigs in the one-eighth to one-quarter ounce aren't going to get to the bottom to create that all important "puff" of sand needed to draw the fish's attention. Three-eighths and half-ounce heads will get to the bottom to do the job.

North Point has an infamous snook reputation. With the deep, 10- to 12-foot cut that runs next to the point, loads of bait get sucked in and out with the tide, making it an ideal snook cafeteria.

In the morning, work the incoming tide with a free-lined jumbo shrimp or a fat and juicy scaled sardine on a 3/0 live bait hook. Toss your offering upcurrent and let it drift naturally, too. The snook can be hiding anywhere from the gulf to the backside of the island, so give yourself plenty of time to work the whole area. The afternoon outgoing is probably the best bet for line siders here since most snook are nocturnal feeders. Artificials will work too. Low-light conditions are ideal for topwater baits that slurp or dart and dive across the surface. Natural colors seem to work best, especially if they have a silver or gold-reflecting side. If the plugs have a small propeller that creates a splash, so much the better.

Jigs also get a lot of attention from snook. Half-ounce heads with shad type or slug type tails will get hammered if the presentation is right. Drag your jig across the bottom instead of hopping it. This will present an appearance that's not intrusive and won't spook the fish.

Stout tackle is needed for these bruisers. There's not a lot of structure to cut you off, but it's the snook's rough mouth wearing through the leader you have to worry about. Use 20-pound line and 40-pound leader.

Snook season is closed until the end of August, so just catch, photo and release.

On the east side of Honeymoon, red drum or redfish are working the shallow grassflats around the island. Low tide is the best time to target these bronze beauties, since it will be easier to see their blue-tipped tails.

Corked pinfish or shrimp is simply resisting to hungry redfish. The key is to have your bait in place so the reds swim into it. Casting in the middle of feeding fish will spook the fish.

Gold spoons are the No. 1 choice for reds if you want to try to get one on a fake. Once you have spotted your quarry, cast and retrieve the spoon so the red has to chase it.

There are plenty of stingrays out so take your time and watch where you're walking. Do the stingray shuffle and wear shoes, dive booties or waders.

- Capt. Rick Frazier runs Lucky Dawg Charters out of St. Petersburg and can be reached at 448-3817. If you've had a great day fishing from land and want to share it with readers, contact the LUBBERLINE at 893-8775 or e-mail captrick@luckydawg.com.

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