Brothers Shooting for the End of the Jettie
 

Happy Saturday Fishing Family. FishingMike and I got out on SD Bay this morning. We got out to the launch at 6 am. There was a slight breeze and it was cooler than the last time we went out. Looked out on the water from the beach and saw 4 yakers already on the water. Our intent today was to try to get out to the south end of the Jetty.

Water was probably 5 degrees colder than two weeks ago. Trolled out of the Shelter Island Yacht Basin. Wanted to load up on some small mack to possibly use as bait. As luck would would have it I hit a school and caught 8 macks in 10-15 minutes on a motor oil red grub and root beer colored grub. Fishing Mike went straight out towards the Jetty. I headed that way after stocking up on mack.

Water was fairly flat and the tide was not coming in strong yet. Got out past the Ammo Pier and kept pushing farther. I think FishingMike ran out of gas or his knee began to ache near the Shoal Markers. I made it out to almost the fog horn at the end of the Jetty. Not much biting out there. Landed a small sandie and spottie. Rode the tide back into the bay. Caught another sandie and spottie near the shoal markers. These were foot longs. We decided to work the spots out off of Shelter Island near the pier. Caught some foot long Sandies and Spotted Bay Bass.

Overall it was a good morning. Finding a good drift was a challenge. Ghost Shrimp lure worked the best for me.

Final Count:

Bubbacee7: 8 Macks, 4 Sandies, and 7 Spotties

FishingMike: 1 manta shrimp, 2 Lizard Fish, 3 halibut, 10 spotties, 12 sandies.

Fish well!!!

manta shrimp??

Mantis shrimp
 

The mantis shrimp look like a beautifully colored lobster, but has claws that can deliver a punch/slice equivalent to a .22 bullet and can lay you open to the bone. I would imagine they are good to eat but the one time I caught one in SD bay, my buddy told me to cut the line rather than risk the wrath of the feisty little bugger. Google it.

Shelter has a lot of those Mantis Shrimp. Those things are bad ass, definitely Google them if you haven't already.

I have eaten them in Spain. They have sharp shells that cut my mouth up and gave me a scary looking allergic reaction :doh:

I'm more confused as to how he managed to catch one in the bay.

Was one of you in a yellow kayak? I was out today too - I saw two kayaks out on the flats past the ammo pier kind of more towards the middle of the channel. Was that you guys?

I paddled straight past and out onto the jetty. I was fly fishing and ended up with four calicos and got absolutely roped by two large, unknown fish. I suspect them to be halibut of the large variety. Both fish ended up snapping my 12lb fluoro leader with a little headshake. The first fish left some abrasions on the line the second snapped it clean. It was exciting to say the least.

Both fish hit a rabbit fur sculpin that I tie in white with red silicon leg (sili-legs if there are any fly guys out there) that I bounced off the bottom. At first I thought they may have been large calicos but I spoke to another guy on a yak on my way in who told me there are some large halibut out there.

Beautiful day - I headed in around noon or so.

Sounds crazy, I know but I have caught over 10 of them over the years in the Big Bay. Literally caught 2 within an our on one trip. Largest one I got was pushing 8 or 9". Crazy ass shrimps too lol. I always handled them like the were the plague. Most of them hooked themselves on drop-shot gulp bait but I had a couple hammer 4" swimmies. There are some weird little reef like areas and holes throughout the bay.

That was us, Bubbacee was the yellow and I was in the bone grey.

They do taste good. Had a chance to eat one at the Big Bay Bass Tournament one year. Just would not know how to shell.

CON KSO. I did see you at one point. Did you make it out to the very end of the jetty? I am going to get out there one of these days. I too have heard of big fish waiting to jump on my hook.

Cool - sounds like you guys did okay out there. I didn't go all the way to the end. I found a little spot that was fun to hang out in. I didn't catch many fish but I lost two bigguns. Went back out there today - slow, but still fun to be out there.