MyFishing report mid April first day
Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 5:03 pm
Arrived in Tobago on 8th of April more rods and tackle than all tobago combined, fly rods ,spinning rods ,boat rods ,beachcasters all occasions covered. Checked into the Hilton hotel a few words to the conscierge suitcases into the room & a short walk to the Petit Trou Lagoon to see what was install for the following morning.
After a few security checks and a pleasant walk over the golf course arrived at the lagoon, the lagoon is sheltered from the Atlantic by a reef which follows the line of the main coast line,the waves break relentlessly onto the reef by the time they hit the lagoon they are little more than a light swell. The water close in is fairly murcy but father out it was clearer, about 50 metres out was an old dead tree it looked fantastic spot for Tarpon and Snook no sign of fish though,time for food and bed ready for the onslaught first thing.
Anthony and I arrived at the Lagoon at around 5.30am (we were still on English time) my self armed with a Sage9` 6" 8# with floating line and my new saltwater fly collection ( shrimp ,crab, clauser minnows, decievers,squid patterns etc.) and two spinning rods one loaded with 18lb mono line and the other with 10lb mono line and a selection of lures, as i had been awake since 2am all rods were ready to go all that was left was to cast a line. I chose to start with the fly rod as only started fly fishing last year and having spent the winter nights reading up on salt water fly fishing I was realy keen to catch my first saltwater sport fish on the fly.Anthony chose to use a Meps spinner and fished off a small stone jetty on the back of the reef, I chose to cast towards the dead tree, i approached the waters edge with all the stealth of a chalk stream angler after his prize trout, I eagerly worked out enough ine to cast and began to false cast to my chosen spot, enough line out last back cast pause forward cast with a small tug on the line, the line shot out fantasticly there was asmall splash aut twenty feet out as my line settled on the surface my son laughed and said you did not push your rod together very well dad my heart sank as I realised my new rod had broke just above the ferrol on the top section on the very first cast.
My son proceeded to fish off the jetty as I sat on the shore and sobbed
.After retrieving the rod tip and refraining from breaking it into a few more pieces (about a thousand) I was suddenly aware of my son shouting dad dad! I turned to see my sons rod doubled and line ripping off the real like it did not want to be on it, by the time I had carefully put the fly rod down and I arrived at the jetty to my son shouting its a Bone fish (talk about rubbing salt in 
) the bone fish was promply unhooked, photographed and released.
I still have the other spinning rod I thought as i walked back to where my fly rod was so lovingly left. Picked up the rod and cast a few times when DAD DAD! I turned to look and yes the young lads rod was bent double and line was firing off the real again by the time I arrived at the jetty to those words its another bone fish oh its gone! I figured I may as well fish off the jetty. after half an hour or so and no more action I changed my lure to a jointed shallow trout rapala,another half hour or so passes my son asks can I help him with this tangle (more like a birds nest) here you fish with mine while I sort this mess out, yes you guessed it first cast with my rod and lure rod bends into a small Baracuda
tangle sorted rod returned 50 or so casts later and no sign of a fish a change of lure is required so I put on a storm shad which covered far more distance than the Rapala , after horsing it out as far as I could it hit the water and I started the retrieve when there was a sudden stop a slight tug on the rod tip as I thought I was in the grass and it pulled back a quick strike and oh I hope I have enough line on the spool as this fish decides to head towards Trinidad at an unbalievable rate of knots when I could see the back of the spool my heart began to sink with about ten yards of line left the fish turned and came straight towards me realing franticly I stayed in touch with it after about ten minutes and another couple of good runs a nice Jack Cravelle was released about 12lb.
My son caught a snook of about 5-6lb at our feet while dragging the lure backwards and forwards at the end of his rod as kids do, and had a Tarpon turn away at the last minute as he ran out of sea! what a first morning time for breakfast and arrange the car hire. more to come when more time available
After a few security checks and a pleasant walk over the golf course arrived at the lagoon, the lagoon is sheltered from the Atlantic by a reef which follows the line of the main coast line,the waves break relentlessly onto the reef by the time they hit the lagoon they are little more than a light swell. The water close in is fairly murcy but father out it was clearer, about 50 metres out was an old dead tree it looked fantastic spot for Tarpon and Snook no sign of fish though,time for food and bed ready for the onslaught first thing.
Anthony and I arrived at the Lagoon at around 5.30am (we were still on English time) my self armed with a Sage9` 6" 8# with floating line and my new saltwater fly collection ( shrimp ,crab, clauser minnows, decievers,squid patterns etc.) and two spinning rods one loaded with 18lb mono line and the other with 10lb mono line and a selection of lures, as i had been awake since 2am all rods were ready to go all that was left was to cast a line. I chose to start with the fly rod as only started fly fishing last year and having spent the winter nights reading up on salt water fly fishing I was realy keen to catch my first saltwater sport fish on the fly.Anthony chose to use a Meps spinner and fished off a small stone jetty on the back of the reef, I chose to cast towards the dead tree, i approached the waters edge with all the stealth of a chalk stream angler after his prize trout, I eagerly worked out enough ine to cast and began to false cast to my chosen spot, enough line out last back cast pause forward cast with a small tug on the line, the line shot out fantasticly there was asmall splash aut twenty feet out as my line settled on the surface my son laughed and said you did not push your rod together very well dad my heart sank as I realised my new rod had broke just above the ferrol on the top section on the very first cast.
My son proceeded to fish off the jetty as I sat on the shore and sobbed
.After retrieving the rod tip and refraining from breaking it into a few more pieces (about a thousand) I was suddenly aware of my son shouting dad dad! I turned to see my sons rod doubled and line ripping off the real like it did not want to be on it, by the time I had carefully put the fly rod down and I arrived at the jetty to my son shouting its a Bone fish (talk about rubbing salt in ) the bone fish was promply unhooked, photographed and released.I still have the other spinning rod I thought as i walked back to where my fly rod was so lovingly left. Picked up the rod and cast a few times when DAD DAD! I turned to look and yes the young lads rod was bent double and line was firing off the real again by the time I arrived at the jetty to those words its another bone fish oh its gone! I figured I may as well fish off the jetty. after half an hour or so and no more action I changed my lure to a jointed shallow trout rapala,another half hour or so passes my son asks can I help him with this tangle (more like a birds nest) here you fish with mine while I sort this mess out, yes you guessed it first cast with my rod and lure rod bends into a small Baracuda
tangle sorted rod returned 50 or so casts later and no sign of a fish a change of lure is required so I put on a storm shad which covered far more distance than the Rapala , after horsing it out as far as I could it hit the water and I started the retrieve when there was a sudden stop a slight tug on the rod tip as I thought I was in the grass and it pulled back a quick strike and oh I hope I have enough line on the spool as this fish decides to head towards Trinidad at an unbalievable rate of knots when I could see the back of the spool my heart began to sink with about ten yards of line left the fish turned and came straight towards me realing franticly I stayed in touch with it after about ten minutes and another couple of good runs a nice Jack Cravelle was released about 12lb.My son caught a snook of about 5-6lb at our feet while dragging the lure backwards and forwards at the end of his rod as kids do, and had a Tarpon turn away at the last minute as he ran out of sea! what a first morning time for breakfast and arrange the car hire. more to come when more time available