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[bones]

Did POC again this week with great success. On day one I launched at Charlie's Bait Camp ~9:45am, scooted out the channel and took a left at Dewberry, immediately saw 2 herds of reds cruising the shallows near the shore. Maybe a 1-2knot wind. Dead-centered a pod of reds with FIRST cast of the day!........hooked-up, brief fight.......AND LANDED A SCREWY SMALL TROUT THAT HAD BEEN RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PILE OF REDS!!!!!! Plenty of tailing reds all along that shoreline. I usually approach a pod of reds to single-out one on the periphery............hook-up with him so as not to disturb the rest of the group..................this way I can usually get one or two more shots at the same pod of reds before they scatter. Always remember this................after the reds scatter, they WILL regroup and resume their forage....be patient and don't move from your spot. Switched to baitcaster after my right arm wore out from battling angry reds ( I hold the longstick in my right hand on retrieval, baitcaster in left hand on retrieval). Caught only one trout. Then moved over to other side of Channel (take a right leaving Charlies)..........right arm rested, back to the longstick...........plenty of action there, also, all in kneedeep water.

Day 2 wasn't quite as successful. More wind, and less fish around for some reason. Moved over to the Drum Hole...saw some action there. Did Pringle for some reason, why? I do not know......always too much time wasted there for the 1-2 fish you catch...if you're lucky.

Day 3 was brief; was out of the H2O by 10:30. Did Lighthouse area at dawn with live croaker without success. Waded Big Pocket with longstick.... nothing (kept an eye on another flyfisher across the Pocket and he also was without success). Moved over to the old Coast Guard Station,........the usual 9:30 reds never showed-up.

Parks and Wildlife surveyer at Charlie's reported all anglers catching lotsa reds, but only very few trout .............seems this has been the case all summer.

Rx: don't waste your money on live bait. Clousers of any color, size 6 hooks......I prefer white on chartreuse or white on bright yellow. Gold spoons are the rule when ya have to resort to baitcaster.