# Skyway 5/13 report - & a 29" E.C. Snook - lotsa pics



## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

First, let me preface this by saying that I didn't want to go to the West coast on the last full moon of Snook season (on the East coast), especially when I discovered a heckuva (private) snook hole last week where I hooked a 20-lber. But wifey wanted to go visit her parents for Mother's day, so I figured at least I could fish Skyway, even if I was gonna miss primetime for E.C. Snook. To rub a little salt in the wound though, my buddy Blake went to the Snook spot I showed him and pulled this fat 29" Snook out as I was packed up and heading out for the West coast Friday. 



















So here is my Skyway report from Saturday: 

Went to the North Skyway fishing pier first. Hit the end of the pier around 9:30am and there were tons of small green bait pods coming through steadily. With nothing caught by anyone after 2 hours, (although some Bonita schools did come through very quickly 2 times), I finally got fed up and followed the birds to the west side at the end by the hut where you pay. I walked up and 2 gents were busting macks like crazy on size 0 clark spoons on about 3ft of floro leader and 3oz sinker. I tied on my only spoon which was huge and only got 1 hit. Tried a gotcha plug for 5 minutes also with no luck, meanwhile these 2 guys were still busting them right and left. I packed up and drove to the bait shop, paid close to $5 for a size 0 clark spoon, tied on 3ft of leader and 3oz sinker and returned to the spot and it was on.

Ended up with 6 spanish, 6 ladyfish, 2 jacks, and a bluerunner. Here are some pics:





































After I was done at the front of the North Pier, I drove down to the end of the N. Pier where I had started, and the guys who decided not to move and fish there all day said they still hadn't caught anything all day. Lesson learned, if the fish ain't there, move to where the birds are busting the water. 

Here are some pics leaving Skyway (note: I'd never fished the N. Pier).

Leaving N. Pier, here's a pic of the bait shop at the end:










Top of Skyway:










Coming down Skyway approaching S. Skyway fishing pier on the right:










So I decided to go the S. Skyway and fish for a bit. Nobody had caught jack shiat all day, so I sabiki'ed up some nice greenbacks and sent them out. Current was absolutely ripping out. Tried some rock piles, tried right down by the pilings = nothing. It's hard to remain encouraged about an area when nobody's caught anything all day, and you aren't getting bites so after an hour of sitting there (looking like an idiot as you can see):










...I decided to go fish the inlet bridge that connects Bradenton Beach to Longboat Key. I jigged a Gulp Shrimp and caught 2 ladyfish. The 2 sets of folks there fishing with live shrimp said they hadn't caught anything all day and wanted to know what I was using. After fishing almost 12 hours, I packed it up and went back to the inlaw's house. Today we went to Mote aquarium on Longboat Key and had lunch at Cha-Cha Coconuts on St. Armands Circle. What a great time MOTE was, I highly recommend it!!  

P.S. As I was leaving S. Skyway some dude was holding about a 10-lb gag grouper, so he was probably the only one to catch anything all day. If you aren't catching anything at Skyway (likely if you've never fished there), walked around and eventually you will find the regulars. If they are catching fish, copy them. If they aren't, at least try to milk them for information. If the fish aren't biting, move.


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## bcssux (May 23, 2005)

great pics and great report! you look like a real happy dude in that last pic huh?


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Betcha would've traded all that for a nice FAT E.C. Linesider  I know I would've. Oh well Next time ya go you'll have a little more knowledge. Thanks for sharing bro, I'll be there next month, Gonna stay overnight with my brother in law and some friends. Fish til it hurts,then fish some more.


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## Dixie719 (May 12, 2003)

Nice report, but man that is one mean and nasty scortched sunburn you got!


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## PullMyFinger (May 29, 2005)

*Clark spoon & sinker*

Hey, Zach

Great report (as usual). For us "ignernt" folks, how exactly do you rig the 3 oz. sinker with that spoon? Thanks!

PMF


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

PullMyFinger said:


> Hey, Zach
> 
> Great report (as usual). For us "ignernt" folks, how exactly do you rig the 3 oz. sinker with that spoon? Thanks!
> 
> PMF


3oz weight on main running line, then Swivel, then 3-ft of Floro Leader, then Loop knot tied to the spoon.


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## mountain man (Feb 7, 2006)

*Great report as always.*

Me and the wife spent 4 days on Anna Maria last May. I opted not to fish the skyway piers and stuck to the surf and canals. In the mornings, I hooked but never landed several snook on top waters in the canals and caught reds out of the surf and sound. I seen some sheepies caught off the city pier as well as the other pier on the back side too. Anyway we went to St. Armands one night and had a blast . Throw in the cheapest MLB game I've ever attended (two for one on tuesday), made for a great trip. Love the area!


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## Katmaster Jr. (Apr 24, 2006)

Sorry to hear that they weren't coroparating for you, I've done that before. But I've found the North Pier to always be better then the South Pier, sometimes the grouper fishing on South is better though.

There's a lot of days like the one you had where you can't catch a thing, then there's those certain days that are just phenomanal. 

A lot of times, Ft Desoto can be awesome fishing too.

Zakk


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

Good report there, KZ...

It's always nice to fish a new area. I can't wait to try Sebastian Inlet pier again... 

Maybe I'll do better next time.


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*Great report......*

Awesome pics Zach. Sounds like ya had a good time. On the Clark Spoon I use, I put about a 5 inch vinyl wrapped 30lb steel leader with a bead, 3/8 oz egg sinker, bead and 3/8 oz egg sinke and bead. It holds it just enough under and it is just heavy enough to cast on a windy day.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*If*

you ever go back to the west coast again. Try clearwater any of the beaches or bridges there are great. During a softball tourney i went during the nights and found all kinds of guys out there. And on top of that Tarpons were rolling too. So i waited and when back out there and caught enough to want me to go back again. Don't get me wrong skyway is great, but fishing from the beach and hooking up too all those Snook. Changed my mind cant wait to go out again...


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