PV/Vilano ICW South 7/23 & 24

[Tmdfam]

As i am finally settling into my new house i decided to go fishing for the first time in about 3 weeks. Saturday I hit up Vilano looking for reds and flounder. I started out trying for reds with no luck. Needless to say my go to spots around the bridge were covered with boats by the time i got out there so hunting the reds became a little difficult. I was using simple 1oz-1.5oz buck-tail jigs tipped with gulp curly tails or swimming mullets. After about hour and half of slinging jigs i decided to go for flounder. With the tide coming in i did manage a few smaller potato chips on the Downsouth lures and Live Target 1/4oz shrimp. I managed to take a 16 and change flounder home. All flounder were caught using a yo-yo method.

Moving forward i decide to hit the creeks Sunday just south of Palm Valley (about 3-4 miles). I was fishing the creeks on the west bank way in the back where no boats go. The creek finger at low tide is bone dry. I was armed with the Downsouth Lures and a popping cork with 1/8oz jig head on about 20 inches of leader under the cork. The jig head was tipped with a live mud minnow. The plan was to push as far back until i ran aground. Of course i had to pull my drive. Once back in the shallows i waited until the fish showed up. I cast my popping cork with a mud minnow up into about 3 inches of chocolate water no wider than 5 feet across. As i waited i continued to throw downsouth lure in the main channel looking for fish. The most important key here is very little drag in this finger creek. It is nothing but oysters leaving no room for errors. Total number of reds landed was 7, total number broken off with face piercings is 5. I kept one 25 inch red for dinner another day. On my way out of the finger out in the main creek on the higher tides i looked for fast moving water around turns and bends for trout. I managed a half dozen or more trout on the way out of the creek. I kept one for dinner. Yo-yo method used for all trout

Last nights dinner consisted of crab stuffed whole flounder with trout stuffed rollups, crab cakes, fresh asparagus and basmati rice

[G8trwood]

Great report. Thank you again for all of your contributions. Now I'm hungry, great pics!

[thinkimgonnayak]

Nice catching, Tim!

[Monkeyfish]

Awesome!

[TexasDave]

Sweet! Love that area.

[east_meets_west]

Looks good to me! Thanks for the detailed report.

[JohnYaksJax]

Nice to see a report from you, Tim, and good to know you are back out and "catching them up"...

Supper looks awesome!!! Where do you get the crab stuffing???
Thx....John

[Backwater Bound]

Massacre Creek!!

[Tmdfam]

Nice to see a report from you, Tim, and good to know you are back out and "catching them up"...

Supper looks awesome!!! Where do you get the crab stuffing???
Thx....John

John i only use claw meat for my crab cakes. I use old bay crab classic mix. Add some miracle whip/mayonaise and you are done...i get everything form fishermans dock in mandarin

[Clark]

Good report Tim Now I'm hungry. LUNCHTIME

[gumby]

Nice work.
And a healthy dinner on top.

Great Job.

[JohnYaksJax]

Tim....Thanks for that recipe and I need to give it a try soon!! JYJ

[guanagator]

Nice fishin and great report.

[Chris]

Fantastic report. thanks for the solid info.