Saturday we wanted to beat the heat so I met up early with Dwight Payne and his son, Travis who were in town from Arkansas. We left the Atlantic Seafood dock at 6:30am before the bait shops opened and headed up to the Tiger Island area with top water's rigged and a tide still coming in. We started our troll with some oysters still showing and within minutes we realized we had company, a herd of sea cows lolling in the shallows! Both Dwight and Travis were making pin-point casts to the bank while the manatee's were just feet away on other side of he boat. At one time we had a couple of juveniles following the boat within a few feet. We had no strikes on the top waters so we eased out of the area, cranked the big engine, and ran to Jolley River. It wasn't long before the guys were picking up bites on some Gulp baits, catching Blues, Ladyfish, Croakers, Trout and some small Red's. As the tide reached it's high, we made a run back to Knute and Rose's Bait House on Eagans Creek and picked up 5 dozen live shrimp then we headed up Lanceford Creek to some docks.
Sure enough, when the tide turned the anglers started getting bites. Travis stayed in school of small Reds, feisty fighters all the way to the boat. Dwight picked up a couple and then something big took his jig/shrimp combo and the fight was on! Dwight exclaimed that the fish was wrapped on one of the pilings, then he worked him loose. Dwight fought the fish expertly to the boat and within sight - a nice 22" Black Drum...and then it broke off! OUCH! We continued to fish the dock for a while, picking up more reds, croaker, Puppy Drum and a nice whiting. But the sun was climbing and it was getting hot so we headed in, making one more stop at the Rayonier warehouse. I held the boat in place while Dwight and Travis pitched their baits (shrimp and Gulps)up to the pilings and soon they were hauling Puppy Drum and Flounder to the boat.
The bite was excellent and Travis added a nice 18" Drum and a couple of keeper sized Flounder to the catch. What a way to end a fishing trip and a great day to be out on the water!
Sure enough, when the tide turned the anglers started getting bites. Travis stayed in school of small Reds, feisty fighters all the way to the boat. Dwight picked up a couple and then something big took his jig/shrimp combo and the fight was on! Dwight exclaimed that the fish was wrapped on one of the pilings, then he worked him loose. Dwight fought the fish expertly to the boat and within sight - a nice 22" Black Drum...and then it broke off! OUCH! We continued to fish the dock for a while, picking up more reds, croaker, Puppy Drum and a nice whiting. But the sun was climbing and it was getting hot so we headed in, making one more stop at the Rayonier warehouse. I held the boat in place while Dwight and Travis pitched their baits (shrimp and Gulps)up to the pilings and soon they were hauling Puppy Drum and Flounder to the boat. 
The bite was excellent and Travis added a nice 18" Drum and a couple of keeper sized Flounder to the catch. What a way to end a fishing trip and a great day to be out on the water!
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