The Day of Variety!

    As usual. our day started on the pier.  Since the redfish are biting, we hustle down before daybreak, catch some little mullet to use as bait and set our lines.  It seems that the reds only want the tiny mullet and refuse to even taste a menhaden.  Personally, that suits me fine as it seems catfish prefer menhaden.  I am not pestered by nibblers that are of no use other than as crab bait.  Before the sun started showing its face above the pines on the far shore, we were ready and waiting.

  The morning did not go quite as planned, however.  Instead of refish, Mark started catching mullet...ones large enough to eat.   With that, I was left watching the poles while he threw the net.  He caught several dozen of the fish and I still had no bites.  Then, he caught a trout and a tiny flounder.  Well, that was different!  These were tossed back into the water as they were too small.  Still no reds, however.

  Oh a whim, I hooked on a menhaden and threw the line straight out from the pier.  Wham!  Woo hoo!  I pulled back to set the hook and the drag on the reel started singing!  I got one!!  Yeah...right.  As soon as I thought I had a good fish, that goofy thing started dancing on top of the water.  I knew exactly what I was fighting...a ladyfish.    I may as well have a bit of fun so I battled the ladyfish.  For anyone who has never caught one of these fish, it is quite the experience.  Picture a fish acting like a pinball bouncing around madly while you try to reel it in.  To top it off, ladyfish are known to be able to throw off a hook in the bat of an eye.  It takes a bit of skill to get one landed.  I did!  Too bad these are not considered to be a "food fish".  I had a nice one!

  After all of the ruckus from throwing the net for mullet and catching a wild and crazy ladyfish, Mark did finally catch that elusive redfish and we went back up to the Little Bayou House with quite a variety of cleaned fish!  Meals for free!  Fun for the day.