Thankful for Thanksgiving Fishing

The Thanksgiving holiday is over and we have had a great run of weather here at the beach.

Most years I am booked every day the week of Thanksgiving but the weather only lets us fish a couple/three days. This year I have been able to take my folks out and get 'em a mess of fish for 10 out of the past 11 days!

The wind has mainly been out of the North and while it has blown a bit a few days it has been calm enough up in close to get the fish. The temps have been cool early but it has climbed into the 70's about every afternoon the past week and I have shed down to shirtsleeves to clean fish. No wonder so many folks came down for the Holiday! I got to take a lot of families, several of whom have fished with me this same week for years. It's great to watch the kids grow up and be able to outfish the parents when the first time they came I had to help 'em figure out just how the tackle works.

The fish patterns have changed drastically over the past 2 weeks. Up to a week ago we could go out and get a limit of Kings pretty easy and then get to go catch whatever. The past 3 days I have not been able to get a King bite ! In the meantime though the Amberines have started showing up pretty good most days and the Flounder seem to be getting a little thicker as well. There are STILL plenty of Vermillions any day you can get 5 miles or better offshore for the skillet and the Red Snappers are piled up from a mile out on to who knows how far for catch and release action.

here's pics to make a few folks fishing stars from the past 10 days.

These guys come every year the weekend 'fore Thanksgiving and fish 2 days. This is day 1 with a limit of Kings and Vermillions.

Day 2 had a pile of Flounders and a limit of Kings as well.

These gals had a great time catching Vermillions, Flounder and a big Black Snapper.

These 3 were very proud of their limit of Kings.

Family fishin' with a limit of Kings and Vermillions.

This family got to tussle with a limit of Jacks a nice King and some Vermillions.

The wind blew HARD out of the North this day so we stayed right up on the beach where it was comfortable.. and still got a nice box of Kings including a BIG one.

More family memories ( and dinners) with a limit of Jacks, and nice Kings.

This family has been fishing 2 days with me during Thanksgiving week for years. The first day they told me we didn't need to hang the fish for pics... they had plenty from previous years. The second day I kinda made 'em so the that young man could show off his 2 big black Snapper. They have all ready booked for next year.

With the Kings a no show the past couple days I'll probably start spending more time looking to see where the Flounders are. I haven't really hunted 'em yet... just a fishing a few spots close to the launch for the ones we caught. I'm sure they are piled up somewhere ! The same goes for the Amberines, all the ones we have captured I have "tripped' across and the next time I went to the same spot they were gone... I know they are living somewhere, just gotta find the right address!