Originally posted by: Muslickz on 3/1/2006 9:27:13 PM

Hi all,

Ok headed out to the canal about 12:00 pm.. got setup and in the water by 1:00. Right off the bat let me say I am new to the haulover area, but Gosh Damn you loose alot of tackle there.

I have read that drum fish live in holes in the rocks and take your tackle to the grave yard if your not fast on the draw. That's what it must have been, cause I would say Between Blu and I and 4 Poles we must have lost 15-20 hooks. I would cast out a shrimp w/3 large split shot on em from the shore out to what must be about 20-30 ft. of water. About a third of the way across the canal. The shrimp would sink, Just about hit bottom then WHAM! Big Hit... then BOOM to the left, then right, then whammo! Hung Up..

I cannot imagine the fish with 25 hooks hanging out of his mouth like lip rings. We stayed till about 6:00pm when the mosquitos started bitting hard. We started on the east end of the canal on the south side by the mouth and gradually walked our way west untill finishing up on the lil jetti marking the entrance to the boat ramp enclosure.

Saw a TON of manatees and a few dolphins. Managed to catch a few small mangrove snapper and a few small trout. The snapper were caught on dead shrimp with bobber set at about 3'. The trout were on dead Shrimp on a naked line in the boat enclosure itself. All in all it was a good day, Oh and I now know why they call it "MOSQUITO" lagoon .. Damn it went from None to Swarms in 5 mins. As soon as the sun set.

If anyone has any hints on how to better fish the area from shore, PLZ let me know as I had a feeling there was way way more to be had there. I saw many fish break water and they were not mullet, much bigger.. one looked like a GIANT Trout. There were several people fishing in the area and general consencious was it was a slow day.

Here are a few picts for ya's .. <!--graemlin::)-->


Here's Where we spent most of the day.


Here's Blu with an UnIdentifyed Fish... Anyone? It had a line down the side, very distinctive. Baby Snook Maybe?


Here's a Dolphin breaking the surface not 3 yards from us.


Me up on the rocks...


Small Trout...


Another Small trout...


Small Mangrove Snapper...


Blu with another snapper...

Oh and I tried crabbing a bit dropping 3 traps in the boat area, nothing.. no surprise thou I probally wouldn't have eaten em anyway with all the traffic on the ramp the water is probally not the best quality.

-Mus