Fishing Charlotte Harbor Area (Midway, Spring Lake: residential, dating, increase)

[Messing About]

@mikeM.... I'm in a Key West 196 Bay Reef. Love it! It's my 3rd boat and each time I've gone smaller, from a SeaRay 330 Sundancer to a SeaMaster 2600 WAC to this. I have a single 150 Yama 2. In my opinion, it's an excellent choice for these waters.

@sunshine - bahahahahaa....Eh, uh, I mean.....sure, I'll keep yous in mind. Bahahahaha

@harbor rat...thanks, seriously appreciate that.

Today's off shore report - took the worst wave of my boating life passing thru Gasparilla Pass at 8AM today.
Boat bow got almost vertical and for a brief second I fear we would go backwards and capsize. Instead we came down into the base of a six footer right behind the rogue wave and we got drenched.

That was it....we were out. That inlet was an absolute washing machine but once we cleared it, it was 3-4 footers that we were thankful for. I knew the ride out would be rough but was confident (and correct) that things would lay down about ten AM.

We fished live shrimp with 3 oz sinkers and needed it bad. We caught keeper Red Grouper, Lane Snapper and Porgy in 80 feet of water. We released short grouper, short flounder, lots of 12" and under porgy and a variety of lizards and squirrels.

Ride back was better with following seas but the Gasparilla Pass was still worthy of a short (and answered prayer). We hit the ramp just after 5 AM. This was my first trip with a new 70 year old neighbor. He was a good sport about the waves. I'm really grateful I didn't put him in the drink.

[MikeM8560]

I moved here in 04 and first boat here was a 21 trophy then a seapro WA then quest 25 with twin 175s for offshore then gpt a 31 silverton wanting more tim eon the water not having a canal then missed fishing and got a 21 cobia had that out 25 miles but missed the water again and got a 32 bayliner and then bought here and couldn't fit under the bridge I was coming ib the pass one day in the cobia in the same conditions I was a bit yellowfin disappear in the waves before I got there and new it wasn't going to be fun (or it was)

[pcozad1]

Like this?
Both Gasparilla and Boca can be crazy in a smaller boat. I am never sure if i will even attempt either untill I can see how rough it is. The worst thing I did was chicken out in Boca and turned around half way through. It was like a giant mixing bowl waves comming from all directions boat was listing and pitching. I was an assault boat captain in the Navy and I have seen and had my share of rough seas.
After almost two years of living here I am starting to pick and choose the days I go out.

[Messing About]

Very much like that, except we weren't airborn. That would have been easier. We went strait up the rogue wave and came down fast and hard, pointing down as a second wave topped our heads. Not fun but at least it's good experience for the helmsman that survive.

[Big House]

Originally Posted by pcozad1

Like this?
Both Gasparilla and Boca can be crazy in a smaller boat. I am never sure if i will even attempt either untill I can see how rough it is. The worst thing I did was chicken out in Boca and turned around half way through. It was like a giant mixing bowl waves comming from all directions boat was listing and pitching. I was an assault boat captain in the Navy and I have seen and had my share of rough seas.
After almost two years of living here I am starting to pick and choose the days I go out.

Hey Pat! I didn't know that about you! That's AWESOME!!

Yeah, after being here, I really pick my days. The sun is always shining, and you can find a place to fish that is sheltered, but if you want to go in the harbor, then I watch the wind mostly. It if is 10-12 mph or higher I find a sheltered place -if I go at all. There are plenty of days where you get winds from 1-10 mph. The wind also picks up in the late afternoon, and then lays down again around dusk.

[wpc691]

Originally Posted by Messing About

Very much like that, except we weren't airborn. That would have been easier. We went strait up the rogue wave and came down fast and hard, pointing down as a second wave topped our heads. Not fun but at least it's good experience for the helmsman that survive.

Same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago in BG Pass - three 4-foot swells right on top of each other; the bow was on top of the first when the second came over the stern, repeat on the second and third. What I don't understand is why conditions are always worse (much worse?) than the marine forecast. I've gone out in a "moderate chop" and wished I had stayed home. I can't guess what a "small craft warning" would be like.

[Harbor Hopper]

Worst thing you can do is hit big waves head on. If at all possible, hit them at a 60 degree angle. Trust me, itmakes a huge difference and will save years on the body and the boat. Be safe out there fellow boating enthusiasts!!

[MikeM8560]

I used to own this 72 sutphen when the wave were up id head out looking for big ones.
young n dumb

[HarborRat]

Originally Posted by Harbor Hopper

Worst thing you can do is hit big waves head on. If at all possible, hit them at a 60 degree angle. Trust me, itmakes a huge difference and will save years on the body and the boat. Be safe out there fellow boating enthusiasts!!

Of course, but when you are in a "washing machine" you really have no choice. At that point you either have the boat for it, or ya don't. I've learned to read the waves 100's of yards ahead....If my boat can't handle them I turn the hell around! I ain't as young and dumb as I used to be .

[MikMal]

All of my boating experience has been on the middle and upper Chesapeake Bay. I have zero experience in transiting an inlet...figure my first several times I'll time it with a slack tide. I'm hoping that the "washing machine" effect is less during slack tides or is my confidence misguided??
BTW, I don't even have a boat down here yet. Present one won't fit under the Midway bridge. I've been reading this site, taking in the comments about boats so hopefully I can buy one and keep it for a while, not be trading up or down every few years!