The Continental - Part 3

[Latimeria]

The next morning I wanted to fish for the cats, but was lured back to the Continental.  I wanted a Bowfin and maybe one of the gar I saw the other day lurking about.

I drove around the community checking on other spots so I didn't get all pinned down on one.  I figured I'd get a bass at the least.



So many gar in the water, but I couldn't ID which type.  I unexpectedly get what I felt was a needlefish hit and realized I have one of the gar!  The hook was right in that long snout so I wasn't sure if it was hooked, or just chomping down on the hook.  I reached for my phone to get a picture and as I looked down heard a loud WHOOSH and a huge wake in the water came a good foot in height.  Rod was super tight and then gone.  I didn't see it but was pretty sure it was a gator.  I saw a wake go into the swamp so figured that was it going to eat my fish.  Such a bummer.



I moved around since I only had a few hours before I had to run back and wasn't sure how I would get my gar or a bowfin with gators all over.  I pinned on a gulp sandworm on a C-Rig and tried that.  Bluegill were biting it, but I wasn't getting anything substantial.  I moved on and found the apparent "Fishing Spot".





I knew I had only a few casts before heading back to meet the family for breakfast, so casted the surf perch rig to see what I could get.  Well dam, I got a great hit and quite a snappy fight!  I was expecting to see a catfish, but BAM!  Mission Accomplished!



After getting some good shots for what it would let me get, I pitched him back and 2 casts later, had another!  Homey Hole!





I had to get a picture of the Gular Plate!  Only fish in North America that has one.  One of the first fish I learned about in Ichthyology.



Then I cursed myself by saying, man, this is easy!  Next 20 casts nothing and I had to vamoose. This place is 4 miles away from where I am staying so I couldn't maximize small windows of time to get out, but it was glorious!

Time to hit the retention ponds just before dinner.  My father said, "For someone I remember telling please don't make this a fishing trip, you sure are doing a lot of fishing.  LOL

Next Post will encapture a few days catching cats on Zara Spooks, LC's and wine corks.

[Tim524]

 Interesting fish