A couple of weeks ago I reported that I was contemplating switching over to braided line because of losing some big fish on monofilament line. Well I did switch and I must say that so far I’ve been quite pleased with the braid. I spooled up my baitcasters and spinning reels with Sufix braid. It’s a new line of braid and I must say that everything they say about it appears to be true. Wind knots seem to be virtually nonexistent, even with novice anglers. There is no line memory so there are no tangled lines on spinning reels. Working plugs, especially topwaters, is a whole lot easier due to zero line stretch. Also, hook ups with fish are increased due to zero stretch. Because it has a thinner diameter than a same size mono line, 20 lb braid is the same diameter as 6 lb mono, and is slicker than mono you can add distance to your casts.
The only draw back I have found is when it comes to using a baitcaster. If you do not keep the line tight upon retrieving a lure you will get a birds nest on the next cast. This situation can be remedied with just a little practice. I have found that an overrun on a baitcaster with braid comes undone a lot easier than one with mono line. Give Sufix braid a try. I think you’ll be pleased with the results.
The inshore fishing was going off last week until the cold front came through on Sunday. Fishing out of his kayak along the ICW, Mark Wagenschuner landed 25 flounder to 6 lbs in one day. Mark used a ¼ oz bucktail jig tipped with a strip of flounder belly.
Last Friday night the river was loaded with mullet and at the change of the tide the snook bite turned on. They were hitting on soft plastic paddle tail mullet on a jig head. The fish were in the mid to low 30 inch range. Trout were also biting. During mid day Friday the bait was so thick that they were bouncing off the side of my boat while being pursued by predators.
I’ve been doing some early morning flyfishing for snook and doing well. I’ve been throwing a topwater Rainy’s bubble head fly. This fly emits loud gurgling sounds that attracts snook. I’ve had mornings where I landed up to three snook and had 5 other hits. Craig Wiggin fished with me the morning of the cold front and he laned his first Flagler snook on a bubblehead fly.
Tamoka Marine is holding an inshore tournament on October 28th at Herschel King Park. For more information you can call 386-439-7449 or 439-3838.


Photo: Craig Wiggin with his first Flagler County snook caught on a fly.