I met Captain Rob Gilbert at the 59th Street boat ramp on a foggy and cool morning last week. Gilbert was headed to Port Manatee to scout for the upcoming Salty Fly Tournament, and invited me along. He will be fishing Lee Janik, owner of Clutch Fly Rod Company, and was starting to develop a plan of action. Although the day didn’t look like a good day for fishing or scouting, the weather guessers had promised that the fog would lift and that the winds would be light. Fortunately, Gilbert brought his 25-foot Shearwater LTZ powered with a 250 HP Mercury. It was a chilly, but smooth and fast ride, one I particularly appreciated on the ride back when the wind switched to the northwest and blew 15 to 20 knots.

When we arrived at Port Gilbert, he notified security and deployed his Port Watch flag. He is one of a few guides who have access to waters that are off limits to most anglers. We started fishing an area that was perfect for sight casting with white sand bottom and scattered grass flats. Although the fog persisted, Gilbert was still able to spot movement near one of the first grass flats we approached and I made a cast with a bend back fly to the area he indicated. I never saw the fish, but on the first strip, I hooked up, making sure to jab the fly home for good measure. Unfortunately, the fish, which flashed a broad silver side, came unhooked, leaving us to guess what it was. The way the fish took the fly and put a bend in the rod we both guessed pompano, but we would never know for sure.

Instead of dissipating, the fog got progressively heavier making sight fishing impossible. While we waited for it to lift, I made blind casts to likely areas on the grass flats while Gilbert worked a top water plug. Although we covered some excellent looking water, we couldn’t raise anything and only saw a couple of redfish as they spooked on the boat. As we worked towards the spoil island that flanks the Port’s main channel, we noticed pelicans feeding heavily nearby. As we approached the birds, the water was roiled by big ladyfish. While we weren’t here looking for ladies, they were hard to resist, and we caught about a dozen on top water before we decided to move into the Port’s main basin and fish a rip-rap edge and shoreline looking for snook.

The snook weren’t cooperating, but after a couple of casts a hoard of large Jack cravelle started slashing at Gilbert’s top water plug. The lure made by Live Target Lure Company was a ringer for a mullet and had a lip that popped and pushed water, driving the Jacks into a frenzy. I quickly changed to a top water gurgler and on my second cast, was hooked up to a nice sized Jack. Although we hadn’t started out looking for jacks we were glad to have the action. Jacks love top water plugs and flies and will attack them with a vengeance. One great way to keep them interested is to use a teaser, a plug without hooks. If you work the teaser the Jacks will stay with you and can be caught one after the other. If you don’t keep them interested, they will keep roaming in search of prey.

The fog never did completely disappear that day, but gradually lightened up with some high white clouds overhead. Gilbert asked me if I wanted to try the flats again before we headed back, but I elected to stay and catch Jacks and big ladyfish on top water. He agreed that was a better option and we enjoyed the action until it was time to leave. While we didn’t connect with the redfish we had hoped to sight fish we did manage to have a great time catching and releasing the ladyfish and Jacks. This wasn’t the first time that unintended species had saved the day.

Gilbert also runs a Maverick flats boat making for a versatility that pays off on inclement days and when clients elect to fish offshore. He can be reached for charters at 941-224-4121 or visit his Website at www.reelagressive.com.