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magadorm · Horse Mullet Joined: 25 Jul 2012 Posts: 131

Hit up BHP after class today with the wife and daughter. She caught all the good fish. She got a 23 inch redfish and a nice pompano. I lost a nice redfish at the pier as well. We also ended up with half a dozen nice whiting and a medium sized stingray. Water was gorgeous, there was some mats of seaweed, but they were easy to avoid from the pier and they were not much of a problem. Saw a large school of drum cruise through as I was setting up my poles and they were gone before I could get a line in the water. There were lots of mullet, in fact towards the evening the bottom was black in spots with them. Saw some nice spanish macks caught and when the lights came on people were tearing up the reds on popping corks with live shrimp. Everything we caught was on dead shrimp, but be aware the spadefish are thick and will tear it up, but it is fun catching them on light tackle and they are pretty decent eating.

shallowsport · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 11:38 pm Post subject:

Sounds like you had a good day at the pier. Thanks for sharing.

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 5:31 am Post subject:

Nice report!

If the spades at BHP ran a tad larger, say 12" or so, people would probably target them more. They eat great IMHO, and are pound for pound one of the most brutal fighters out there! Shocked

_________________
Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

Sherkus · Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 11:25 pm Post subject:

Spade fish are amazing eating, Sound like I need to bring some #8 tiny hooks.

I bet they would look amazing in my buddy's saltwater tank !
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I wouldn't take Tuesday off if you will show me a fish that bites on weekends!

OSOMURF · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 3:42 am Post subject:

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:52 am Post subject:

Sherkus · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 9:09 am Post subject:

Dave ! Thanks for the recommendation I frequently use owner hooks. I can't wait to try the mesquito hooks. I used number 8 and number 10 hooks in freshwater to catch shiners with either bread or cut bait. Once fishing a number 10, I caught a 20 lb bluecat on that hook. The cat swallowed the entire hook. I forgot what hook I had on at first until halfway through the battle. Never underestimate the power of a tiny hook !
_________________
I wouldn't take Tuesday off if you will show me a fish that bites on weekends!

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 6:36 pm Post subject:

No problemo amigo! Very Happy

The Mosquito hooks are fairly fine wire but darn strong for their diameter. The spades run a good bit larger down in Destin, so I usually wind up using a 2-4. Even at that, i've been forced to step up to 30 lb braid AND leaders because they were breaking me off!!!!!! Had to do that to be able to muscle them away from the bridge footings quicker, and that of course puts more load on the hook. Had a few open a little on 14" spades, but no straightening out yet. That day I also caught an upper slot red (26") on the same rig, and that puppy was a pushover compared to the 1.5 - 2 pound spades I was catching! After 13 in the ice chest and the one red, I QUIT and went in from fatigue even though I had scads of shrimp left!!!!! Shocked

magadorm, wasn't trying to crash your thread dude, thanks for the report! CCFF helps keep me sane up here in Arkansas! Rolling Eyes

One more thought; i never tried fishing for spades on the end of BHP. Who knows, with the right rig, bait and technique, there may be some bruisers out there! I know there are on those closer in rigs. Wink

_________________
Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

magadorm · Horse Mullet Joined: 25 Jul 2012 Posts: 131

We were catching them in the third gut. The first one my wife hooked was 12-14 inches. Lost it when we tried to pull it up. That thing fought like crazy. I like using the Blood Red Octopus hooks in a about a 4 size I think. I believe they are owners. Haven't had any of them swallowed yet and the couple times they were in the throat they pulled right out.

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:31 pm Post subject:

Man, that's a NICE spade for BHP! Then again, it's been so many decades since I fished it regularly that things have surely changed. Back when, an 8 - 10 incher was a nice one, at least of those that we ever hooked or landed.

Can you imagine a 5 pound spade? Shocked

_________________
Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:35 pm Post subject:

Then again, there's this:
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/virginia-spadefish-approved-igfa-world-record
_________________
Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

magadorm · Horse Mullet Joined: 25 Jul 2012 Posts: 131

Yea, when I was a kid the spadefish were much smaller back then. They seem to run larger now. We left with about 16 of them in the 6-9 inch range. Wish we would of gotten the big one up as it was much bigger. A 5 pounder would be insane, mainly trying to keep it away from the pylons.

Sherkus · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 9:41 pm Post subject:

To be honest, most of the spades I've caught came in the cast net at BHP
_________________
I wouldn't take Tuesday off if you will show me a fish that bites on weekends!

RedSniper · Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 9:56 pm Post subject:

You gotta love BHP!
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