Loxahatchee Federal Preserve

[geo g]

Lox Preserve, South End

6:30-Noon

mostly cloudy

water stained,  74*

wind varied 5 to 20 NNW

Little current

 

Went to the Lox Road Ramps, with a friend Rick, at first light.  There was lots of construction since my last visit.  We had to take a detour to get to the ramp area and the parking area is full of pot holes.  The wind was out of the N/W, so we ran west and fished the flats back toward the ramp.  We both started with frogs, rick with a H/B frog, and me with Horny Toad.  I had two blow ups on the Horny Toad, one with a miss, and a nice one that went airborne and came off.  After that it went silent. We both switched to plastics and the bite was slow, but steady.  Most were caught close to the spoil bank along the south flat.  Around 9:00 the wind got so bad,and switched direction, we ran to find some shelter.  We ran up the north canal until the wind died down a little.  The bite in the north canal was not as good as the south flat.  We ran back south and the wind dropped and shifted to the west.  This made fishing much easier for us.  We called it quits at noon with a 30 fish total.  A lot of bites were aggressive, they wanted to play today.  Rick and I had a great time with steady action and lots of conversation.  

 

 

 

[BigAL]

Thanks for the report!I was out today had about 5 keepers on swimbait best one was 2.5 lbs rest were smaller than my bait lol in North canal,than went to West canal and worked that spoil bank had a few blow UPS on frogs but missed them going back tomorrow see what happens.

[geo g]

1 hour ago, BigAL said:

Thanks for the report!I was out today had about 5 keepers on swimbait best one was 2.5 lbs rest were smaller than my bait lol in North canal,than went to West canal and worked that spoil bank had a few blow UPS on frogs but missed them going back tomorrow see what happens.

Good luck tomorrow. I caught half of my fish today on U-Vibes, w/m red, white, and Junebug.

[Turf]

Nice report as always Geo.  Was also out this morning on the kayak but as you mentioned the wind pretty much ruin it for me.  Was blowing all over the place without a trolling motor. Fished a ribbit frog much of the day due to the overcast and wind but had limited success.  Also fished a grass pig swim bait and hb popping frog, swim bait with grass pig trailer as well as a junebug uvibe.  Fished first light through around 10am (by that time I was exhausted fighting the wind) and had 8 on in total. Only landed 3 embarrassingly but honestly had a lot to due with the darn wind.  5 were on the ribbit, 2 were on the swim bait and one small guy on the uvibe.  Even if I would've landed them all I don't think any would've hit 2.5 lbs. 

 

Heading out again tomorrow as I'm Hoping the wind will be much different.  Will report back.  Will likely resort to the senkos and uvibes but am planning to continue to fish bigger with the ribbit and larger profile swim bait.  Good luck out there fellas. 

 

Fyi forgot to note but I fished the north flat essentially due north of the ramp.  Pain in the butt to get all the way back up in there but usually pays off.  

 

 

[geo g]

1 hour ago, Turf said:

Nice report as always Geo.  Was also out this morning on the kayak but as you mentioned the wind pretty much ruin it for me.  Was blowing all over the place without a trolling motor. Fished a ribbit frog much of the day due to the overcast and wind but had limited success.  Also fished a grass pig swim bait and hb popping frog, swim bait with grass pig trailer as well as a junebug uvibe.  Fished first light through around 10am (by that time I was exhausted fighting the wind) and had 8 on in total. Only landed 3 embarrassingly but honestly had a lot to due with the darn wind.  5 were on the ribbit, 2 were on the swim bait and one small guy on the uvibe.  Even if I would've landed them all I don't think any would've hit 2.5 lbs. 

 

Heading out again tomorrow as I'm Hoping the wind will be much different.  Will report back.  Will likely resort to the senkos and uvibes but am planning to continue to fish bigger with the ribbit and larger profile swim bait.  Good luck out there fellas. 

 

Fyi forgot to note but I fished the north flat essentially due north of the ramp.  Pain in the butt to get all the way back up in there but usually pays off.  

 

 

I think you put in at the same time we did.  I think you were at the second ramp, and we put in at the third ramp.  I don't know how you can set the hook with a frog from a kayak.  I'm standing up with a 7/6 rod and setting real hard with my frog set up.  I don't think I could do it from a kayak.  Good luck tomorrow, I hope the wind cooperates.  Let us know how you do.

[Mike L]

One of these days I gotta get down there. 

It seems to me it's one of those places that kinda gets overlooked only because it's not talked about as much. Which is a good thing

 

 

 

 

Mike 

 

 

[BigAL]

The canal bite  has been brutal out there,guess u gotta go deep in flats and I've talked to handful of guys that have been in the flats and they aren't pulling any weight,today I was fishing south spoil bank got 5 on gambler big ez white guy about 30 yards in front of me landed a nice 5.5lb I love being out there, catching fish is just a bonus?

[Turf]

On 11/26/2017 at 1:10 AM, geo g said:

I think you put in at the same time we did.  I think you were at the second ramp, and we put in at the third ramp.  I don't know how you can set the hook with a frog from a kayak.  I'm standing up with a 7/6 rod and setting real hard with my frog set up.  I don't think I could do it from a kayak.  Good luck tomorrow, I hope the wind cooperates.  Let us know how you do.

Yes sir, that was definitely me.  Typically in the morning I'm not very aware of what is going on around me but I did notice the boat that was putting in on that 3rd ramp.  I'll have to be a little more with it next time and I'll introduce myself.  

 

In terms of frogging from the kayak, apparently I'm not able to set the hook either.  Lol.  Honestly I typically can get a solid hook set but everything in my kayak is so dependent on the wind.  Anything nearing 8-10 mph or more and I'm pretty much done for the day.  Even when fish are hitting I'm so distracted trying to keep my kayak straight and line taught that my success rates are fairly poor.  I am however going to be getting a 7'6" heavy, extra fast tip frogging rod and reel for Christmas to better my chances.  Right now I'm still using some of my grandfathers old gear from the 1980's believe it or not.  6'6" med heavy all star rods and two different daiwa casters that are still kicking just fine.  

 

In terms of the fishing on Sunday, I d**n near got blanked.  Caught one on a watermelon senko and had one other nice one on for a very brief time, only enough for him to jump and show it's back and then he spit it out.  Otherwise, from 8 am on the darn wind kicked up again and I was cursing more than I was fishing.  The wind was even blowing me through lily pads which typically I can bank up on temporarily.  Brutal.  Other than those two fish there were very few bites out there Sunday.  I even tried to come out to the main north canal to finish up the day but nothing going there either.  I fished from 6:30ish until 10:30 or so and had a rough go of it due to the wind.  Threw a ribbit frog, hb frog, big ez watermelon swimbait, black/blue swimjig, uvibes, senkos and craws (watermelon green/red, junebug, black/blue).  Nothing going...   Just the way it works some times I suppose.  Can't make it out this weekend but the following I will give it another shot.  Tight lines folks!

 

 

[geo g]

3 hours ago, Turf said:

Yes sir, that was definitely me.  Typically in the morning I'm not very aware of what is going on around me but I did notice the boat that was putting in on that 3rd ramp.  I'll have to be a little more with it next time and I'll introduce myself.  

 

In terms of frogging from the kayak, apparently I'm not able to set the hook either.  Lol.  Honestly I typically can get a solid hook set but everything in my kayak is so dependent on the wind.  Anything nearing 8-10 mph or more and I'm pretty much done for the day.  Even when fish are hitting I'm so distracted trying to keep my kayak straight and line taught that my success rates are fairly poor.  I am however going to be getting a 7'6" heavy, extra fast tip frogging rod and reel for Christmas to better my chances.  Right now I'm still using some of my grandfathers old gear from the 1980's believe it or not.  6'6" med heavy all star rods and two different daiwa casters that are still kicking just fine.  

 

In terms of the fishing on Sunday, I d**n near got blanked.  Caught one on a watermelon senko and had one other nice one on for a very brief time, only enough for him to jump and show it's back and then he spit it out.  Otherwise, from 8 am on the darn wind kicked up again and I was cursing more than I was fishing.  The wind was even blowing me through lily pads which typically I can bank up on temporarily.  Brutal.  Other than those two fish there were very few bites out there Sunday.  I even tried to come out to the main north canal to finish up the day but nothing going there either.  I fished from 6:30ish until 10:30 or so and had a rough go of it due to the wind.  Threw a ribbit frog, hb frog, big ez watermelon swimbait, black/blue swimjig, uvibes, senkos and craws (watermelon green/red, junebug, black/blue).  Nothing going...   Just the way it works some times I suppose.  Can't make it out this weekend but the following I will give it another shot.  Tight lines folks!

 

 

When you get to an area you want to focus on, do you put out an anchor to give yourself some stability from the wind.  Try taking a 10 pound dumbbell weight and 6 feet of line.  Gives you a chance to stop struggling with the wind.  Easy to pull up, and move to another area.

[Turf]

Good idea.  Didn't really think about anchoring as I'm typically always moving even if conditions are good.  But I will definitely give that a try next time out. 

[geo g]

11 hours ago, Turf said:

Good idea.  Didn't really think about anchoring as I'm typically always moving even if conditions are good.  But I will definitely give that a try next time out. 

Poor man's power pole!!!!!!!

[BigAL]

Went today got a handful of small ones missed a few good fish on swimbait they were like short strikes like defensive strikes not like inhaling it going back tomorrow ?