Strange Fishing - Florida 2024

I've been fighting a nasty cold most of my time on vacation.  This is of course, Not Fair.  So fishing time has been curtailed.  On the other hand, last year's Red Tide has gone away so the fishing has actually been more productive and varied.  

There are two little critters we caught in abundance.  As in, with almost every cast.  Mangrove Snappers and White Grunts look close enough that my quickly snapped photos may have missed the latter.  Cute little guys the both of them.  Basically the equivalent of salt water bluegills.

Last year's go-to spot under a bridge was not productive this year.  We'd see other people there pretty often so the secret must have gotten out.  And when we did try it the fish had gotten very smart.  We did encounter this fine fellow which made our day....

And we encountered other reptiles.  On our way to another favored spot we walk by a place where endangered tortoises nest in a parking lot.  Their overall intellect may have something to do with their endangered status, as this is about as bad a place to dig turtle nests as you could dream up.  Anyway, we had to do a bit of traffic guard duty to help them lumber across the adjacent road.  Good luck, my scarce and scaly friends....

A fair bit of fishing success was encountered on a nearby jetty, basically a channel where boats go in and out of harbor.  Lots of people fish there and a wide variety of species are caught.  My grandson got a spiny critter called a Leatherjacket.  Several of us caught Pompano, a rather tasty snub nosed fish.

But the best picture of the trip was my son doing his best imitation of a Ladyfish he had just landed.  Weird googly eyed critter.....  The fish that is.