Got a call from a friend about Spanish Mackerel fishing in Cedar Key on Friday night. Decided to take a run up on Saturday morning. My brother-in-law (Wayne), good friend (Ron) and I left CR at about 9:15 and arrived on SeaHorse reef a bit before 10am. Sunny, HOT, DAMN HOT, with a light breeze. Water temperature about 82. Middle of the full moon incoming tide.

Started Trolling with spoons and florios. Action was incredible. Every line within a minute would have a fish. Hooked three before Ron could even get tied on. He finally gave up trying to tie his own rig and grabbed one of mine. Constant action for the first hour.

Somewhere near 11AM: Time for a check: How many in the box? What's the limit? Count: 34 Spanish!


Then after cleaning up a bit... LOOK! The water over there is copper colored!


The picture doesn't really tell the story, the copper area was a good 200 yards wide and 100 yard deep. So, we head over, what is it?

All 34" to 40" Bull Redfish! Not skiddish and hungry! There had to be 500 to 1,000 of them.

Ron's Red:


My Red:


And after a while Wayne's Red:


All reds were too large to keep. All were released unharmed. As fast as we found the reds, they were gone. We did see them again before we left.

Well, back to the Spanish fishing. Instead of trolling, we decided to cast to them. Had our final 11 in the boat in about 15 minutes. Total Spanish: 45 in about 1 1/2 hours. Cleaned the boat up and headed back to CR before noon.

Do you think they liked the day?


Worked until 1am, cleaning, bagging, smoking and freezing 45 Spanish. All and all a very good day.

Wow,

great day on the water!  It's a blast when the makerel are running.  I got to see the bull reds run once, but they were traveling not biting.  It is a site to behold.

Congrats!!  I am just jealous I wasn't there.

Wow pretty redfish more like pretty goldfish with there color. I use to fish ther every spring, it has been some years since I have been.