Just a brief little lesson about the best laid plans.

 It happens more frequently than most people would admit but sometimes the bit you want just doesn't happen. Plan A failed so did B. That doesn't necessarily mean that the day is a waste. By being observant you can potentially get on a hot bite. The last two days for me have really driven that point home. 

Everything was right for there to be a red hot bite on a wide variety of special but almost nothing was working. I had been seeing tons of Spanish Mackerel slashing through the hordes of greenies but didn't give it second thought. I tried to get on some snapper as I could plainly see them cruising the edge of the bait school but no dice. At last I gave in and started fishing for mackerel as an unplanned side bite. I was not disappointed! Despite the fish being enormously picky and only taking free lined greenies on 20# fluorocarbon and literally nothing else, the bite was spectacular. If I hadn't been watching the water and reading how the fish were behaving, I never would have gotten on them like I did.
Today, I dedicated the day to mackerel fishing and yet again the bite was on fire. There was absolutely nothing else biting. I would be missing out on a nonstop bite if I just stubbornly went about pursuing other fish.

 I have a very consistent reputation when it comes to catching fish. Logging helps and I do keep one for a few species but I fish so much that most things are predictable. The conditions are right now for several species including snapper, breeding snook and Spanish Mackerel. I like to capitalize on high numbers fishing.

My point with this lesson would be that the fishing can be terrible even when you know it should be great. Keeping an open mind and watching the water when the bite sucks can give you cues about a bite you may never have considered.

From David Ronald Hartwell @ Big Dave's Slay City. Land based lessons.