SCFD rtrd. Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 Just spent a month at my condo (S/W Fl.) and had some pretty weird things happen with the local wildlife. I was fishing in an area where someone erected tall poles with platforms on top for the Osprey's to nest. I caught a catfish, reeled him up to the boat, put my pole in the rod holder and preceded to unhook the catfish. I was holding on the leader about 8" up from the fish and holding the fish at arms length out from the boat. I reached for my pliers, then heard a weird sound and felt a rush of wind. Well, an Osprey has swooped in and latched onto the catfish with both talons. I never saw him coming because I was wearing a big brim hat and concentrating on not getting finned by the fish. It happen very fast, but my first instinct was to pull back when the Osprey tried to pull the leader out of my hand. Next thing I know, the catfish fell into the water, the bird flew away and I stood there wondering what just happened. The same day, after returning to the condo docks, I was walking along the boardwalk on my way from the dock to my condo. The boardwalk is elevated about 2 ft. off the ground. All of a sudden a Bobcat jumped out from under the boardwalk, right from under my feet. He made about two jumps off the my right, maybe 25 ft., then stopped in a puddle of water that was left from a recent rain. He stopped broadside, gave me a short look, then started drinking from the puddle. He drank for a long time, maybe a full minute and never looked my way again. Then he walked right through a rod-iron fence and did something I've seen once before. He stopped, leaned to one side, raised the opposite leg and shook the water off his feet and leg, then the leaned the other way and did the shake again. Then he disappeared under condo pool deck. The strange part of this encounter was that he didn't seem to be afraid or overly concerned about my presents. Maybe two days later, I was Grouper fishing and using Pinfish for bait. I'd had a problem with a certain Porpoise steeling my pinfish off the hook. I felt a slight bump and knew immediately that it was not a Grouper. Assuming the pesky Porpoise had returned, I began to reel-up my Pinfish. When my bait was about 20 feet behind the boat, I saw the water pushing up ahead to the Porpoise. I started to reel faster, hoping not to loose my Pinfish. Well that didn't work. The Porpoise inhaled my bait and got hooked. I use 100 lb. line with the drag locked down. I was standing in the floor, behind the leaning post and suddenly I found myself lying on the rear deck of my boat, fighting to save my rod and reel. That Porpoise had snatched me right off my feel and I found myself trying to lock my legs around or through the leaning post. To make things worse, I was trying to keep my rod off the motor, so I was holding my rod off to the left as best I could and that play in the rod was keeping my line from breaking. Finally after three or four surges, he moved off to one side more inline with my rod. There was no play in the rod and my line finally broke. Bruised up both my feet and legs, took the skin off both by elbows and pulled a muscle in my back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 We have Osprey's all over the place up here. They'll swoop down on a fish in your hands. Now we have 2 pairs of Bald Eagles nesting near by. Hope they do not start grabbing things like the Ospreys. These birds are huge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 Good stories. I was waiting for you to say, the Bobcat said "sup dog", as he finished his drink! I would love to catch a Porpoise, of course prepared for it. Just imagine the jumps and tail walking that thing would do! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted July 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 Well obviously I wasn't prepared for the event. That thing snatched me down on the deck so quick, I couldn't believe it. But, the new Shimano rod that was recommended by other forum members held up on a fish that weighed about 300 lbs. It might be fun if you were prepared and didn't have 100# line with the drag locked down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HewesYourDaddy Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 That was no fish, and if he was full grown, he would be between 500-700lbs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane Posted July 1, 2017 Report Share Posted July 1, 2017 Don't even know if this would be prepared enough to stop a Porpoise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy21 Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 Reference the dolphin/porpoise incident. I wish there was something that could be done about those pesky critters. Certain areas in Charlotte Harbor and Lemon Bay have dolphins that eat every fish you catch and release. It *** when a family of dolphins eat keeper snook as soon as you toss them back in the water. I have finally started putting ALL species of fish in my live wells for safekeeping until I move from the area infested with dolphin. But I never keep them any longer then I have too. Hopefully, this practice won't bite me in the behind if a narrow minded FWC Officer stops me for a live well check. Haaaa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cflredfisher19 Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 Have had issues a couple times with dolphins eating fish that you just released, mostly around the dragon point area on the banana river side. Other than that, my weird/strange experience is I found and caught a triple tail that was lost as could be, found him in less than 2 ft of water on a flat in the port st John's area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wanaflatsfish Posted July 3, 2017 Report Share Posted July 3, 2017 20 hours ago, Indy21 said: Reference the dolphin/porpoise incident. I wish there was something that could be done about those pesky critters. Certain areas in Charlotte Harbor and Lemon Bay have dolphins that eat every fish you catch and release. It *** when a family of dolphins eat keeper snook as soon as you toss them back in the water. I have finally started putting ALL species of fish in my live wells for safekeeping until I move from the area infested with dolphin. But I never keep them any longer then I have too. Hopefully, this practice won't bite me in the behind if a narrow minded FWC Officer stops me for a live well check. Haaaa You'll be paying a heck of a price for trying to save a few snook....trust me, these guys don't want to hear about you saving snook...they have a job to do and will confiscate your boat if you have undersized snook(s) etc. or even worse if they feel your really are trying to get away with something. Trust me, for 20 years of fishing in Chokoko and offshore...dolphin have no problem catching a snook when they want to eat.... DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason p Posted July 4, 2017 Report Share Posted July 4, 2017 Listen to the man, he speaks the truth. I assure you There are no "Good Samaritan" provisions within the FWC / NPS regulations. Besides all the porpoise that are slaughtered throughout the world, giving some a cheap meal balances it out a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy21 Posted July 5, 2017 Report Share Posted July 5, 2017 Yeah I guess I was thinking common sense. I should just feed the dolphin and not worry about it. I would rather let them live to fight another day. Funny thing, though. I have fished a lot of places in the last 50 years and have NEVER had my live well checked. Although last fall a female FWC Officer questioned me at the Ainger Creek boat ramp. That day I had a keeper redfish and a few keeper trout in the live well. She declined to climb up into my trailered boat and check the fish. She must have trusted me. I did have FWC Officers check me on a few occasions when I was on Lake Walk-In-Water fishing for bass. This was a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishtails Posted July 6, 2017 Report Share Posted July 6, 2017 There are 3 bobcats in this group near Caxambas. You can only see two in this photo I also had dolphin stealing my bait in the mouth of the Big Marco river, fishing for king mackerel. My wife was catching blue runners for bait and would lure the dolphin off to the side and keep him occupied while I was able to cast. He was stealing my baits off a king mackerel rig with the nose hook and tail hook. I have never had them do this before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. Troy Posted July 6, 2017 Report Share Posted July 6, 2017 I have caught flipper once in my life. Got him to the leader on a 50 wide. Very little fight for his size but at boat side the darn thing had a full tackle box of stuff hanging out of his mouth. Wire and big mono leaders hooks and all. I suspect the entire process was business as usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted July 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2017 Now, that's what Bobcat should look like. The one I encountered had very little hair and the only spots were on his hind quarters. I talked to another condo owner and he said that Bobcats loose most of their hair in the summer. This one was probably old, because his hips were crooked. I have several pics on my phone, but still can't figure out how to post from my phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justdriftin Posted July 6, 2017 Report Share Posted July 6, 2017 I've had run ins with some brave bobcats, while hunting though not fishing. Once had one sit about 30 yards from me and watch me field dress a deer. We both kept a pretty close eye on one another but he just sat there and watched me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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