# Dixie Bar report - Mystery bite



## Relocated Hoosier (Apr 10, 2011)

Fished Dixie Bar 04/05 and had an absolute ball, but did not put a fish in the boat..

hooked up on something on the first drift from the shipping channel up to the bar that fought for 1 1/2 hrs and the hook finally broke. Chunk of squid drifted up the bar.. Long slow steady fight after a screaming, spool draining first run.. Sting Ray? or shark? never saw it, crazy strong fight 

Hooked up 14 more times between my brother inlaw and myself

Never put a fish in the boat.. Drifting gulp alive shrimp from the shipping channel to the bar, picked up all the bites in 8-11 ft of water

long screaming first run and a blazing fight afterwards.. Never got a fish to the top or to the boat, had one on the surface briefly about 30 yards out, but could not identify... Broke off on one due to my fat thumb on the spool

the rest straightened hooks and just generally kicked our butts.. Amazing fast, screaming runs..

Heavy bass gear, but no match for these fish, we had definitely shown up at a gun fight with a dull butter knife

i now have two Penn Captivas that are going to be spooled with 30lb braid before the next trip...

Any ideas? the gear we were using should have been suitable for 20lb fish easily, but we were totally dominated...

but it was a great time!

went back the next day and could not duplicate.. caught a mess of cats and a number of white trout/mullet type fish???? 12-15" or so??

great day, but no screaming fast movers...

maybe next weekend!!!


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## PAWGhunter (Feb 3, 2010)

Relocated Hoosier said:


> Heavy bass gear, but no match for these fish, we had definitely shown up at a gun fight with a dull butter knife


More than likely bull reds.

Forgive me for asking since I do not freshwater fish, but how heavy is heavy bass gear?


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## Relocated Hoosier (Apr 10, 2011)

quite alright as i am very much a novice..

6' 6" MH spinning rod, Shimano Sahara reel, spooled with 12lb trilene xt..

Have caught several good reds, up to 28" with this combo in the past and a number of good freshwater fish.. 44" northern pike... And a number of large carp just for fun..

in no way could we handle these fish.. Just dominated us...

the penn captiva's i bought are 7' and considerably heavier rods and larger reels... I know they are entry level saltwater gear, but should be much more effective, particularly running the braid? Just how big do these reds get????


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## Jaybird (Apr 27, 2010)

I've caught more than a couple bull reds on Dixey Bar. I use Penn 550sg spinning reels with 7' rods and 20# mono. Usually takes 5-15 minutes to bring one in. I also troll stretch 25's for them on much heavier tackle. Basically winch them in with the big stuff. On squid, the first bite was probably a Jack Crevalle. They fight like hell. A shark most likely would have cut you off in seconds. 

The largest red I've caught so far was 36", but they get much bigger.


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## Relocated Hoosier (Apr 10, 2011)

thanks for the feed back guys

can't wait to get back down there and try it again! Need a calmer wind to fish that strong outgoing tide that pushes the bait up on the bar... that is a great set up for a north wind or a light wind..

Weds plain sucked out there in a small boat.. Just like fishing lake st clair in 2-4 ft rollers up on the bar proper..


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## ashcreek (Oct 4, 2007)

Try drifting a johnsons gold spoon next time looks like a croaker to a redfish, my dad and I have absolutely killed the bull reds that way many a time.


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## Razzorduck (Oct 22, 2007)

Sounds like you got into a school of big Jacks. Lots of fun on the right tackle but they will detroy bass class stuff. Bull reds can be caught on bass stuff as Jaybird said. My buddy caught a bunch of 40-45" reds last fall on his abu with 14 lb line. He just let 'em tow his yak untill they tired!


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## JDM (Oct 1, 2007)

We hooked up last year about this same time and had the same fight. We could not move the fish and he would take huge runs and I actually had to follw him. One hour later we pulled up the biggest sting ray I have ever seen. My son in laws hands had water blisters from the fight.


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## hungup (Apr 3, 2010)

i live on ft. morgan and regularly catch and release bull reds up to 49" and i use a 7' ugly stick with 17 lbs. mono and 20lbs. vanish leader its a blast, in a boat with enough line you shouldnt have any trouble running down fish, but i would agree with the gentleman who said you were in a aschool of jack


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## Relocated Hoosier (Apr 10, 2011)

thanks for the great feed back guys

i've heard of jack crevalle, but never seen one... i hope to be back down in the next couple of weeks to try it one more time!


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## sthomp (Apr 5, 2011)

Id agree that it was probably a big bull red. Ive caught some 40lb+ reds on dixie bar.


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