TOM HARBOR

[spin4reel]

I'm new to the forum, and I'm trying to read as much of the postings as I can to get a feel where you guys mainly fish from ad what bridges are the most productive. But I haven't seen aything on Tom Harbor (either one). Has anyone gone to fish there lately.
I know it dosen't really have a deep spot anywhere, but Acouple of years ago, I landed 5 nice muttons with the current going to the gulf side. The smallest one was 19". and believe it or not I was using squid as my bait. I did have live shrimps and freash sardines but not a bite until I started with the squid. Imagine that. I like that bridge because of it's not to long and it's easy to cover different spots. Thanks in advance for any current info on this bridge.

[Green Tide]

my last few times to toms has been very slow.
havent fished bottom at night in a couple of weeks, so maybe they will be biting now.
let me know.
nice mutton story by the way. i hardly ever use squid. maybe that is my problem haha
there has been some construction at the north toms bridge fyi

[spin4reel]

Thanks for your response, about the construction, is that one the Tom Harbor (MM62) cut or Tom Harbor Canal (MM 60) Thats for the update. green tide. Normally I don't use squid either but on some nights you may never know what they are hungry for. I always take at least 3 types of different baits, just in case and that night it happen to be squid of all things.

[Green Tide]

it is the 62
the state is installing a remote monitoring station with sensors at about every other bridge support

[spin4reel]

Thank you, you're well informed. Did you live in the keys?

[Eman305]

Any news on the bite at toms?

[Chevy Juan]

Johns always in the keys!

[crashmister]

Yeah, he's our resident Conch

[Eman305]

Fished on June 28, got there at about 6am with the wife and baby, set up their stuff then started gettin dirty.winds were pretty calm The tide was going out towards the power lines which I think is away from the gulf.
So i Threw out a piece of lady fish on my bottom rod and and set out a little chum box thing that I put squid and pieces of grunt,ladyfish and a couple shrimp trying to get bait to come but I had no luck with that and I never done it before so that was a new experience lol. So I was throwing towards the sea wall getting a nibble here and there but no bites, I think it was a lot of small fish. I then was thrmwing different bait out o. n a long cast rod to see if I got lucky throwing towards the power lines and landed 2 grunts on squid and shrimp. I probably caught the grunts around 8 30. Then maybe around 9 30 my bottom rod started screaming so I get to work and it was a nice little shark at least 4 ft. I don't know how long I fought it for but I had 50# mono and or wasn't popping for poop so I ended up taking it to the sea wall and some ppl that were on short vaca, that were leaving as I caught the fish, watched me fight it helped ke cut the leader. it was pretty slow after that. Had lunch let lines sit but no bites. Set out an artificial and nothing but tiny nibbles all over it. I ate lunch and spent a few hours in the shade not doin much cause it was uncomfortably hot and I didn't keep up with my water intake so I was tired. In between 1-3 I would try to work the piling but didn't go to far cause i was to tired to walk back for bait. I found a small school but the fish were not very big it seemed. I set out my chum tging to try to get them to come up but they seemed to stay lower. I tried using different sized hooks because they kept taking my bait. I managed to catch these two sort of round big eyes short fat fish, could have been silver/blui. sh, never caught one before. Did see anything very promising though. Left about 4 as the tide changed, I was to tired from not sleeping the night before... It was a great time though, beautiful day, quality time with ly family. Any tips on proper or effective way to chum?

[Eman305]

Shark

[Eman305]

3rd

[Chevy Juan]

You will get mixed opinions on Chumming but basically, I'd say most people along with myself (when I rarely do it) is to just buy the frozen Chum block from your local bait shop and soak that off the bridge in a Chum Bag that you can also purchase from the bait shop. Hang a rope from the railing and tie your chum block to the other end.

Sometimes Chumming is a good thing as it can bring you a school of bait fish to load up on, a school of mangroves, yellowtail's in the slick, and so on.

At other times though, it can be a pain as you will have smaller fish schooling up not allowing you to target the larger fish around and so on. It all depends on the person but I usually don't chum off the bridges, give it a try yourself a couple of more times and notice what goes on while you are doing so. For the price it wouldn't hurt so don't feel bad if nothing productive comes out of it.

[Chevy Juan]

Yea if you are looking to get bait at night I agree with Ricky a hundred percent. Drop a lantern and wait about 15 to 20 minutes and you will have all the bait you want.

[big red]

Do be on top of your water intake while fishing on any bridges during the summer months,those bridge get really hot and with little or no breeze,you could get into troubles real quick there.

I alway hope for some current flows when I get to the bridge,it is a hit and miss things for me as I never look at a tide chart since I only have couples of fixed day I could fish. Slack tide is terrible for fishing in my experiences,the best time for me is when the tide starting to flows.

Evening and late afternoon is always good no matter what tide stage it is for me,the Snapper and Grouper will be feeding then.

[Green Tide]

If you can have access to the water pipe lay on it because It is nice and cool at all times

[Chevy Juan]

LOL John.