The 200 Plateau

[Johnsfolly]

On 3/9/2026 at 6:22 AM, Ham said:

This one is a tomtate. Bronze/gold bar thru the eye and striping. Some don't show that tail spot.

 

This one is a juvenile sailor's choice grunt. Brown bar thru the eye and striping above lateral line. 
 

 

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, Ham said:

Four species of tarpon snook. We were told that getting all four was difficult, but the guide expected us to get three of the four.

FIY😉

[Johnsfolly]

13 hours ago, Ham said:

fished for a little bit and got this guy.  it’s a Blenny

It is either a hairy blenny or a masquerader hairy blenny which are difficult to differentiate. Need to look at it more to see if the oscellus on the gill plates has a complete outline and/or if there is a spot on the front of the dorsal fin.

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, Ham said:

I really want one. I still really want one.

I did get some consolation prizes. Red Head Cichlid

Very cool catch! That's one of my targets when I can get back down that way. Also the jaguar guapote and the black acara. I still need to catch any snook, but would like to try for at least two or three of the FL species.

[Johnsfolly]

19 hours ago, Ham said:

I fished for a little bit and got this guy.  it’s a Blenny.

I'm leaning towards a hairy blenny. If you post on INAT I would suggest just id to genus, Labrisomus sp. and comment that it might be a hairy blenny.

[Ham]

So, today was the last day. Rise and Grind. Fished a bridge again. I had shots at a Checker Puffer, but failed. I got three tomtate. 
Then tried Jupiter inlet. Tide really wrong. Saw a few fish. No bites.

then back to Phil Foster to fish until we HAD to go. Then rush and catch our flights out. 
I did not struggle to find flys the fish liked. I struggled to find flys the fish would eat.

First fish was a French Grunt. I think. then I finally got a Silver Porgy. I finally found a fly they would eat. A small Y2K. But it was barbless and I lost some fish because of that I ended up catching three of them. 
I also got some Pinfish. #sopokey

I got two of those. And a a white Grunt.

But the best fish of the day was an unlikely catch. I was trying a heavy fly for Lookdowns out off the NW corner. When I brought the fly in a saw a bug dark fish take a look. A few casts later the look was an eat and I came tight. I was using a 3 weight for the little guys, but this guy had me walking briskly to keep up. I managed to wear him down and caught a 2 pound ish Common Snook. I had Needlefish hooked, and Sgt Majors, and a Night Sgt I think. Saw all kinds of amazing parrot fish that would not play. 
but a Good end to a Hard, but satisfying trip. Another day another flyer.

Pretty Stressful end to the trip. Everything took longer than planned and I was worried I was gonna miss my flight. They started boarding as I walked up. No worries. On the plane flying now. 

[Johnsfolly]

16 hours ago, Ham said:

First fish was a French Grunt.

It is a juvenile french grunt.

[Ham]

It may look like it was fall off a log easy, but I promise it was not. Long hard days. Leg cramps three of the nights. Lots of driving. Lots of fish I was targeting that I did not get.

big misses : Lookdown, Jag Guapote, and Checkered Puffer

the offshore stuff made me feel like I was a total newcomer to fishing. I have a certain fishing skill set, but I have a lot to learn in salt. 
I’ll probably wrap this up and the next version can start up when I start pushing for 225 or 250 on fly.