Fishing has really improved over the last few weeks. The recent cold snap in mid-October made the water come alive and the celebrated Fall trout bite is now in full swing. November might not seem like a prime fishing month but if you get on the water you will not be disappointed!

Trout are rarely as receptive as they are right now. We’ve been using popping corks with DOA 3” shrimp in the Glow pattern as well as mud minnows. Mud minnows can be much heartier than live shrimp and with all the small bait stealers in the water usually last much longer. You can use the popping cork along grass banks, over oyster beds and at creek mouths. When fishing the popping cork, it is important to make sure that you reel in any slack line on the water if the cork is moving with the current. Oftentimes, if there is too much slack in the line and a fish hits, the fish can get off before the angler reels the line tight and sets the hook. Casting plastic grubs on 1/4oz. jigheads is also very effective this time of year. Bass Assassin’s Chicken on a Chain 4” sea shad is a very popular color.

Fishing for redfish continues to be great. The above tactics for trout will work for redfish as well. As the weather continues to cool, redfish will begin to school up on the flats and provide some excellent sight fishing opportunities. To approach these fish, you need to be very stealthy and quiet. Engines and loud sounds like a slamming hatch will cause these fish to flee. Trolling motors or even better being silently pushed along in a boat with a poling platform will really increase your chances. Although the seasons are changing, I’m finding that the 5” Gulp jerk shad in white that worked in the Spring and Summer to still be working great now too. If your casts are spooking fish, try to go down in size of your lure whether it be in weight or length.

Not surprisingly, fly fishermen benefit from these schools of redfish as well. The water is becoming clearer and this in concert with more concentrated fish has produced great conditions. Since my last report, I’ve run several fly fishing charters and had a blast. We’ve been able to stalk fish in the grass at high tide and corner pods of fish around oyster beds on the flats at low tide. In the clearer water, flies with slimmer profiles and more modest shades of red and brown are working well. Anglers should also experiment with clouser minnow patterns in white mixed with other colors like silver or chartreuse. With the intense trout bite, we will begin to target trout as well. You will likely need a fly with some weight on it to get it down in front of the trout.

Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.