Fishing for reds at low tide to begin the charter was very productive with mud minnows being the bait of choice. After that, we switched over to trout using popping corks. The bite was so silly good we just started messing around. John broke the boat record of five trout caught on the same mud minnow by one and raised the bar to six. Best November fishing in years!
Fishing this past month was very productive and we can expect November to be just as good! Chilly water temperatures remind trout and redfish that they better eat now or it will be a long few months ahead without any food. As natural bait leaves our waters, artificial lures have become very effective. Take advantage of sunny days and go catch some fish!
Redfish have begun their seasonal phenomenon of forming large schools. Groups of fifty redfish will become common and they can grow as large as 100-150 during the winter. These fish are more wary and tossing artificial lures into the pod can spook them. Instead of casting at the schools, we will throw out as many as three lines with chunks of frozen mullet on #3/0 circle hooks and let them sit on the outside of the school. Eventually the redfish will find your bait and make those rods whip over!
For trout, artificial lures are working great. Trout hang together and when you catch one there will likely be many more. Lures in hues of gray and blue are performing the best when paired with a 1/4oz. jighead. Remember to move your lure slower than usual as the fish slow down with the cooler water temperature. Try to bounce the jighead off the bottom and wait until you feel the resistance of a striking fish.
Popping corks are still great options for both trout and redfish. Live shrimp can be used again with the bait stealers gone. I’ll attach a two to three foot leader from the cork to a size 1 circle hook while adding a split shot a foot above the hook. Cast over oyster beds, along grass banks, and at creek mouths and watch for that cork to disappear! It can be a hard habit to break, but when that cork drops, reel as fast as you can and let the circle hook naturally set itself. A big hook set can sometimes pull your bait right out of the fish’s mouth.
See you on the water!
Fall has arrived bringing with it shorter days and cooler weather. Don’t put your rods and reels away just yet because we’re about to experience the best fishing of the year! Fishermen will continue to find success with live bait but artificial lures should become increasingly productive. Make time to get out on the water, you will have a great time!
Redfish, including bull reds, have been hungrily eating cut and live bait fished on the bottom. Mullet especially have filled our waters and can be easily netted. We’ll rig the bait on a size 3/0 circle hook paired with a carolina rig. Use enough weight to keep the bait from swinging around and getting stuck. You can use this setup on the flats as well as under docks. Just put your rod in the holder and wait for the reel to start screaming as the fish hook themselves.
Artificial lures have started to really perform for trout and the traditional paddle tail design has been awesome. I’ll use a 1/4oz. Trout Eye jighead and tie a loop knot to give more action to the lure. Vary your rate of retrieve as you prospect different spots for pockets of fish. To make your offering even more attractive, try putting a piece of shrimp on the hook. You can use pieces of frozen or live shrimp and it will put a scent trail on your lure that fish find hard to ignore.
Even as artificial lures become more effective, keep throwing those popping corks. Live shrimp, artificial shrimp and mud minnows have been working great when suspended about 18″-24″ below the cork on a fluorocarbon leader and a size 1 circle hook. Redfish, trout and flounder alike will eat these baits as they pass by suspended in the water column. Corks have been working best fished along grassy banks at mid and high tide.
See you on the water!
Well, it’s that time of year where fishing becomes as pleasant as the weather. The Rudkowski clan joined me again and we steadily caught fish for eight hours. Redfish, trout and flounder made the lowcountry slam and a silly amount of ladyfish added to that total. Mud minnows and corks were the ticket. Highlight of the charter were multiple 7-9lb reds that would smoke our corks as they floated along grass lines.
We fit the whole rotation into today’s six hour charter! Slack high tide found us catching bull reds and sharks with live large menhaden while we also snared bluefish with gotcha plugs off the bow. As the water fell, we hooked up with trout and a rouge flounder using mud minnows under popping corks. To finish, we went onto the flats at low tide and landed slot reds using blue crab for bait. Fall is a great time to be on the water!
Fantastic fall fishing is about to begin thanks to a perfect storm of conditions. The combination of lower water temperatures, tons of bait and fewer fishermen on the water makes for an ideal scenario. The fact that cooler days that will make fishing much more pleasant doesn’t hurt either!
We often suggest popping corks in our reports. Why? Because they are easy to fish with and work great! Redfish, flounder and trout will all eat bait suspended in the water column. I’ll attach a 18”-24” leader from the cork to a size 1 circle hook. When fishing this rig, it’s very important to keep the slack out of your line. I keep my rod tip pointed at the cork and just reel when it drops. You’ll find your hookup rate improves compared to keeping your rod tip high and trying to set the hook by jerking back on the rod.
We will bid farewell to the summer seasonal species who should be gone by the end of the month. Meanwhile, sharks are still providing plenty of action for the next few weeks. It is crucial to use enough weight to keep your bait pinned to the bottom. Baits that are swinging around will usually slide until they snag. Instead of using one large 3 or 4oz. weight, I’ll use 1 or 2oz. weights attached to a slinker slide and add weight as needed.
The odds of catching bull redfish these days as you fish in the big water are rapidly rising. With the mullet run in full swing, these beasts follow the bait inshore. Cracked blue crab, live menhaden and fresh cut mullet make great baits. You’ll find these fish on drop offs and ledges in the harbor and inlets. With redfish measuring into the upper 30” class it is well worth your time to soak some bait.
See you on the water!
