Fishing

Spring has arrived! With days full of sun and temperatures holding in the 70’s, our fishery is rapidly changing with many new signs of life. Trout and flounder are entering the mix and anglers now have several species to target instead of just spooky redfish. Bait is filling our waters and the fish are hungry!

Redfish are no longer focused simply on preservation but are becoming predators again. Anglers should consider using artificial plastic lures that mimic bait fish. One good choice would be “jerk shad” lures that have become very popular and are available in a wide variety of colors. I’ve been finding that silver hues have been working best although I’ll occasionally throw a darker color when water clarity is poor.

Having woken from their winter slumber, the trout are active again. Fishermen should focus on grassy banks and oyster beds when targeting these fish. It’s time to break out the popping corks again. Try fishing a 3” D.O.A. plastic shrimp lure suspended two feet underneath a popping cork. The D.O.A. shrimp come in several weights but I prefer their 1/4oz. model.  The Glow/Gold color is a great choice.

Often considered our tastiest fish, flounder are a frequent target. We’ve been catching them mostly when fishing with mud minnows on the bottom or mud minnows under popping corks. You’ll need to focus on structures when targeting flounder. Old pilings and docks are good places to prospect. Remember that flounder will hug the bottom in hopes of ambushing their prey, so you’ll need to keep that bait down on or close to the bottom.

See you on the water!

As colder months end, temperatures have been working their way higher over the last few weeks. Warmer water makes for happier fish and the Spring bite will soon be well underway. The usual suspects, redfish and trout, will be the primary targets and both will be increasingly more active. Don’t wait a couple months, grab your rods and start fishing now!

Over the last few months, redfish have been doing their best to avoid hungry dolphins. Now they will switch modes from just surviving and instead become predators. Redfish remain in huge schools and the most productive fishing will be at low tide when they are concentrated. These fish will be quite spooky so you’ll want to be quiet on your approach. Sometimes, the best option is to post up and wait for the school to swim within range of you.

If they are being wary, these big schools of redfish will often turn their noses up at artificial lures.  Instead of casting at them to no avail, we’ll fish bait on the bottom. Toss out chunks of blue crab or cut mullet on size 3/0 circle hooks. Place your rod in the rod holder and leave the rod be when you see the line begin to tighten. The circle hook does all the work for you and when your drag starts to sing you are in business!

The trout bite has just begun. Artificial lures will be your best bet with little natural bait currently in the water. Fish these lures slowly and try to let them dive to the bottom. These trout are sluggish as well and it pays to get the lure right in front of their nose. Plastic lures that imitate small minnows are a good choice and the Zman 3.75” Streakz in smokey shad is our go to choice. Matched with a 1/8oz. or a 1/4oz. jighead, this combination will work well throughout the year.

See you on the water!

Fishing was great in October, and we can expect November to be just as good!  Chilly nights remind redfish and trout that they had better eat soon or it will be a long few months ahead without any food. Artificial lures have become very productive as natural bait leaves our waters. Take advantage of sunny days and go chase some fish!

As water temperatures decline, redfish have begun their seasonal phenomenon of forming huge schools. Schools of fifty redfish will become common and they can grow as large as 100-150 during the winter. These fish are more wary this time of year and artificial lures can spook them. Instead of casting at the schools, we will throw out as many as three lines with chunks of blue crab or mullet on #3/0 circle hooks and just put the rods in holders. Eventually, the redfish will find your bait and bend your rods over with some astonishing hits!

For trout, artificial lures continue to work very well. Trout hang together and when you catch one there will likely be others in the immediate area. 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 touch the bottom with the jighead and wait until you feel the pull 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 three-foot leader to the cork and a size 1 circle hook on the other end with a split shot a foot above the hook. Cast along grass banks, over oyster beds, and at creek mouths and watch for that cork to disappear! It can be challenging, 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 rip your bait right out of the fish’s mouth.

See you on the water!