Wasn’t sure what to expect as we launched into gusty winds and an extra low tide. The water came up quick and as soon as the flats flooded the bite turned on. The rods whipped over as the reds hit cut mullet along the grass line. By the end of the afternoon, Larry had boated his personal best, a 29″ beauty. 70 degrees and sunny in February didn’t hurt either!
Even with winds cranking over 20mph, Keith stuck to his guns that he only wanted to throw artificials today. Well, it paid off! Found shelter from the bruising gusts and starting catching trout at mid and high tide. Once the water came down, the redfish bite turned on. Highlight of the day was this nice double!
Three weeks of sunny weather have kept both fish and anglers busier than usual. Like most winters, the bite is best on bait fished on the bottom whether around structure or on the flats. A steady rotation of cut mullet, mud minnows and shrimp are producing well enough to keep the rods bent. Good times on the water!
Unseasonably warm weather has helped fishing in 2017 start off strong! With temperatures routinely reaching the 70s, the redfish are happy and a little more active than usual. The focus is fishing at low tide to the huge schools of redfish on the flats. Cut mullet has been working best with mud minnows producing as well. Make sure to take advantage of this awesome sunshine!
Fishing has continued to be quite good this Fall and anglers can expect it to improve in November. Lower water temperatures combined with chilly mornings remind redfish and trout that it is time to eat before all the food disappears with the onset of Winter. Take some time with the family to go fishing around the Thanksgiving holiday and make the most of what our fishery offers.
Per usual, redfish have begun to congregate in big schools that will only grow larger. Reds gather together for protection in numbers from dolphins. Dolphins, who do not slow down in the Winter, find sluggish redfish to be easy prey. Finding and casting to pods of 50-100 redfish can be exhilarating and even make your knees tremble on the bow. Smaller jerk shad artificial lures rigged on 1/8oz. jigheads have proven to be quite effective.
You won’t even need to change your lure when you decide to target trout. The same rig of an artificial lure on a jighead produces just fine here as well. If you catch one trout, there will likely be plenty of others nearby. Move your lure slowly as the fish are moving slowly too. If possible, try to bounce the jighead off the bottom and set the hook when you feel the resistance of a striking fish. Lures in darker hues of blue and gray are performing the best.
For the angler with a fly rod, the focus switches from tailing tides to the large schools of redfish on the flats at low tide. Darker flies are working well but don’t be afraid to throw some copper flies with lots of flash. Above everything else, make sure to take your time and approach these fish quietly as even a modest disturbance will send these spooky fish scrambling away.
See you on the water!
Fall has arrived with shorter days and cooler weather. But don’t put your boat away just yet because we’re about to experience the best fishing of the year! Fishermen can continue to find success with live bait but artificial lures should become increasingly effective. Make time to get out on the water, you won’t regret it.
Redfish have been eagerly eating live and cut bait fished on the bottom. Mullet and menhaden are pervasive in our waters and can be easily netted. We’ll rig the bait on a size 3/0 circle hook paired with a carolina rig. You can use this setup under docks as well as on the flats. Just put the rod in the holder and wait for the reel to start screaming as the fish hook themselves.
Artificial lures have begun to really produce for trout and the traditional paddle tail design has been great. I’ll use a 1/4oz. jighead and tie a loop knot to give the lure even more action. Vary your rate of retrieve as you search for pockets of fish. To make your lure even more attractive, try putting a piece of shrimp on the hook. You can use pieces of live or frozen shrimp and it will put a scent trail on your lure that is hard to resist.
Even as artificial lures become more effective, keep tossing those popping corks. Mud minnows, live shrimp and artificial shrimp have been working well when suspended about 18″-24″ below the cork. Redfish and trout 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.
With the cooler weather, redfish are beginning to form bigger schools. These large schools make for excellent sight fishing and happy fly fishermen. On clear days, you can see these packs of redfish swimming in circles with their golden backs flashing in the sun. Take your time when approaching the schools and when you make your first shot make sure to cast to the edges so as not to spook the school.
See you on the water!
My group mentioned they wouldn’t mind trying for a shark or two. I agreed and had a suspicion we might run into something else as well. Well, we found bonnetheads, sharpnose and blacktip sharks but also big bull redfish and lots of them. Live menhaden out the back kept the rods whipping over all afternoon. Highlight was Peter’s 41″ red.
The perfect storm that makes fishing so great in the fall is about to begin. The combination of lower water temperatures, tons of bait and fewer fishermen on the water makes for fantastic conditions. The fact that cooler days will make fishing much more pleasant doesn’t hurt either!
Many different approaches will work this time of year and popping corks are a favorite. An angler can catch so many different types of fish: redfish, trout, flounder, ladyfish, shark etc. I use a weighted popping cork so I can increase the distance of my cast. Then I put an 18″-24″ fluorocarbon leader from the cork to a size 1 circle hook. Mud minnows, shrimp and artificial shrimp all work well as baits.
When focusing on redfish, we begin to use artificial lures as Fall approaches. Jerk shad lures paired with flutter hooks are my go-to option. Usually 4″-5″ in length, these lures imitate small baitfish. Flutter hooks have a weight on their shank that produces really great action. Try flutter hooks in size 3/0 with a 1/8oz. weight and lures in natural hues like silver and grey.
For trout, the topwater bite has been very strong first thing in the morning. I’ve tried lots of options but I overwhelmingly use Super Spook Jr’s. My favorite colors are black head/ chartreuse body and silver shad. Alternate your rate of retrieve until you find one that works. Don’t be surprised if every now and then a big redfish takes a swipe!
Ladyfish, a personal favorite, are more plentiful than any year I can recall. We’ve spent many charters watching ladyfish blow up balls of bait heading toward the boat. Toss a live mud minnow or shrimp in their path and get ready for some great action. These acrobatic fish are very entertaining as they fly through the air. While these fish will fade as the water cools, we should still have a few more weeks of activity.
See you on the water!
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