The reds were a little wary to start the charter. A few times our rods tips would bend slightly then spring back. This all changed once the water started moving! Our rods whipped over time and time again. Broke off plenty of big fish as they quickly dove for structure. Managed to get a few to the boat with the biggest at 32″!
One of the warmest Winters on record has our fishery primed to get going early this year. You could even say it never fully went dormant as days in the 70s have kept water temperatures much higher than normal. Bait fish that usually disappear have been present and kept the redfish feeding. Trout should be ready to go in mid-March. It’s time to break out your reels and rods and get ready for a great season!
Having spent the last few months avoiding dolphins and laying low, redfish are now focused on feeding instead of simply surviving. Low tide will be the best time to target big schools of redfish that can number in the hundreds. These fish are still spooky, so a subtle and quiet approach is very important. On many days, it pays to rest in one spot when you find a school and wait for them to come to you instead of pushing them away.
As these reds are nervous, I’ll try to disturb them as little as possible by minimizing my casting. This is a perfect time to fish with bait on the bottom. I’ll put a chunk of blue crab or frozen mullet on a size 3/0 circle hook and just let it rest until the redfish swim over it. Make sure the barb of your hook is fully through the bait and the point is cleanly exposed. Place your rod in the rod holder and get ready for it to rip over once the circle hook sets itself!
As trout begin to feed, popping corks cast over oyster beds and along grass banks will be a good bet with mud minnows attached. I usually pair a 18”-24” fluorocarbon leader with a size 1 circle hook. While there is no shortage of choices, I use oval shaped corks that are heavier and can be cast further. When using a popping cork, do your best to keep slack out of your line and when that cork drops under just reel without lifting the rod tip. You’ll find that the circle hook rarely misses as long as your line is tight.
See you on the water!
Since 2009, Capt. Geoff Bennett has operated Charleston Charter Fishing providing light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of 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.
Very windy conditions forced us to seek shelter in the creeks making docks our only option and it was……..awesome! Huge redfish were smoking cut mullet on the bottom. With our drags tightened all the way down, it was all we could do to turn these fish. We even broke out the shark rods towards the end. Battled many, landed some with the heaviest at 16 pounds and the longest at 33″.
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!
