Weeks full of sunny weather and warm temperatures have made our fishery come alive. Bait is everywhere and eager fish are chasing it down. Anglers have a wide array of options now that our seasonal species have arrived to compliment the traditional targets of redfish and trout.
Fishing for redfish remains very productive. Blue crab fished on the bottom is deadly. Remove the shell and legs of a blue crab and cut the body in half. Put a size 3/0 circle hook through the hole where the flipper fin used to be and make sure the hook point is exposed. No need to hold the rod, instead put it in a rod holder. Once that rod starts to bend, don’t touch it until the drag starts screaming!
As for trout, it is more of the same. Popping corks remain the way to go. Mud minnows and live shrimp are both performing well. Creek shrimp are starting to be large enough to net and use. If little fish keep picking at your live shrimp, switch over to a D.O.A. 3” artificial shrimp. Their Glow/Gold Rush Belly color has been quite productive.
Anglers targeting flounder have been reporting good numbers being caught. Work mud minnows or finger mullet along the bottom around structures. Move the bait gently along and when you think you have a bite pause a few seconds before setting the hook. We’ve been picking up quite a few flounder with mud minnows under a popping cork as well.
My favorite summertime fish is the ladyfish. With the warmer water temps, ladyfish will fill our waters. These exciting fish will readily eat bait under a popping cork and make your drag zing. Their acrobatic jumps and hard runs make these fish very entertaining. You’ll find them often in some of the same spots that you find trout.
See you on the water!