A few seats are still available for my class on “How to Catch Fish On and Around Daniel”. The class will have 2 focus areas. How to catch fish in Smythe Park Lake and in the rivers and creeks that surround Daniel Island. If you have children and are thinking about participating in the Daniel Island Kids Fishing Tournament, I believe this class will be beneficial. The free class is on Saturday, April 1st at 10:00 AM at the Daniel Island library. I am asking attendees to consider a contribution to the Lucy Boyle Memorial Fund.
In preparation for the class, I did a little fishing in Smythe Park Lake. Happy to report that a healthy population of bass and bream are still in residence. The bass had an affinity for a StreakZ 3.75 on a 2/0 sixteenth ounce flutter hook. Bream could not resist a chartreuse or white 1/8 ounce Road Runner. In the class, we will cover where and how to fish these lures.
This week, my brother-in-law Mike Balduzzi was visiting Daniel Island. Mike is an avid angler so we spent a lot of our time on the water. Conditions were a bit cool and very breezy. However, we did manage to catch good numbers of Trout and Redfish. Most of the fish we caught were holding along depth transitions from 5 to 10 feet. A Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 on a 3/16 ounce Trout Eye finesse jig was the most productive lure. A sweep and long pause retrieve cadence triggered the most strikes (with most occurring during the long pause). During the class, we will cover the techniques Mike and I used to locate and catch fish (in very tough conditions).
Hope to see you on April 1st.
nt cold spell put a big chill on the water temperature. It is now 55 degrees. A drop of 7 degrees over the course of a few days. This has pushed the Trout a bit deeper. Today they were bunched up in 10 to 12 feet of water. They were hungry too! A Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 or Slim SwimZ on a Trout Eye Finesse jig bounced along the bottom put up big catch and release numbers. The strike was a bit light but the fish were definitely feeding. Warmer temperatures are forecast for the next day or so. I believe the bite will get even better.
turned to the Lowcountry today. After weeks of unusually warm weather, Mother Nature brought the cold weather hammer down. Strong winds and a light rain made for bone chilling conditions. It was cold (and wet) but I had the fish all to myself. While the air was cold, the water temperature was 61 degrees. So the fish were still feeding aggressively. A Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 (Blue Back Herring) on a 3/16 ounce Trout Eye Finesse jig was the most productive lure. Most of the fish were on a depth transition from 2 to 10 feet. Redfish were shallow and Trout were deep. A snap and pause retrieve triggered the most strikes. The weather is cold (again) but right now the fishing is pretty hot.
Late winter feels more like spring. This week, the water temperature hit 63 degrees, which is unusually warm for early March. Like the water, the fishing is heating up. Baitfish (glass minnows, mud minnows and finger mullet) have returned to the shallows. Trout are moving out of their winter deep water haunts and into the shallows to feed. Look for concentrations of baitfish around marsh points and oyster bars. If you see bait, there is a pretty good chance Trout and Redfish are nearby.
sse fishing can be highly effective in the Lowcountry. Especially in post cold front conditions. When the sky is blue and the barometer is rapidly rising, downsizing your tackle system and lures can tilt the odds in your favor. My favorite post cold front lure is a Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 on a Trout Eye Finesse Jig. This combination is a proven Trout producer (pretty much any time). However, it really shines after a cold front passes through. Smaller profile and lighter lures need a matching tackle system. My go to outfit is a 7′ St. Croix Legend Elite Light (fast action) paired with a 1000 frame Shimano CI4 reel. It is a joy to cast and can detect even the most subtle post cold front bite.