Author: captgregp

Neko Rig

Redfish on a Neko Rig

For several weeks, I have been experimenting with the Neko Rig.  Most of the lures that I experiment with often end up in a discard pile in my garage.  However, the Neko Rig has found a permanent place in my tackle box.  When large schools of Redfish become spooky, the Neko Rig is now my go to lure.  It casts well (on light tackle) and Redfish tolerate the lure landing in close proximity to the school.  It is also a very easy lure to work.  Just cast it and let is slowly sink to the bottom.  Once on the bottom, I just let it sit.  The current does all the work for you.  Typically, it will not sit for very long.  Redfish can not resist the Neko Rig.

The Neko Rig really shines when fishing over oyster bars or along the edges of the salt marsh.  It rarely gets hung up.  Even in the most gnarly situations.

My favorite lures for the Neko Rig are the Z-Man Hula StickZ or Big TRD.  For weight, a 1/16th or 1/8th ounce nail-type weight provide a slow and undulating rate of descent that triggers Redfish to strike.  This version of the Neko Rig is pretty light.  So it is important to match your tackle to the lure.  I prefer a Shimano Zodias 6’8″ Light rod with a 1000 frame Ci4 reel.

If you want to learn more about the Neko Rig, stop by the Z-Man booth at the Shallow Water Expo (on Saturday, January 20).   I will be hanging out at the lure tank.  Happy to share information and answers any questions.

 

 

 

January Event Schedule

On January 20, I will be at the Shallow Water Expo in the Z-Man and Shimano booths.  Please stop by and say hello.  I will be sharing techniques and tackle systems that will help you catch more fish.

The Charleston Boat Show is the following weekend.  On the 27th, I will be in the Ankona / Salt Marsh Skiffs booth.  While in the booth, I plan to share finesse techniques for cold water success.  Also, I am happy to answer your fishing or skiff questions too!

Hope to see you at the shows.

Cold Water, Hot Bite

Triple Redfish Hook Up

The snow and ice have finally melted.  However, the water temperature in our rivers and creeks is hovering near record lows.  Unfortunately, we are beginning to see evidence of Trout and Redfish that succumbed to  the frigid water.

Thankfully, is seems the bulk of the Redfish population has survived.  Even with the water temperature below 40 degrees, the Reds are actively eating.  On a day when it took over an hour to remove the ice my skiff (in order to go fishing), the Redfish bite was hot.  Z-Man TRD lures on 1/5 ounce NedlockZ jigs and Shimano Colt Sniper (sinking) lures  produced several triple hook up.

Until the water temperature rises above 45 degrees, Redfish will be my target species.  They seem to be able to tolerate the cold much better than Trout.  Hoping to get back to Trout fishing this weekend.

Trout in a Snow Storm

Today, the Lowcountry experienced a record breaking snow storm.   Watching the snow accumulate, I wondered if the Trout were still biting.  So, I called Elliott and we set out to see.  It was bitterly cold and we quickly lost the feeling in our hands.   However, we were able to catch a few of these guys.

Elliott and I figured the bite would be super light.  So, I tied a Z-Man TRD on a Shimano 6’8″ Zodias Light  rod that is paired with a 1000 frame Stradic Ci4 reel.  Even with this light and sensitive tackle system, we could barely feel the bites.

The fish were very cold and for the most part inactive.  Hopefully, the weather warms up soon and not to many fish succumb to the frigid water temperatures.

 

Asquith Redfish

As a Christmas present to myself, I picked up a Shimano Asquith 8 weight fly rod.  The Asquith has significantly enhanced my casting distance and accuracy.   It is by far, the best fly rod I have ever owned.

After a few days of catching Trout during higher stages of the tide, I put the Asquith to work on Redfish in shallow water.   Being by myself, I poled the skiff looking for schools of Reds.  Once located, I used the Power Pole Micro to hold the skiff within casting distance (50 to 70 feet) of the fish.   The Asquith made covering that distance a breeze.   It was easy to cast then pick up and shoot the line again.  Quick follow up presentations to passing fish paid big dividends.  All of the Reds I caught were on follow up casts.

The Asquith is the best gift I ever gave to myself!

First Fish of 2018

First Fish of 2018

Fishing on New Years Day is a family tradition.  Some years it is warm and other years it is freezing cold.  This year, it was definitely the latter.  With the temperature well  below freezing and the wind chill in single digits,  Elliott and I considered not fishing.  After a short debate, we felt is was important to uphold tradition and off we went.

The water temperature was 47 degrees and the Trout bite was slow.  However, we kept casting our Z-Man TRD lures on 1/5 ounce NedlockZ jigs.  It is hard to detect a subtle winter Trout bite when you can not feel your fingers.  Elliott and I missed several fish but eventually  I got lucky and nailed this one.  Our first fish of 2018.

Fishing was tough on New Years Day but Elliott and I were glad we kept the tradition going.

Happy New Year.

Holiday Fishing

For me, the holiday season is about spending time with friends and family. One of my favorite holiday gatherings is the Daniel Island Inshore Fishing Club Christmas Party. When friends gather to share a meal and talk about fishing, it is always a great time. The club is a great way to meet your neighbors and have some fun. If you have an interest in fishing, give yourself a Christmas present and join the Fishing Club.

While attending the party, Julian Levin and I decided to go fishing on Sunday morning. Our plan was to fish during the last half of the falling tide. Targeting Trout as the tide fell and Redfish at dead low tide. On the day of our trip, a thick layer of frost covered my skiff. So, I moved it to a sunny area of the boat landing and let it defrost. While the forecast was for a warm afternoon, it was quite chilly in the morning. When I launched the skiff, the surface water temperature was 48 degrees. When the water is in this temperature range, the shallow water bite is figuratively and literally cold. Knowing this, Julian and I focused our efforts on deeper water. After a chilly run to Boone Hall Creek, we idled around looking for Trout on the depth finder. When we located a school, Julian and I would vertical jig Z-Man TRD TubeZ on 1/5 ounce NedlockZ jigs. As is often in the case in cold water, the strike was extremely light. In this situation, light tackle is a definite advantage. I was using a Shimano Zodias 6’8” light action rod paired with a 1000 frame Stradic reel. This set-up helped us to catch fish in tough conditions. Even with the high tech light tackle, Julian and I struggled to catch and release 23 fish.

Back at the boat landing, other anglers reported low or no catches for the day. All of them fished in the shallows. While Julian and I did not have a banner day, we made the right call by fishing in deeper water. As I reflect on the day, it would have been a great trip regardless of the fish release count. When fishing with your friends and family, time is the greatest catch of all.

First Fish on New Shimano Asquith

For months, I have been wanting a Shimano Asquith 8 weight for the winter Redfish season.  The other day, I finally pulled the trigger.   On the same day, I rigged it up and took it fishing.  At the time, the tide was not optimal for Redfish.  So, Trout were my target of the day.   Thankfully, I got this guy right off the bat.  The first of hopefully many.

The Asquith is effortless to cast and added several feet to my casting distance.   So far, I love it!

Don’t Fool with Mother Nature

Years ago, there was a commercial with the tag line “Don’t Fool with Mother Nature”. This weekend, I was reminded of such. After weeks of catching fish, seemingly at will, Mother Nature reminded me who the boss really was. Unusually warm weather and full moon tides confused fish and anglers alike. All weekend long, the things that were biting the most were Gnats.

It was not particularly difficult to locate fish, especially Trout. Using the depth sounder, we could clearly see the Trout holding on channel ledges in 15 to 20 feet of water. Getting them to bite was the real challenge. Each time we located a school, we would get a couple Trout to bite. However, the bulk of the fish were not eating. Downsizing our lures and slowing our retrieve cadence helped to get more strikes. Z-Man TRD TubeZ (PB&J) and TRD (Bubblegum) were the most productive lures. Given the strong full moon tides, we fished the lures on 1/5 ounce NedlockZ jigs. At times, when the current was really strong, we resorted to quarter ounce jigs. I never use quarter ounce jigs. Thankfully, we found one pack in the bottom of my tackle box.

After a tough day on Saturday, I called several friends. All reported similar results. We thought we would easily catch 50 to 100 fish and struggled to release 20. I keep telling myself, that catching 20 fish is not bad. But, after the hot bite we have enjoyed for the past several weeks, it sure feels like it.

Hopefully, Mother Nature is done teaching me a lesson.