Winter re
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.
Tag: daniel island
Daniel Island News – March 8
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.
I recommend using a lure that is similar in size and color to the baitfish that you see. When glass minnows are present, a Z-Man Slim SwimZ (Opening Night) on a 1/8-ounce Trout Eye Finesse Jig is a good choice. Recently, this has been a highly productive lure combination. If Mud minnows are the primary forage, try using a Z-Man TubeZ (The Deal) on a mushroom head jig. Mud minnows are usually handing around oyster bars for protection. The TubeZ and mushroom head jig help to fish around oysters with getting hung up (as much). When finger mullet are abundant, a Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 (Ralph Shad) or MinnowZ (Bad Shad) on a 3/16-ounce Trout Eye Jig are hard to beat. Retrieve the lures with an erratic jerk and pause retrieve. It is important to keep the lures on or near the bottom. The strike most often occurs after the jerk and during the pause (as the lure descends to the bottom).
Fishing is very good right now and it will get even better as the water temperature rises. So round up the kids and go fishing!
Lowcountry Finesse
Fine
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.
Next time the skies are blue, the wind is out of the northeast and the fish are not cooperating. Try a little finesse.
Daniel Island News – February 27
Fishing is an interesting past time. It can be very challenging, highly complex and extremely technical. But, it can also be relaxed, simple and fun. On Saturday, I fished with Alex Graudin and we opted for the latter. Alex is 6 years old and was hoping to catch his first ever Redfish. Our plan was simple. Stake out the skiff in shallow water and then soak mud minnows on lead head jigs. No run and gun. No fly rod. No lures.
Upon our arrival in the shallows, I spotted a small school of Redfish. Unfortunately, they spotted us as well (and promptly left the area). Knowing there were Redfish in the area, we staked the skiff, cast out our mud minnows then sat down and waited for a Redfish to bite. This routine is a far cry from how I typically fish but it was very relaxing. While we were waiting, Alex filled me in on his school and sports activities. As he was talking, I thought I should really do this more often. After about 15 minutes, Alex’s rod bounced and then bowed deeply as a big Redfish tried to escape. He fought the fish well but the hook pulled. Alex was disappointed but undeterred. We put a new mud minnow on his jig and cast it out again. We did not have to wait very long. When the minnow hit the water, it was inhaled by another Redfish. This one did not get away. Alex caught his first Redfish. I am not sure who was happier, Alex or me.