Tag: Lowcountry

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.

 

 

 

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!

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.

Liking the NedLockZ

Recently, I have been experimenting with a couple of finesse lures.  The Z-Man TubeZ and Trick ShotZ.  Being smaller profile lures, it is critical to match them with a jig that will let them perform their best.  After weeks of experimentation, I have settled on the Z-Man NedLockZ jig.  This combination has been highly productive on Redfish and Trout.  Especially, in post cold front situations.   On windy days or when fishing in deeper water with current, the 1/5 ounce NedlockZ gets the nod.  On calm days or when fishing shallow, the 1/6 ounce jig is preferred.

It takes a little finesse to consistently catch fish!

Thanksgiving Week Fishing

Thanksgiving week was all about family, food and fishing.   When I was not eating, I was fishing with my family.  The bite was good all week if you adjusted your techniques to match the weather conditions.

Early in the week, the weather was warm and the barometer was steady.  My niece, Sarah, did great sight fishing Redfish in the shallows.

The next day, a cold front passed through bringing with it a light rain and cooler temperatures.  The falling barometer had the Trout feeding actively.  My brother in law (Mike) and nephew (Lee) released over 100 fish casting Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 on Finesse Jigs.

The next day brought blue skies and post cold front conditions.  My brother (Dave) and son (Elliott) doubled up On the Fly with a couple of nice Redfish.  The water was very clear and the fish were very easy to see.

Today, my wife (Amy) and I got out of the skiff to enjoy the perfect weather.  After a picnic lunch, we released a bunch of small Trout.  Post cold front had the Trout in deeper about (10-15 feet).  Once located, vertical jigging a Z-Man TubeZ on NedlockZ jig kept us in steady action.

Fishing with Friends

Yesterday, I fished with my old friend and longtime fishing buddy Ben.  Back in the day, when I used to guide, Ben was one of my favorite fishing clients.  Now, we are good friends that like to fish together.

Ben got this one on a Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 (Blue Back Herring) on a Finesse jig.  When I get to be Ben’s age, I hope I can fish like he does!

 

Rigged and Ready

Salt Marsh Heron 

Over the past few weeks, I have fished the Heron in a variety of conditions.  From super shallow on calm days to submerged ledges in a nasty chop, in all situations, the skiff performed flawlessly.  Thus, I declare the new skiff Rigged and Ready to Roll!

Finesse Techniques Producing Fishing

Yesterday, was windy and cold.  Post cold front conditions made producing fish a bit of a challenge.  However, by using my fish finder to locate Trout holding on a ledge in 10 feet of water and vertical jigging a Z-Man TubeZ on a NedlockZ jig, I put together a pretty good day.  The bite was very light and it took a good bit of concentration to feel it.  On days like yesterday, a light and sensitive tackle system made a big difference.

As winter approaches, post cold front conditions will become the norm.  If you want to consistently catch fish in the winter, I recommend finesse!

 

First Cold Front of the Season

 

Cold and Windy Trout On the Fly

This week, one of the first cold fronts of the season passed through the Lowcountry. Leaving behind, strong northeasterly winds and lower water temperatures. These conditions are a mixed blessing for anglers. When the wind is blowing against the tide, the Wando River can be downright nasty. However, anglers willing to brave the rough conditions will often find ravenous schools of Trout and Redfish.

On Friday and Saturday, the nasty conditions kept me off the water. On Sunday, conditions were not much better but Elliott and I decided to go fishing anyway. The Wando River was rough but my new skiff handled the chop extremely well. After a short run up river, Elliott and I began fishing on a shallow flat with a slight channel running through it. I cast a Z-Man TRD TubeZ on a 1/5 ounce NedlockZ jig into the channel and erratically hopped the lure back to the boat. Halfway through my retrieve, a Redfish crushed the lure. While I was fighting the fish, Elliott staked the skiff with the Power Pole Micro and fired a cast into the channel. He hooked a Redfish as well. We released our fish and then immediately caught two more. After releasing the second set of fish, we decided to put away the spinning tackle and switch to flyrods. Given the strong breeze, casting was a bit of a challenge. It took me a few tries but I eventually made a long cast into the channel. The fly, a chartreuse Clouser Minnow, was eaten immediately. Elliott and I figured it was another Redfish but when it came to the skiff it was a nice size Trout.

We continued to work the channel with our flyrods and enjoyed steady action with Trout and Redfish. The fish were still biting when a strong gust of wind caught my front cast and the fly hit me in the arm. Good thing the fly was tied on a barbless hook. It came right out and only hurt a little bit. Just enough to convince me it was time to stop fly-fishing.

Conditions on Sunday were not optimal but Elliott and I managed to catch a good number of fish. I even caught myself!