As Summer approaches, the waterways will become increasingly more crowded. Being on the water (even if you are not fishing) is great fun. However, heavy boat traffic can negatively impact fishing. So, in the Summer, I tend to fish very early in the morning or late in the evening. This keeps me out of the heat of the day and in optimal fishing conditions.
Recently, Elliott (my son) and David (my brother) joined me for an early morning fishing trip. We launched the skiff well before the sun cleared the tree line. The air was crisp and a bit cool. It made for a chilly run to our first fishing location (a large submerged oyster bar). The tide was falling and formed a current seam as it passed over the bar. As I positioned the skiff (using the trolling motor), we saw Trout busting baitfish in the seam. Elliott and David cast Chug Bug poppers into the current seam and were rewarded with crushing strikes from hungry Trout. As they were fighting their fish, I cast a Lucky Craft Sammy into the current seam. After a few iterations of a twitch and pause retrieve, my lure was inhaled but a slot-size Redfish. The sunrise was magnificent. The top water bite was even better.
After photographing and releasing the fish, the three of us took a moment to appreciate the new day. We exchanged no words. We simply looked at one another, nodded and smiled. Over the years, I have come to realize that fishing is not about catching fish. It is about the experience you share with your family and friends. Summer is almost here. So, gather your family and friends and go fishing. You will be rewarded with a lifetime of memories and that is the best catch of all.
My skiff drafts about 7 inches of water. Today, the Redfish were tailing in 5. So we had to take them on foot. Great day On The Fly.
The other day, I was working a school of Redfish in ultra shallow water. The Reds were very spooky so I was casting my lure (a Z-Man StreakZ on a Trout Eye Jig) onto the bank then pulling it into the water. This stealthy presentation was working well. After releasing a couple of decent size Redfish, I made another cast onto the bank. As I pulled the lure back into the water, I foul hooked this Flounder. As if that was not bad enough, the unlucky flat fish was keeper size. Typically, I release most of the fish I catch. However, this one was invited home for dinner.
For me, Summer begins when Redfish begin feeding on the surface. Last week, small pods of Redfish were chasing bait in the shallows. So I knew it was time to give top water a try. For the past few weeks, Trout have been crushing the new Rapala Skitter V. Turns out, Redfish like it too!
Last week while speaking at the Summerville Saltwater Anglers meeting, I was introduced to Grant Allison. Turns out Grant was working on a school project that required him to catch a Trout, Flounder and Redfish. The project was due this week and Grant needed a little help catching the fish. So I invited him to fish with me on Monday. It was blowing 20 knots when we launched the skiff. Rather than fight the elements, we tucked into a small creek and began casting Z-Man StreakZ 3.75 lures on 3/16th ounce Trout Eye finesse jigs. The bite was slow but Grant managed to release a few Trout and a Flounder. However, the Redfish eluded us. As the sun set, the wind finally let up. With just a few minutes of daylight left, we moved to a wind sheltered shallow area and immediately spotted a school of Redfish. It took a little doing but Grant finally got a Redfish to eat his StreakZ. Using the last rays of sunlight, we took a quick picture and released the fish.
Great weather, warm water and hungry fish are a proven recipe for excellent fishing. This weekend we hit three out of three. While on occasion, it was a bit breezy, the fishing was off the charts (good). In the morning, before a lot of boats got on the water and their wakes diminished water clarity, I sight fished for Reds in the flooded marsh. They were not tailing (hopefully they starting doing this in a week or so) but they were actively feeding. Pretty much every fish I saw ate a 5-inch Z-Man StreakZ (Pearl) on a sixteenth ounce Mustad 4/0 keeper hook. This lure combination is weedless, so it works well in the flooded marsh. A slight switch was all it took to trigger a strike.