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Many of you who hunt deer are steady talking about how the necks are sweeling, well for me, it's gills that are flaring. This time of the year and the first good front signals the change of seasons and the time when I really start thinking about big trout again. I get on this redfish kick when big trout fishing slows in West Bay. I really don't like having to fish deep to catch trout, much prefer to be in the water. Had a lot of fun with the dinks on top last few months, but the big pulls are much better. That's the primary reason that I spend so much time chasing reds. That and the fact that it is so visual.
Now that the temperatures are dropping, I'm thinking in two modes. Redfish will really start to stack up in shallow water for the next two months, and trout will begin to move towards their winter haunts. Staging in coves, on open shorelines, and reefs, feeding shallow on the schools of finger mullet, glass minnows and shad as they run for dear life!
Redfish schooling will come to it's peak in late somewhere in late October or Early November, and sight casting will be outstanding during this period.
Spetember and October are two of the best months of the year to fish tops in this bay system. I won't likely start a day with anything but a topwater, keyed on the schools of baitfish dancing across the surface. Expect some short periods of extreme feeding both early and late in the day, but don't overlook mid day majors this time of the year.
The traffic on West will decrease with each seasonal shooting opening, and the reports of birds in the upper reaches of the bay. And hey, if that's your thing, go for it. I will stop to fish birds occasionally, especially in certain areas. Tricks to getting a few better fish from the flocks....topwaters or a larger jig head to get below the dinks.
Bait covered shorelines and reefs are the key right now, some will have slicks, but others that hold great schools will not. Understanding your chosen area can make a huge difference, as evidenced in my trips last week. Walking 40 yards farther down a shoreline can make all the difference in catching fish. This is again another benefit of the topwater. They are better than almost anything in locating schools, and the frequency of blow ups can be very indicative of the size of the school. Once you find them, switch to soft plastics if you must.
I personally am about a month from really feeling the need to thow a corky, but it's close. I just don't really like to beat them up catching dink trout. A catch 2000 or catch 5 will yield very simiilar action, yet won't suffer the damage of repeated beatings from trout and reds.
The month of October will begin to show better numbers of trout over 20 inches in West bay, mixed in with the large schools of small trout that have been hanging around all summer. Redfish should finally start to show in better numbers on the open bay shorelines, and we will get a much better idea of the flounder populations this month. Bottom line, the next two months will be two of the most prolific catching months of the year. With much more comfortable weather, and the potential of greater catches, I can hardly stand being off the water. My gills are flaring!!
See you on the water, and yes I will be releasing almost everything so that we can all see great fishing for years to come!!
Now that the temperatures are dropping, I'm thinking in two modes. Redfish will really start to stack up in shallow water for the next two months, and trout will begin to move towards their winter haunts. Staging in coves, on open shorelines, and reefs, feeding shallow on the schools of finger mullet, glass minnows and shad as they run for dear life!
Redfish schooling will come to it's peak in late somewhere in late October or Early November, and sight casting will be outstanding during this period. Spetember and October are two of the best months of the year to fish tops in this bay system. I won't likely start a day with anything but a topwater, keyed on the schools of baitfish dancing across the surface. Expect some short periods of extreme feeding both early and late in the day, but don't overlook mid day majors this time of the year.
The traffic on West will decrease with each seasonal shooting opening, and the reports of birds in the upper reaches of the bay. And hey, if that's your thing, go for it. I will stop to fish birds occasionally, especially in certain areas. Tricks to getting a few better fish from the flocks....topwaters or a larger jig head to get below the dinks.
Bait covered shorelines and reefs are the key right now, some will have slicks, but others that hold great schools will not. Understanding your chosen area can make a huge difference, as evidenced in my trips last week. Walking 40 yards farther down a shoreline can make all the difference in catching fish. This is again another benefit of the topwater. They are better than almost anything in locating schools, and the frequency of blow ups can be very indicative of the size of the school. Once you find them, switch to soft plastics if you must.
I personally am about a month from really feeling the need to thow a corky, but it's close. I just don't really like to beat them up catching dink trout. A catch 2000 or catch 5 will yield very simiilar action, yet won't suffer the damage of repeated beatings from trout and reds.
The month of October will begin to show better numbers of trout over 20 inches in West bay, mixed in with the large schools of small trout that have been hanging around all summer. Redfish should finally start to show in better numbers on the open bay shorelines, and we will get a much better idea of the flounder populations this month. Bottom line, the next two months will be two of the most prolific catching months of the year. With much more comfortable weather, and the potential of greater catches, I can hardly stand being off the water. My gills are flaring!!
See you on the water, and yes I will be releasing almost everything so that we can all see great fishing for years to come!!
"I love the smell of napalm and watermelon slicks in the mornin'...."
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