The sight-fishing for redfish has been very consistent, with dozens to more than a hundred of redfish seen nearly every trip. Getting them to bite hasn't always been easy, especially on very sunny days with little wind. However, multiple fish have been hooked every trip. Earlier in the summer, most redfish were found tailing or cruising slowly in the shallow grass flats, likely feeding more on invertebrates. Now, baitfish are very abundant, and when the redfish aren't showing themselves by tailing, they can reliably be found hunting whitebait along the mangrove shorelines. This makes for favorable sight-fishing conditions on the leeward side of any shoreline. Water temperatures have been getting into the 90s every afternoon, making proximity to deeper, slightly cooler water, more important. The redfish aren't actively feeding in the stagnant, really shallow grass flats in this kind of heat. Again, shorelines with shade and those that are adjacent to deeper channels have been most productive in the afternoon--if we the anglers can even stand the heat! The most consistent offering has been a Texas-rigged Gulp shrimp on a 1/8 oz weight and 15-lb flourocarbon leader. Brighter, contrasting colors are better when the fish are feeding with their heads in the grass, or on more overcast days. Warier fish and clear sky conditions have to be met with more natural patterns. Lately, I've found that a 2" Gulp shrimp in the New Penny color fished about eight inches under a small slip float has been an effective way to present a lure that keeps in from fouling in the grass and presents the lure at eye-height. It also ensures the angler knows where the lure is in relation to the fish. Cast beyond the target and then reel the lure stealthily into position by adjusting where the rod is pointed. When blind-casting during first light and in overcast conditions when sight-fishing isn't as favorable, the Z-Man Kicker Crabz on a 1/16 oz Texas rig, as well as a Zara Super Spook Junior, has produced trout bites over patchier grass in 1.5' to 2' depths.

I had Monday and Tuesday (4/27 and 4/28) off, so I spent it trying to learn some new redfish water. The wind and waves were prohibitive on Monday, so I explored some secluded water in the heart of the town in from Daughtry Bayou. I found some nice oyster bars at high tide and hooked a couple redfish, which was just fine given the conditions. Tuesday was much less wavy, so I took the Mitzi to a new creek and fished it up as far as I could. The creek itself was okay, as I didn't hook any redfish past the last big oyster bar, but found a hundred-yard stretch that produced several redfish and a nice trout. At high tide and the beginning of the outgoing tide, I transitioned more toward the mouth of the creek and caught two upper-slot redfish on a 1/4oz Little Cleo gold spoon. Overall, the two days produced several nice fish, including two flounder and nine redfish, with several other fish hooked.

The day was supposed to be a redfish scouting trip, but the strong west wind forced me to stay on the leeward side of the islands. I caught a nice slot redfish at low tide to start the day near Atsena Otie Key. After that, I found some shell bars where many groups of large black drum were schooled up in shallow water. I didn't have any bait, so I experimented with different rigging options for a Gulp! shrimp and found a setup that worked. After landing a pair of nice drum, I fished for trout and Spanish mackerel to end the day, putting a stud mackerel in the cooler for dinner. It was a fun day overall, despite the wind, with four of the major inshore species all caught on artificials: redfish, black drum, Spanish mackerel, and speckled trout!

After seeing Spanish mackerel feeding actively on the flats 2-5 miles offshore last week, my plan yesterday was to target them in the morning during the lower part of the tide. Later, with the stronger part of the incoming tide, we'd move over the grass beds and scattered potholes to target trout--or so I thought. Waves were forecasted to be less than a foot, after all. But after launching and making most of the drive to the end of the grass flats south of Snake Key, soaked with spray and getting tossed around in 1-1.5' waves, I decided to have us turn back around and get some relief from the wind and waves back on the north side of Snake Key. After getting the trolling motor down in about 3.5' of water, Adam hooked up with trout on three consecutive casts and the fast action proved to be the best remedy for the dark, windy, and wet conditions. We put four trout between 16" and 18" in the cooler before dolphins came close and slowed the trout bite. We were catching them all on 3" Zman Minnowz in the Pearl color on 3/16 and 1/4 oz jigheads. Having stashed a couple by-catch ladyfish in the cooler, I asked if Adam wanted to try fishing for redfish at some nearshore spots around Snake and Atsena Otie keys, but Adam said, "I think it's a trout day." So I stashed the trolling moto and made the drive to the flats and cuts northeast of Deadman's Key. Action was fast and furious on ladyfish and trout, but most of the speckled trout were undersize. We added a 16" sand trout to the cooler and landed some by-catch founder up to 12.5". All of a sudden, Adam's light action trout rod was pulled down hard and the 2500-class Shimano was screaming drag. I thought he'd accidentally snagged a big stingray or one of the manatees we'd seen on accident, but the shimmering slab of silver that flashed broadside through the leading edge of a wave removed all doubt--he'd hooked a tarpon! It made a lunging jump at line's end and threw the hook, giving us a show and giving away it's roughly 70-pound size. We called it a day with a hundred or so fish landed. It turned out to be a beautiful, sunny Florida afternoon. All fish were caught on artificial lures, with the Yo-Zuri 3D Minnow hooking a ton of fish in water 3-4 feet. The ladyfish couldn't resist it and although sometimes a disappointing catch, I stashed a bunch away to use as one of the best cut baits possible for redfish.