Fall Fishing Report and Saying Goodbye to 2020
Well 2021 is here. And we honestly don’t like to see another year ago by but I’m glad to see 2020 out of here. Fishing this fall has actually been above average both inshore and on the nearshore racks and reefs. This report will actually go over fishing in October through January 1 so get ready as we start the new year off on a positive note!!
Inshore
The October inshore as always was pretty fantastic! Trout were hungry and eager to eat as water temperatures cooled off from their summer temps and they knew winter was just around the corner. Fishing with live shrimp under popping corks will almost always guaranteed a bite From a hungry trout or redfish. We found the fish to be a little more structure oriented this year and not so much focused on current seams. We caught a lot of fish around docs in 8 to 12 feet of water using both popping corks and live shrimp as well as D.O.A. Cal paddle tails with a quarter ounce jig head reeled slow and steady.
Redfish are still being over fished and it’s unfortunate that people can’t respect the fishery enough to not continue to over harvest it. We continue to see creeks and flats pounded until there’s not a single fish left on them and the DNR is still sitting curbside even though they have openly admitted there is a problem. Recreational fisherman and guides are both to blame unfortunately. We are catching good numbers of nice reds and we are trying to keep spots and the ones we are catching a secretive as possible. Both fly, artificial, and Bait Have all proven to produce fish in the right conditions.
With cooling water temperatures flood tides have ended for the year as fish have stop tailing on the flooded grass flats around the new and full moons. They are now focusing their feeding more on shallow lower water mud flats and deeper bends in creeks. My favorite fly colors lately have been black/purple and olive/tan both being long time favorites. One color I have found not to be as productive this year seems to be gold. anyone who has fish with me for years know I have always loved root beer and gold flies however I have had a lot of fish spook off of that combination recently.
As far as artificial scale the D.O.A. Cal paddle tail on a strike king 1/8 or 1/4 once jig head is a must. I like the root beer with the chartreuse tail as well as silver/black with a chartreuse tail. I don’t generally pay as much attention to the color of the jig head and fish just plain lead color most of the time. If I didn’t say we threw the occasional gulp I wouldn’t be being honest but when the fish are being difficult slow fishing a gulp will almost always produce a bite. And some of the deeper creeks I have been throwing Z-Man chatter baits as well as Strike Kings Red fish Magic spinner baits.
If you’re struggling to get that bite pinching the tail off of a shrimp and threading it on upside down on a quarter ounce jig head will do the trick. This will also produce Black Drum, trout, sheepshead, and flounder in the deeper creeks during the cooler winter months.
Nearshore / Reef Fishing
The nearshore Bait has been unusually good this fall and early winter. Captain Rob has continued to catch Bull Reds, Black Seabass, a variate of Snappers, Bluefish, and more just offshore on the nearshore artificial reefs that are out about 12-16 miles.
His favorite technique is a 3 or 4 ounce diamond jig worked vertically over rubble in 35-50ft of water. Rag on either a spinning rod or a conventional jigging Rod with 50 to 65 pound braid and a 40 pound floral carbon leader.
He has caught a lot of red snapper and a few mutton snapper which is unusual on our nearshore wrecks this close in. We don’t anticipate the bite to do anything but get better as water continues to cool and winter moves forward into spring. To get in on the winter nearshore reef action give us a call and take advantage of this great bite we have been seeing.
New Boats
If you noticed above I said “Captain Rob has been catching” That’s because I have sold my 25 Dorado and I’m have been fishing out of our 21 foot bay boat and my flats skiff. We were extremely pleased with not only our Dorados but the Dorado and the customer service they provided. We are excited to have 2 new Dorado 25 Flat Decks on the way! Mine should be here in late February with Capt. Rob’s a couple weeks after. We are building these boats very similar to the old ones but will be changing colors and some other small things.