redfish on fly

With the remaining high-water levels, off-colored water, winds, and latest cool down this past week’s inshore trips were some what of a challenge. Although slowly receding, water levels throughout our lagoons are still at a higher-than-normal level. All the runoff from the recent storm and winds from this latest cool front have the water fairly churned up which presented some difficulty for sight fishing on the flats and mangrove shorelines.

The fish are there you just have to put in the time and effort to find them. From what I’ve found, the surface temps have dropped from the low to mid 80s to upper 60s and warming to low 70s later in the day. In the areas I have been fishing, the Snook have been a little stubborn and sluggish in the morning with the better bite later in the day…mostly on the shadow lines of the mangroves. Seatrout have still been willing to take top water in the morning around schools of mullet switching to sub-surface later in the day targeting the same bait schools. I have found singles and multiple Redfish along with groups of Black Drum in three to four foot of water a little further off the shorelines. Most have been oriented around some sort of structure such as exposed clumps of driftwood or deeper wooden pilings which were most likely duck blinds at one point.

Hopefully in the upcoming months water levels will normalize and the cooler temps from seasonal cold fronts will clean the water up. Although the weather patterns change significantly, my favorite time of year… especially for sight fishing on fly… is fast approaching.