All the reports about reds on the flats have been the same, slow. If they do find them the fish seem to have lockjaw. However, on Tuesday Bob Broadwater and Peter Davis fished with me and the first spot we hit was the flats. We got there on an out going tide. I jumped up on the platform and began poling while looking for signs of redfish. After about a half hour of poling and Bob and Peter throwing gold spoons I noticed some slight activity on the surface of the water. I told Bob, standing on the bow, to cast fifty feet at twelve o’clock. As soon as he began his retrieve he was hooked up. I then told Peter to cast to the same spot and he immediately hooked up. Both men did a fine job of working under and around one another to land their fish. Both fish were boated and each measured 26 inches. I photographed them with the fish but unfortunately for some unknown reason the pics did not register on my digital chip. Sorry guys!
After the guys hooked up the rest of the school took off. I estimated that the school probably held about 30 fish. I continued to search for them but could only locate one other loan red that was 23 inches. A kayak was fishing in our vicinity that was operated by foot pedals. He was moving along at a pretty good pace trolling some kind of rig behind him. We saw him land 2 reds using this method, very interesting.
We had to leave the flats as the tide was falling. We then went to look for some trout. The duo caught lots of trout between 14 and 15 inches but only kept one 19” fish. They also had bluefish, flounder, mangrove snapper and ladyfish.
If you like to fish for sheepshead now is a good time to do so. I’ve been getting reports of fish up to 8 and 9 lbs being caught at bridge and dock pilings. Scrape the barnacles off the pilings for chum and use fiddler crabs for bait.
The pier and surf continue to produce whiting and redfish. Use shrimp and fish bites for whiting and shrimp or mullet for the reds.
Last week I had the opportunity to attend a free three day fly fishing class in Punta Gorda, Fl. It was offered to me through the Florida Guides Association of which I am a member. Our instructor was Jack Montague. Jack has been fly fishing for fifty years and is an incredible caster. To watch him is like watching poetry in motion. Seeing him cast out 125’ of fly line and put it on a dime is a thing of beauty. I learned a lot from him, mostly that I was doing everything wrong. All I need to do now is practice what I’ve been taught. It’s like any other sport, if you want to get good at it you have to PRACTICE. It’s like Jack says, do something wrong long enough and you’ll do it perfectly wrong.