Let me start by wishing everyone a safe and happy new year. Now that the holidays are past it’s time to get out and use all those new fishing toys you got for Christmas. And while you’re at it make a new years resolution to fish more. If you have young uns get them to put away the video games and get them involved with fishing. What a great way to spend quality time with them. Start them young and you may just end up with a life long fishing buddy.
The fishing the last two weeks has been the best I have seen it in quite some time. Trout, and good size ones at that, are everywhere. They are eating Berkley Gulps or DOA paddle tails fished on 1/8 ounce or ¼ ounce jig heads. Most of the fish are in deeper water and want the baits presented at a slow retrieve.
When fly fishing I use an intermediate fly line to get my fly down deep and also use a slow retrieve. I’ve had great luck with a new white fly pattern that I’ve been tying. The trout have been eating it like candy. I retired the first one I tied the other day after it had been beaten up by about fifty fish. I gave one of the white flies to my buddy Steve Carl when we were fly fishing the other and he had great success with it too. He also landed a 21” trout on it. We also caught bluefish and redfish with it that day. The fly was aptly named the “RCO Special” after the person who designed it (me).
The redfish bite has really taken off the in the last two weeks also. That little cold snap we had has pushed them up onto the flats where you can find some big schools. Once they are found you can feed them Gulps fished on a jig head or a weighted wide gap worm style hook. Gold spoons are also a great way of locating reds. When the reds are found don’t be surprised if you also connect with some flounder.
For those of you that don’t have boats, fishing along Highbridge Road in northern Volusia County can produce good redfish and flounder action this time of year. I would suggest using an eighth ounce jig head with a Gulp or the same size black bucktail jig. The lighter weight seems to hang up less and is easier to get out of the oysters.
Take advantage of bluebird days and get out and fish.
The fishing the last two weeks has been the best I have seen it in quite some time. Trout, and good size ones at that, are everywhere. They are eating Berkley Gulps or DOA paddle tails fished on 1/8 ounce or ¼ ounce jig heads. Most of the fish are in deeper water and want the baits presented at a slow retrieve.
When fly fishing I use an intermediate fly line to get my fly down deep and also use a slow retrieve. I’ve had great luck with a new white fly pattern that I’ve been tying. The trout have been eating it like candy. I retired the first one I tied the other day after it had been beaten up by about fifty fish. I gave one of the white flies to my buddy Steve Carl when we were fly fishing the other and he had great success with it too. He also landed a 21” trout on it. We also caught bluefish and redfish with it that day. The fly was aptly named the “RCO Special” after the person who designed it (me).
The redfish bite has really taken off the in the last two weeks also. That little cold snap we had has pushed them up onto the flats where you can find some big schools. Once they are found you can feed them Gulps fished on a jig head or a weighted wide gap worm style hook. Gold spoons are also a great way of locating reds. When the reds are found don’t be surprised if you also connect with some flounder.
For those of you that don’t have boats, fishing along Highbridge Road in northern Volusia County can produce good redfish and flounder action this time of year. I would suggest using an eighth ounce jig head with a Gulp or the same size black bucktail jig. The lighter weight seems to hang up less and is easier to get out of the oysters.
Take advantage of bluebird days and get out and fish.