Greetings, fellow members!
I’m excited to update you on the latest fishing news in our area because, well, the fishing has been exceptional with redfish, trout, and snook along the grass lines, oyster bars, and other ambush points. The redfish have been biting hard, with many slot-sized fish ranging from 18-27 inches being caught. My son, Elon, caught a 25″ Red using top water bait, and we’ve had great success with top water lures featuring a “walk-the-dog” action/retrieval pattern and soft plastic baits rigged weedless on weighted hooks. The best spots for redfish have been around oyster bars and deeper holes in the grass flats.
Trout fishing has also been fantastic, with some gator trout being caught. The Kiss My Fish “Creeper,” Heddon Super Spooks, and MirrOlure Top Dogs have been the most successful top water baits, with the best areas being around the grass flats and creek mouths.
The snook bite has been slightly hit or miss, but larger live shrimp around dock lights have been the winning ticket, with occasional fish being caught on top water in deeper cuts and canals. Chris, with Skinny Water Lures, provided a report saying that the recent rain and onset of summer have resulted in high tides and warmer water, causing redfish to change their diet from crustaceans to baitfish. Swim bait-style lures have been successful in catching them, with topwater baits being more productive during the early morning and evening, particularly around pinch points.
He suggests the High Bridge and Long Creek areas, where redfish are active on both incoming and outgoing tides around oyster bars. On low tide, reds can be found in the deeper channels off the oyster bars, while on high tide, they will ambush lures over the top of the bars. Spotted sea trout are also being caught in the same areas, particularly in the deeper holes with moving water. Paddle tails or twitch bait-style lures have been successful in catching them.
In the surf, Berry with BS Surf Fishing Charters reported that the pompano bite is still going strong from Hutchinson Island down to North Carolina. To catch them, find areas with clean water and use ghost shrimp, fleas, or crab knuckles as bait. Multiple scents and colors of fishbites have also been effective in catching plenty of fish. Whiting are also present, with some measuring up to 17 inches.
The water conditions this week have been excellent, but winds and storms over the weekend may cause some turbidity. However, we can anticipate that it will clean up by late next week when the winds shift back to the north and east. Blue fish and jacks are present in the surf, and lady fish (also known as “poor man tarpon”) are starting to appear.
If you’re targeting trout, you can find them around the piers on fish finder or knock-it rigs. Recently, flea fishbites have been effective, especially when paired with the BS rig and sand flea floats.
Overall, fishing in our area has been great recently, with numerous opportunities to catch some impressive fish. As always, please follow all local fishing regulations and practice catch-and-release whenever possible to ensure the health of our fish populations.
Tight lines and good luck on the water!
Captain Adam Morley