I paddled 12.5 miles Saturday morning with my son, working miles of shorelines and watching open water for feeding reds. I finally found two lower slot reds lazily tailing in the still conditions. I managed to get close, but as soon as my fly touched down they both disappeared. As we were headed back toward the launch I noticed we were spooking a few sleeping fish, and as they would move ahead, I began casting at them. It was hit-or-miss, but before we got to the truck I had a limit of fish with two upper slots and one of them measuring 27.9"! I had seen others catch fish this way and never bothered to try because I had always been able to sneak in on feeding fish and sight-cast enough to keep me happy. Saturday was a good reminder that if we watch the details and use all the techniques at our disposal we can sometimes tip the odds in our favor, even if the fish aren't in a feeding mood.
Not what I had in mind, but...
- Prof. Salt
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Re: Not what I had in mind, but...
Fishing Grand Isle one winter, a while back, with Scott Null, we encountered far less than ideal conditions. It was cold. The water was unusually murky, making it impossible to see any fish. . The wind was from the NW by W, which put the sun right in Scott's face and prevented him from spotting fish from the polling platform. We could only see occasional swirls ahead of us as we spooked reds in the shallow water. I began casting beyond the swirls and on the second cast, I hooked up to my best of the week-end fish, and boated a 32 lb bull red. It was a great trip (with the exception of the pneumonia I suffered with on my return to Houston).
Re: Not what I had in mind, but...
I love that smile in the picture.
I like blind casting long distances with topwaters in open water year around. The summer months bring more action, but the winter produces the most surprises... random big trout and redfish. The vast majority of people want to see some kind of redfish action before they cast, esp fly fisherman. After years and years of blind casting flats, it really isn't blind casting anymore. I can read the subtle differences in the water, bait, birds, clouds, and whatever is around to judge the cast. My wrist will sometimes take a beating, but I always catch something. Many folks I have fished with will not blind cast for long, or will troll/paddle/pole to feeding fish (tower-boats). I love just casting, not expecting much, and then.......BAM!
Now when I see those feeding reds on the shoreline ahead, I may give a couple extra strokes to get there
I like blind casting long distances with topwaters in open water year around. The summer months bring more action, but the winter produces the most surprises... random big trout and redfish. The vast majority of people want to see some kind of redfish action before they cast, esp fly fisherman. After years and years of blind casting flats, it really isn't blind casting anymore. I can read the subtle differences in the water, bait, birds, clouds, and whatever is around to judge the cast. My wrist will sometimes take a beating, but I always catch something. Many folks I have fished with will not blind cast for long, or will troll/paddle/pole to feeding fish (tower-boats). I love just casting, not expecting much, and then.......BAM!
Now when I see those feeding reds on the shoreline ahead, I may give a couple extra strokes to get there
- Ron Mc
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Re: Not what I had in mind, but...
we know why this man is smiling