Fishing Advice deep marsh reds

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Gage5602
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Fishing Advice deep marsh reds

Post by Gage5602 »

what is the best way to catch red in deep marsh back lakes and tiny bayous with oyster beds ive only deep marsh fished a handful of times and have caught some nice fish including not to long ago in a recent post but have much experience i was just using soft plastics on a 1/8 ounce jig-head what other lures are good to use and what other types of tactics i will be giving it a attempt in a few weeks. most likely will be in a micro skiff.14ft
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karstopo
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Re: Fishing Advice deep marsh reds

Post by karstopo »

Seems like there’s some seasonality about some of the marshes I frequent. Some are better winter marshes and some turn on in the warmer months. Water levels make a big difference on where the fish might be. Water way into the grass can be tough. It’s hard to get anything to the fish unless you find a spot with thin vegetation. I usually resort to finding flooded shell patches in high water and eyeing bait activity rather than going way into the grass searching for fish, but always keep an eye out for hovering birds pointing to the fish. Wind can push bait up against exposed marsh shorelines and create little wind currents that concentrate forage and predators.

Nothing wrong with paddle tails on jig heads. Some like to use popping corks and hang something like gulp below. I like the free jig heads with things like the DSL tails better than the cork/gulp approach. Topwaters worked over scattered and flooded islands shell can be deadly just get ready to have some break offs. Flies are potentially very subtle and are good for fish keying on small forage like shrimp. Sometimes, you want a pattern or lure that barely sinks to avoid hanging up on the reef. It’s always good when the water has enough clarity to pick out some of the structure.
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Drifting Yak
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Re: Fishing Advice deep marsh reds

Post by Drifting Yak »

Good overview karst. Here's a few more thoughts. Use the lightest weight possible (1/16 oz if you can accurately cast it). Use weedless set ups when you're in grass to minimize snags & hang ups. Use a flouro leader around shell and oysters to reduce break offs. Sight casting to shallow water reds is a blast but be as quite possible and remember they will see you if you're tall (made the mistake once of wearing a bright yellow shirt and they ran at first sight). Hope this helps!
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kickingback
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Re: Fishing Advice deep marsh reds

Post by kickingback »

I catch reds with paddle tails in deep areas. Just have to slow it down and let the bait get to the bottom and SLOW drag it.
Believe it or not I have caught reds on Gulp! off the bottom in deep areas of the marsh. Live bait is best but if you don't have any live bait then Gulp! can be your friend. I caught three keeper reds one night in John Wayne's cut fishing a bottom rig Gulp! Threw out two rods and sat there in the dark (night fishing) and landed them and a gaftop. The scent was the trigger I needed for them to bite.
Try to bring some live shrimp for a good bite!
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karstopo
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Re: Fishing Advice deep marsh reds

Post by karstopo »

Been a long time since I’ve been out in a marsh in the dark. The last time I remember was in Jones Lake 1 (the series of lakes off Jones Creek in Brazoria County). I think it was about the time someone posted a story about a rattlesnake swimming for their kayak. That thought of vipers swimming in the marsh rattled around in my head the hour or so I was out in the dark and I was sure happy to see the sun come up.

Years ago, we’d fish reefs in drum Bay after dark out of a Jon boat. The bait of choice was live mud minnows and we’d set up on a reef as the sun set and cast out eight rods and wait for the mud minnows to do their thing. It’s pretty cool being out at night, but I like it better fishing off a boat than kayak in the dark.
sawtooth13
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Re: Fishing Advice deep marsh reds

Post by sawtooth13 »

1/4 oz Johnson weedless gold spoon has always been my go to bait.


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