- Sat Mar 30, 2019 11:33 am
#2284254
Yesterday at 2pm. In a location that I'd all but forgotten about. Buddy of mine, Claytom Thomas, suggested we head over there. It's shallow rocks and mud and it was almost 2 pm by the time we got over there. We decided to take the long walk along the shoreline so as not to blow out the area we wanted to fish. About 100 yards into our shoreline walk to get there some ******* drives his cat boat right up to the shoreline and starts throwing a cast net for mullet. LOL. They were drunk drunk drunk too. We walked on past another 100 yards to where we wanted to fish. Just enough bait activity to make it worth while. This was also the perfect scenario to use the GrassWalker. We were casting to shallow rocks in about 12 to 18 inches of water and the fish were right behind them. Earlier in the day I was throwing a DD XL.. a new bait out by Lowel Odem and the custom corky gang.. I scored a nice fish on it on some deeper rocks low 20" fish, I also caught 5 trout on the GrassWalker out there as well. But here, we both had to use GrassWalkers. I really like the bone diamond one, I can use that thing up and down the Texas Coast and catch fish on that color whether its flats or oyster or worm rock or jetties. Anyway, the fish were situated behind rocks utilizing wind driven current to push bait over their heads and ambush as it come across the top of them. About 5 minutes into our wade I get thumped and set the Hook!!! She comes up shaking her head and peeling drag.
Let's talk about how to fight a big trout while we're at it. And I'm not talking about 18" so called gator trout like some people call them in florida when they're trying to market themselves to people that don't know anything, I'm talking about the big girls... 25" and better and especially 28" and up. There's been podcast of so and so talking about fighting certain fish with a certain part of the rod blah blah blah... but a big trout you fight with the reel. Specifically with the drag. And many times we see reds being fought with a reel down the line and pull tactic. That is not the best method if you really want to land a big trout. Keep the rod up, but don't pump it. Adjust your drag so if they run they can pull out as much line as they want when they want. You want a reel with a smooth drag that the fish can pull out smoothly. Why, because you don't want to tear that hole from the hook any bigger than it is on its own. Keep steady reeling pressure on the fish when it's not taking line but keep the rod up and don't pump it to take up line like we see bill fish or big game anglers do. Just keep the rod up and reel when she's not taking line. This way the you're not putting more tugs on that mouth skin that you don't have to. Rod up, Steady Reel; fight her with the drag. When she comes in to you, don't be in a rush to net or put the boga on her, take your time, and let her get past being green. If you try to net her when she's green she's going to surge and maybe get the hooks in the net, just let her play out. Once you get her too you and either net her or put the boga on her, keep her head in the water as much as possible. Lift her to weigh her and take picture and only if you have to work on her to get the hook out.
28" 8.5 lbs on Bone GrassWalker (I've got a 30.25 PB in length, but she was skinny from the summer).
Good luck Guys!
Let's talk about how to fight a big trout while we're at it. And I'm not talking about 18" so called gator trout like some people call them in florida when they're trying to market themselves to people that don't know anything, I'm talking about the big girls... 25" and better and especially 28" and up. There's been podcast of so and so talking about fighting certain fish with a certain part of the rod blah blah blah... but a big trout you fight with the reel. Specifically with the drag. And many times we see reds being fought with a reel down the line and pull tactic. That is not the best method if you really want to land a big trout. Keep the rod up, but don't pump it. Adjust your drag so if they run they can pull out as much line as they want when they want. You want a reel with a smooth drag that the fish can pull out smoothly. Why, because you don't want to tear that hole from the hook any bigger than it is on its own. Keep steady reeling pressure on the fish when it's not taking line but keep the rod up and don't pump it to take up line like we see bill fish or big game anglers do. Just keep the rod up and reel when she's not taking line. This way the you're not putting more tugs on that mouth skin that you don't have to. Rod up, Steady Reel; fight her with the drag. When she comes in to you, don't be in a rush to net or put the boga on her, take your time, and let her get past being green. If you try to net her when she's green she's going to surge and maybe get the hooks in the net, just let her play out. Once you get her too you and either net her or put the boga on her, keep her head in the water as much as possible. Lift her to weigh her and take picture and only if you have to work on her to get the hook out.
28" 8.5 lbs on Bone GrassWalker (I've got a 30.25 PB in length, but she was skinny from the summer).
Good luck Guys!
- By larry long shadows