Tide: -0.2ft at 8pm
Spur of the moment trips..gotta love em! I haven't fished in a week and hadn't planned on fishing this afternoon but after walking out of the gym I noticed that there was no wind. Zero wind combined with an evening low tide (plus it looks like there may be a storm heading our way in a couple days) meant the redfish should be tailing and on the feed. I launched the Native at 5pm, paddled to a familiar flat, and got caught in a storm. I hid in the mangroves for 30 min or so and then everything slicked off once again. I made my way out and it didn't take long to see some tailers. I pitched the first cast of the afternoon to a small school of tailers and one pounced on it right away. The hook pulled but that's how it goes sometimes.
I found a few more tailers after that and caught one just under 27" that went home with me. The lightning started to get pretty consistent so I didn't want to venture too far from cover. I slowly moved across the flat and saw a big 35" tailer digging up something tasty. How did I know it was 35"? I caught him! The thing had an enormous head and didn't even a spot on the tail! I was happy then and just started to take pictures of the tailers. The tide was nearing its lowest point so I found some deeper water (I'm talking 1.5 feet) and found a big school of tailers. There were probably 25 reds, all upper and over slot milling across the flat in unison..such a pretty sight! I cast my Gulp Shrimp in front of the school and hooked up as they passed. That one went 28". The school spooked but after I released that red they regrouped into smaller schools. Light was getting very low but I managed to get one more at 30.5" out of a school that was tailing 10 feet away from me. All about stealth.
It was a pretty productive evening trip in my book. The schools of reds are here and they will only get thicker and thicker til October. Pat I know you would kill to be down here doing this..I remember last year we went for those super skinny reds at Blind Pass around this time.. I'm sure one day you'll be back at it.
