4/5 AM

Fished harbor out of Remleys this AM for a couple hours. Topwater bite was pretty strong, but it was a sausage party (male trout = smaller fish) for the most part. Had 1 female at 18". First spot they preferred a Pop-R and second spot they preferred a spook jr. The take was kind of a closed mouth strike that would knock the plug 2 ft out of the water but not hook up. They were not coming back for seconds most of the time. I was only about 50% hook up ratio.

Did get my first TW red this AM too. It was a great strike - bulldozer! 24.5" tagged.

All fish released today


2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com

Good stuff, Optiker! Hope to get down there and get after’em in the next week or two. Hopefully that TW bite will only get better.

No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.

No doubt it will get a LOT better in the coming weeks


2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com

Very nice! No link to write up?

Fishing Nerd

“skilled labor isn’t cheap, cheap labor isn’t skilled”

Not this time, but there are a couple new posts there


2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com

If it’s not asking too much, what are you seeing for water temp and is bait showing up?

No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.

Pop-R!?! You Bass Master you.

I’d love to just get a TW strike from a red that size…great work!

Mark Ingle
NauticStar 1810 Merc 90

How fast are you working these top waters?

I used to slay freshwater with TW’s but all the salt fish seem too spooky. What water depth?


First, Most, Biggest

In my experience, different topwater lures can make a huge difference depending on the day. Today was a great example of this. Spot 1 I was fishing a bone spook jr. The fish were swirling it and popping it. I was 0 for 4 on hookups. So I tied on a pop-r. They have no rattles and are more subtle. Just a sploosh when you pop it. I immediately started hooking up. Spot 2 I threw the pop-r and nothing. Before I left I tied on the spook and made another pass and started getting hits and hookups. Could go on, but you get the idea…


2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com

quote:
Originally posted by Optiker

Fished harbor out of Remleys this AM for a couple hours. Topwater bite was pretty strong, but it was a sausage party (male trout = smaller fish) for the most part. Had 1 female at 18". First spot they preferred a Pop-R and second spot they preferred a spook jr. The take was kind of a closed mouth strike that would knock the plug 2 ft out of the water but not hook up. They were not coming back for seconds most of the time. I was only about 50% hook up ratio.

Did get my first TW red this AM too. It was a great strike - bulldozer! 24.5" tagged.

All fish released today


2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com


Nice Job Optiker.
I love a topwater strike from a red. It’s like someone throwing a cinder block on your bait.
Where the fish along grass lines? Oyster beds? Points?

2014 Key West 203DFS
1987 Landau

bonecrusher. Remember where you caught your nice trout when we fished together? Exact same spot


2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com

I plan on trying some high tide topwater on Saturday morning…should I target my same old spots? Running water at creek mouths and points? Grass lines? Oysters?

Wadmalaw native
16’ Bentz-Craft Flats Boat

Its almost time to retrieve the gps tracker I installed on Opti’s boat last year.

Lots of good infomation Optiker. May attempt to upgrade some tackle because I’ve not had much luck on TW lures. But may consider a few you recommend. Look forward to running into you soon.

“Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education”

18’ CC SeaFox