Im going to try friday for the last of the reds. I havent been in a few weeks and see the water is really dropping in temp.Is there any use trying for reds on the flats now that the temp has dropped? Im on a kayak and will be way up in the marsh putting in near Bulls Bay.
Is low tide and the first two hours of rising tide still the best time to target reds? Live Minnows or artificial(gold spoon, z man paddlers, gulp new penny on bottom) How about cut mullet?
Im assuming if all else fails I can pick up some nice trout still.
We got one slot red over by Grice Cove on Saturday. MM under a cork. Cut fresh mullet on the bottom in the channels around Pinckney produced ZERO fish the last two trips. Trout bite is apparently hot right now.
PS. Probably shouldn’t have replied as I’m about as far from an expert as they come…
2000 Aquasport Osprey 175 CC
This is primetime for reds! Especially in the yak you will be able to get shallow where they are and not spook them if you don’t move too much. The challenge this time of year is not so much finding them but getting them to eat. Cast your artie well ahead of the school and just twitch it when they are near. If all else fails a piece of cut bait should close the deal. Same thing though; do not cast it near them or the splash will spook them and it will take a while for them to calm back down.
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
Only the big bull reds leave for the winter. Other than that this is one of the best times of the year to be out there catching reds. The bite has been on fire - not only in the flats but schools can still be found around structure as well. The last 4 trips ive been out have resulted in around a combined 200 reds. Two of those trips were at night and we killed em where a flat empties out in about a foot of water. They are biting pretty much anything right now. Mt go to bait has been cut mullet and my go to artie has been the z man paddler Z. The reds from my last few outings have been anywhere from 15" - 34". Good luck!
Thanks,
Cut mullet over live minnows?
Send Raddaddy a PM, he has spent the last 18 years figuring them out. If anyone knows how to catch them it is him. He fishes tournaments and stuff.
Charleston City Papers Best Guide of 2014
That’s it!!
FISH OFF!!!</font id=“size6”></font id=“maroon”>
Redfish Baron Extraordinaire
Or he could ask me about the huge chunk of you that I own.
quote:
Originally posted by CaptFritzSend Raddaddy a PM, he has spent the last 18 years figuring them out. If anyone knows how to catch them it is him. He fishes tournaments and stuff.
Charleston City Papers Best Guide of 2014
Good synopsis here…
http://www.thecharlestonangler.com/reelblog/fishing-report-dec-2014/
17’ Henry O Hornet
26’ Palmer Scott
This might seem like a crazy question, but where are the “flats”? Im not from this area so im still learning these spots.
quote:says the guy that's so upset he wants to pay my way in to a tournament.
Originally posted by RADDADDYOr he could ask me about the huge chunk of you that I own.
quote:
Originally posted by CaptFritzSend Raddaddy a PM, he has spent the last 18 years figuring them out. If anyone knows how to catch them it is him. He fishes tournaments and stuff.
Charleston City Papers Best Guide of 2014
Charleston City Papers Best Guide of 2014
No, that’s just holding you accountable for your overflowing mouth. IFA schedule is already out. Two tourneys in Georgetown. You in? Lowcountry schedule will be out in a few weeks. It’s still not too late for you to find a worthy captain for whom to be NETBOY again.
quote:
Originally posted by CaptFritzquote:says the guy that's so upset he wants to pay my way in to a tournament.
Originally posted by RADDADDYOr he could ask me about the huge chunk of you that I own.
quote:
Originally posted by CaptFritzSend Raddaddy a PM, he has spent the last 18 years figuring them out. If anyone knows how to catch them it is him. He fishes tournaments and stuff.
Charleston City Papers Best Guide of 2014
Charleston City Papers Best Guide of 2014
My overflowing mouth? Your passion for me derived from a post I made about a NICE REPORT when in actuality it was just a tournament looking for anglers posted in the REPORT SECTION. Something that has been done 1000’s of times on this site. Funny you never wanted to compete against me in a true big fish tournament. I understand you being scared to compete though.
Charleston City Papers Best Guide of 2014
Ya’ll two just go fish and bring them to me, and I’ll tell everyone which one of you is the better fisherman.
… The Cross of Christ is the anvil upon which the hammer of evil wore itself out.
I’m going again tomorrow but Friday was a total strike out. Granted , I fished from high tide to about an hour before low so not ideal. I’m going early on the low tide at sunrise and hope to find a few reds. I saw one " mud plume " Friday but could have been a mullet. I caught a ton of reds in September , October and November on these flats but December has been not so good. I’m convinced that they are gone but all other claims are that they are there but just slow. Trout disappeared from the flats mid November but I would expect that. I guess I could paddle out closer to the ICW for trout in deeper water but really prefer to target reds. Only thing I seem to find right now are the rat reds hovering around the dock that I put in at. At least I don’t have to go far!
Passion? Come on, dude. Don’t get creepy. Explain a “true big fish tournament”. If it’s an organized event, then I’m there. Funny how you divert the discussion from why you don’t compete in the established circuits. Seems like Charleston’s #1 guide could come up with 2 slot fish at any time. Right?
quote:
Originally posted by CaptFritzMy overflowing mouth? Your passion for me derived from a post I made about a NICE REPORT when in actuality it was just a tournament looking for anglers posted in the REPORT SECTION. Something that has been done 1000’s of times on this site. Funny you never wanted to compete against me in a true big fish tournament. I understand you being scared to compete though.
Charleston City Papers Best Guide of 2014
This thread was started in good faith by a member in hopes of gleaning some insight into December redfishing. Instead, Fritz, as per usual, posts a petulant reply to directly antagonize Rad. Rad takes the bait and now the thread is hijacked. Slightly entertaining the first time or two or three it happened. At this point, however, yawn. You guys clearly have issues with each other- hows about you address them privately and lets get back to the topic initiated by tridogs.
It’s all good! I grew up in New Orleans and we counted the reds by how many boxes of fish we caught rather than how many reds in the slot. It’s all relative I guess but at the end of the day, nothing like getting after them on a good bite. Happy to be able to go and learn a bit from those who have been out there and willing to share a bit of local know how. Let you know how it goes.
Tridogs, To stay on topic, the inshore artificial bite is as good as it is going to get as several have stated previously. Water temps are still in the low to mid 50s and both trout and reds are grouped up on the flats, ICW, and deep bends in the smaller creeks with structure. The flats trout fishing will shut down around this area after the next significant cold front drops the water temps down below 50 degrees, but they will continue to bite in the deep holes. Flats reds never leave and are the easiest to locate this time of year. Pick a calm, blue sky day with low tide around 9am to noon for peak sight fishing. The ICW leading to Bulls Bay is loaded with big schools of reds at present, and the docks in the ICW have been good lately for trout on the mid to upper tides. All plastics are catching fish, but the water is clear and the reds can be spooked easily, so the least amount of weight on a shallow water presentation that you can still throw effectively will work the best. Scent doesn’t hurt either. Good Luck!