I was talking with a friend this last week that is just getting into deer hunting. He was telling me his friends were giving him a hard time about missing a shot on a deer that was a relatively easy shot. When I asked him what happened, he told me what I already knew. The deer was a big buck and it was the very first deer he had attempted to shoot. His adrenaline started flowing he became excited and nervous and did not take his time to line up the shot and missed. Fishing and hunting can be very similar in many different ways and I think that is why many times, people who like to hunt also like to fish.
As we head into the winter months our waters become very clear. One of my favorite types of fishing is to find schools of redfish along banks and flats at low tide. Not only to do you get a very good look at the fish as they swim by, but you have a great opportunity to cast your bait out in front of the fish and watch them attack and compete for the lure. Most of these schooling redfish will stay in the same spot or general area for the entire winter and it is just a matter of being in the right spot at the right time to find these schools.
I’ve been fishing this area my entire life and I must say I still act like a little kid on Christmas morning every time I see a big school of redfish. My adrenaline gets going and if I do not take a moment to think and calm myself down, there is a very good chance that I will snatch up a rod, make a hasty and errant cast. the other scenario is that I make a good cast, but bring the lure back to the boat at about 100 miles an hour not giving the fish a chance to see the lire much less catch it.
The most important thing to remember when targeting these fish is that the fish need to be ale to see your lure and they must have an opportunity to attack your offering. The fish will not have this opportunity if you do not do your job. The fish are generally not moving far if the move at all. Make sure you take a moment and get your self under control before you make yo