If your eye is keen enough don’t name the spots. I understand it makes people mad.
Scenario: I get a day off on a random Tuesday to go fishing sometime in Sept and I go to one of these spots 1 hr after low tide. How would you fish these locations targeting reds and trout? Shrimp and mullet are my preferred bait.
First Location
A:
B:
C:
D:
E:
Second Location
1:
2:
3:
W:
X:
Y:
Z:
I’ve learned a lot from these forums and I appreciate any help you all can offer. My brother just moved back to Charleston and now I can do more than surf fish!
That’s asking a lot, but to me, they all look good. Fish one spot, if nothing, move on to the next. I’ve had a 17’ center console, which was fine in the harbor and to the jetties, but small creek fishing, a skiff, or jon boat is ideal - a trolling motor is your best friend to quietly go from one place to the next.
Here’s what I’ve found in my years of fishing… use one technique, and master it. I’ve seen a constantly evolving trend in my life. At one time, I used Vibrax spinners for bass and crappie in ponds. Then moved to plastic worms. Then to husky jerks for smallmouth and northern pike. Moved south, used live bait on a carolina rig, fell in love with trout tricks in the cooler months, and been tearing them up on Trout-eye jigheads with zman plastics. I find that when I switch back to one of the other rigs, I just don’t seem to catch as much - or as much as I once did - or maybe it is all in my head (perhaps I lost some muscle memory?)
Bottom line, pick a rig (popping cork, jig, etc) and master it. Most fish around here will eat anything that looks like food if you can get it in front of them. It’s more of finding them than anything else. Two hours before and after low seem to produce the most reds.
quote:Originally posted by CMHS2K
Hope this rambling helped!
I appreciate it. I had an interview today (didn’t get the job )and am in business mode obviously. Looking back at the most it resembles a homework assignment.
Thanks for your suggestion. I’m a chronic rig changer. I’ll try being more patient. I also think we run up to spots too quickly and need to use a more stealthy approach.
Feeder creek’s like these can hold a lot of fish. Ease up these creeks slowly. At least 100 yds. or so from where you want to fish paddle yourself in, ease the anchor over, rig with a sliding cork and live shrimp or finger mullet. Let the incoming tide drift your cork down or up the creek. Keep adjusting the depth of the cork until you find the fish. I wouldn’t spend more than 15 minutes at each spot if the fish were not biting. Keep adjusting the depth of the cork as the tide rises.
If this doesn’t work try drifting a popping cork with live bait about 2 to 3 feet off the grass. I would only use about a 2 foot leader.
That’s all I know about that.
Tight lines.
quote:I'm a chronic rig changer. I'll try being more patient. I also think we run up to spots too quickly and need to use a more stealthy approach.
IMO, this is a problem many folks have. I’m a firm believer in stealth & patience, but it took me some years to understand it.
Most of my fishing experience in similar types of water has been back in MD’s Chesapeake Bay. There I found the out going tide was often better than low, but every spot may be different. I do believe that it’s always a good idea to check creeks at the extreme low tide to see what’s there. Even with very good electronics, it doesn’t always show you what’s there as far as bottom layout & “structure”. With the out going tide, often fish will stage near the mouths of feeder creeks & “ditches” & feed on whatever is brought to them by the current.
For this type of shallow water fishing, I think I would invest in a push pole. Trolling motors are great to have, but you can do things with a push pole you can’t do with a trolling motor. I would get something that can be used on “mud” bottoms as well as hard. Of course your boat may determine if a push pole is something you may want to use. Mine is a jon boat, and I didn’t use a push pole in MD, but here in SC feel it may be advantageous to get one.
As far as technique & fishing methods, I’m more of a lure angler than bait, but wouldn’t not use bait if I thought it gave me a better chance at catching fish. I just like fishing with lures ( or flies) better than with baits. Bait has saved days of fishing for me in the past when lures wouldn’t produce. For several years now, I have carried a cast net even though I may not use it. Another hard lesson learned.
I agree with what’s been said about mastering a technique, however IMO the better anglers have a wider array of skills, so take that into conside
My experience has taught me that each location has it’s own pattern. The “bite” will occur at certain stages of the tide in different locations and the “bite” will vary from 30 minutes to an hour or so in each location. I’m a rising tide fisherman…I can catch live bait at dead low, get to my 1st spot and set up and fish, with time left to move if necessary before the tide gets high into the grass and disperses the fish. Those short “bites” of 30 minutes don’t leave much time for hanging up, or cutting off rigs, so pre-tie rigs, and bring a few rods rigged and ready. On those tide stages where the bite is more aggressive and lasts longer, mark it down in your memory bank. Moon, wind, water clarity, tide heights, time of year. I like a fish finder rig/shrimp/finger mullet/cut mullet/mud minnow on the bottom for spot tails, a float/grub/shrimp for trout, and freeline(a split shot if needed) a finger mullet or mud minnow for flounder. Most of my fishing spots have been “discovered”, and it’s common to see guides, yaks, and other boats sitting in my old standby’s when I get there. Oh well. I’ve caught my share, taught my boys to fish, and have a memory bank that’s still paying dividends. I’ve never found a spot with an aerial photo, but running the creeks on low tide and fan casting a “fishy looking” spot has paid off.
From that 1st picture, fish in the order of E going toward A. If you do it A to E, you will spook all the fish as you get to A. I would stay way back from the mouth of any creek and fish my way across it. I look for pockets along the grass line where the shore dips inward. I use a stick type anchor to just easily slide into the mud and tie onto the boat. Make as leas noise as you can.
First Location:
A: shrimp under Popping Cork moving very slowly casting at the grass line. Silence is the game.
B: Anchor above the sandy island facing the mouth. Out the back of the boat, Mullet on Carolina rig into the hole in the bend. Cast popping cork out the front of the boat letting the incoming tide drift it along the grass lines and along the sand bar.
C: Anchor about where the letter “C” is. Carolina rig on the inside bend and popping cork on the point.
D: Anchor in the main cut. Drift Popping cork along grass line and into the mouth.
E: Popping cork. Cast over the sandbar into the little channel. Work popping cork over sandy flat.
)and am in business mode obviously. Looking back at the most it resembles a homework assignment.