I plan on taking my mom out fishing on Saturday. We will put in at the IOP Marina around 7-7:30. She would love to catch some flounder but I just want to put her on some good action. Any tips or pointers on locations in the area or techniques would greatly be appreciated. I’ll post the results of the trip when we get home. Thanks.
IOP has a great habitat for red fish. hamlin sound and grey bay hold lots of fish but stay out of there at high tide unless you know the water well or are in a shallow draft small boat that you dont mind banging up(women folk dont like being stuck in the marsh for hours and for that matter I dont either) . The ICW up that way holds some big reds that can be found around docks, oyster mounds,creek mouth, steep drop offs along shore lines,grass flats and spoils (piled up dredge material) . We are going to have a really high this weekend just about when you plan on launching (i think)so when the water is just hitting the grass you should be able to cruise the grass line and pick up some reds. shrimp and mud minnows under a cork,z man paddle tails and super spook jr have been producing for me. not sure if you mom know how to fish a spook but that top water action is second to none IMO. Once it(water) gets in there(grass) that is where a good number of the reds will be. you can catch them when they are in there but it takes patience and a keen eye. When the fish are in the grass flats feeding they are not really picky. Dont cast right on them but get it close and usually they will find it. my go to bait for these fish is scrimp on a jig head and they will eat it 99 percent of the time.I took my mom for her first red and i was very impressed w her ability to spot tailers. on the falling tide i tend to catch fish over oyster bars as the current washes bait across them and catch them coming out of the grass. At low tide i look for docks with hard bottoms and i anchor or use trolling motor to stay in one place and fish a variety of methods from cut bait to jigs to crabs to scrimp. try it all. I stay in each spot for 15 or so min unless i get a bite and then i stay longer. i catch alot skip casting zman paddle tails way under docks but you better tighten down your drag, and when they bite get them out fast if possible. if you cant get them out ease up on you pressure on them and alot of times they will come out on their
Thanks Jimmy. Have you ever fished up around Capers Island? We were thinking about running up there for a bit on Saturday as well.
catch any?
- I’d rather be a free man in my grave than living as a puppet or a slave.
Nothing worth keeping. Lots of pin fish, puffers and a little triple tail. Went up around capers inlet for awhile and then worked our way down the icw. Caught a good size spot in the cast net. My mom was able to catch some fish but next time she comes down we will still be in search of some sport fish for her. Maybe by then I will have figured out this saltwater fishing. So to sum it up it was a beautiful morning on the boat and we did catch some fish so it was a good day.
Good description Jimmy, I fish for reds using a lot of those methods.
One thing I do when I fish alone is rig a cicle hook with cut mullet and place it in a rod holder in the back(sometimes 2 if conditions are right) then fish with artificals in the front seat.
If the rear rod bends down to the water then, as someone else said, I have a nibble and have to move quickly.
“A bad day on the water beats a good day in the office.”