Took the kayak out today and went looking just for reds. Got up on a mud flat and everywhere I thought they would be, they were not. Right as I was about to turn around and head a different direction, I found them. Saw a few near me, saw some schooling around a little ahead of me too. Tried throwing grubs but could never get one to grab it. Worked a DOA shrimp some under a cork and still nothing. I ran right up next to a nice one that was huge. Never got one to bite. I was sure I was going to get one and then my future X Wife called and just killed all my fun. After that I packed up and headed home.
So still I have not got a red in the kayak yet. But the day is coming. I can feel it.
Overall, it was a nice day on the water. Next time, I wont answer the phone though.
Don’t give up. Trust me, I have had my share of less than successful days. Ironically, I have more overall success in kayaks this year than I have had in my boat. You will love the feeling when you pull that first red right up right next to you.
Just my 2 cents here… I have been out a couple times in the last week and had great luck on a school throwing soft plastics on a flutter hook. I switched to a cork with the same z-man shrimp I had been catching them on and nothing! I then switched back to the flutter hook and nada. I was in very calm water, no wind also. I felt like the splash of that cork spooked em and they took off. Anyone else retire the corks for the winter season?
There was just a little wind so Im not sure if the splash was as big of a deal but I could see that if it was dead calm.
A couple of weeks ago I went with a buddy and we found tons of reds. Could not get them to hit anything but a mud minnow. Once we put minnows on the bottom, it was red after red in the boat. Between the 3 of us in the boat that day, we caught around 50 fish.
I think maybe if I had some minnows and the same set up we had then, I might could have gotten one or two in the kayak.
mud minnows are THE BOMB this time of year. It;s a good time to learn to fish soft plastics if they aren’t part of your standard fare. Play with colors and play with your retrieve until you start hooking up. I like the Z-Man Scented ShrimpZ, PaddlerZ, and Rain MinnowZ in a variety of colors.
Book a trip with Carter if you really want an education on fishing soft plastics.
Are there still any MMs in the creeks? Coming down tomorrow and hoping to find some live bait. I know, I know, I need to learn to catch using artificials. I will practice tomorrow but would love to find a few FMs or MMs…I’ll even take some glass minnows.
How about crab? I have had people tell me that reds will hunt down a chunk of crab.
I was thinking of taking my little girl crabing, just for something fun to do, and bring the crabs home for bait. I figured I could chill them down, cut them in 4’s, bag them one crab per quart freezer bag and freeze. Then the next time I go on a red fish hunt in the kayak, grab a bag or two of crab, throw them in the back of the kayak, and they would be ready to throw on the hook when I get where I am going.
What are your thoughts on that one? And how are you guys fishing chunks of crab?
Crab scent draws everything; reds, bonnetheads, pinfish, and mud minnows. The trick is keeping a chunk in the water long enough for a red t ofind it before the pinfish and muds pick it clean. Toss a quarter crab up next to that school you spotted and it’s game on.
The problem with shallow flats is that the reds are usually a litle skiddish. Try throwing a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce gold spoon with a 3" chartruse swimming mullet attached on the back of it. I’ve caught lots of fish with that rig…!
