Just got home from a week at Edisto for the 1st Annual Multi-Family Vacation. Yes, we are all still speaking to each other. Anyway, we had a house on Frampton Creek and wore out the crabs but the fishing was not real great. The water was very warm and had poor clarity. The house we stayed at had an 800’ dock so we did quite a bit of walking over the marsh. On Wednesday, my brother says. “hey, some kind of fish was up in the short grass flipping it’s tail around”. Yes, it was a tailing red. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that our dock went right over a flat that held reds. I planned for the next day’s tide and waited. On Thursday, I went out and started walking down the dock only to see a “flash” and realize it was a red. A few minutes later, I actually see one tailing but he is up wind and I can’t cast that far. I decide to get down off the dock and wade. Over the course of 2 days, I saw over 10 reds either tailing or just swimming within 10’ of me. I threw Z-man baits, Johnson Silver minnows, both with and without attached extras and got no takers or got tangled in the grass. If they swam in the really short stuff (almost completely underwater) I could easily retrieve my lure but, I would get stuck or be unable to reel in the taller stuff. Never having seen an actual tailing red or waded flats to fish, I could use some ■■■■■■■■. It seemed that they came in on the high tide, stuck around for about an hour and then were gone. I thought this was more of a Fall/Winter phenomenon, do they do this all year long? It was mesmerizing but oh so frustrating to see these fish and be unable to get one bite.
On the plus side, I caught my first trout on an artificial…yaaaay! No, not a trout trick but I will try them soon.
Sounds like a good time. They are up eating fiddlers when it is warm and fiddlers are about. Thats why you see the tail as they root them up from the mud. In the winter they go on mud flats and oysters because the mud warms the water and they can go in the skinny water where Flipper is not able.
In my brief and fruitless flats efforts I’ve found weighted hooks that can be rigged weedless work well in the grass. I haven’t caught many, but I get through the grass!
Doug
You can use a gulp crab or even cut bait and just get it in the vicinity and they will pick up the scent. Like Vince said they are primarily eating fids. It’s a real frustration I know. Cool that you got to see that though!
Yes, they do it all year around. Since the water is so muddy in summer they are just hard to spot. They are almost exclusively scent feeding when rooting in the mud, like a dog after a mole. I think they close their eyes Get some fresh blue crab, peel off the back and cut it into quarters. Throw it close and just let it sit still. They will find it.
Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats
Marine Surveying & Repair
You might have used pogies or cut crab with better results, but you never know…
quote:Originally posted by DFreedom
Just got home from a week at Edisto for the 1st Annual Multi-Family Vacation. Yes, we are all still speaking to each other. Anyway, we had a house on Frampton Creek and wore out the crabs but the fishing was not real great. The water was very warm and had poor clarity. The house we stayed at had an 800’ dock so we did quite a bit of walking over the marsh. On Wednesday, my brother says. “hey, some kind of fish was up in the short grass flipping it’s tail around”. Yes, it was a tailing red. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that our dock went right over a flat that held reds. I planned for the next day’s tide and waited. On Thursday, I went out and started walking down the dock only to see a “flash” and realize it was a red. A few minutes later, I actually see one tailing but he is up wind and I can’t cast that far. I decide to get down off the dock and wade. Over the course of 2 days, I saw over 10 reds either tailing or just swimming within 10’ of me. I threw Z-man baits, Johnson Silver minnows, both with and without attached extras and got no takers or got tangled in the grass. If they swam in the really short stuff (almost completely underwater) I could easily retrieve my lure but, I would get stuck or be unable to reel in the taller stuff. Never having seen an actual tailing red or waded flats to fish, I could use some ■■■■■■■■. It seemed that they came in on the high tide, stuck around for about an hour and then were gone. I thought this was more of a Fall/Winter phenomenon, do they do this all year long? It was mesmerizing but oh so frustrating to see these fish and be unable to get one bite.
On the plus side, I caught my first trout on an artificial…yaaaay! No, not a trout trick but I will try them soon.
DFreedom - I saw that you commented on my post- not sure if you recognized it but those pics were from Edisto. They ate Gulp crabs every time we found em. Cast em out about 2-3 feet in front and just let it sit. Like the above said, they will find it. Use a fresh one after it has dried out so the scent is stronger. Hook it from the side and bring the hook back into it a 2nd time just burying the hook point and it will be much more weedless if you need to bring it in some. A couple times I had so many tails showing I couldn’t decide which one to cast on. From the yak it was a blast. I’m hooked. Good Luck.
I did not realize that was Edisto. That was my first time in Edisto and first time on a flat. I did not have any gulp crabs but we had plenty of blue crabs. I did not realize they reacted to scent in that situation. I had othet stuff and some pro-cure I wish I had tried now. It was so frustrating to see all those tails and not be able to attract them. I have learned a lot from the comments here and hope to have another chance for tailing reds.
If you really want the best chance, take a weedless, weighted live bait hook made by Falcon Lures (it’s a Gamakatsu), and put on a live shrimp, finger mullet, mud minnow, or cut crab and your percentage will be about 80% with a well placed cast. We call this the “cheat” method as it’s worlds easier than casting artificials. If you choose the artificial route, a 3/0 Owner weighted Twistlock hook with the Gulp! of your choice is next best. Unscented plastics and flies are the most challenging but will be the most rewarding once you get tired of the “cheat” method.
quote:Originally posted by DFreedom
I did not realize that was Edisto. That was my first time in Edisto and first time on a flat. I did not have any gulp crabs but we had plenty of blue crabs. I did not realize they reacted to scent in that situation. I had othet stuff and some pro-cure I wish I had tried now. It was so frustrating to see all those tails and not be able to attract them. I have learned a lot from the comments here and hope to have another chance for tailing reds.
Know the frustration! Our dock on Folly crosses over a small tidal creek. Very often see 2 - 3 reds swimming around in there when it has about 1 ft of water (it gets deeper but no clarity at high tide). I have laid live shrimp and mud minnows in there and watched them just swim by it. That creek bed is dry at low tide and full of fiddlers so that must be what they’re feasting on and the one thing I haven’t thrown in there on a hook. Will be giving that a try! Very frustrating when I’m returning from the boat with a skunk and then can see them not eat my bait!!
I hear your frustration! Today I saw about 7 or 8 of tailing Reds and only managed to hook up on one. Just keep at it! It will eventually pay off. I have been having decent success on a 4 inch DOA Cal with a Gamakatsu 1/16th ounce weighted worm hook. I have been using the Fiji chix color with mullet pro cure on the bait. Hope this helps!
Get some fresh blue crab, peel off the back and cut it into quarters. Throw it close and just let it sit still. They will find it.