Set out early morning to try for more trout on topwater. I went to the exact places that I had some success last week for the first time, except that I was fishing the incoming tide. However, I did not even get a strike. After 1.5 hours I switched to DOA shrimp under popping corks and picked up a couple. By then the tide was almost completely high. I caught some menhaden and a few shrimp in a creek and tried menhaden on Carolina rigs by some docks with no luck while waiting for the tide to drain out some. I then moved to an oyster rake by deep water. I floated menhaden and shrimp on popping corks over the rakes and caught a nice trout and sheepshead (kinda random) on this rake in pretty quick succession. However, the bite shut off after that. It was a great day on the water, but I was a little disappointment to not get any topwater strikes.
Does anyone target different areas on the incoming vs out going tides for topwater?
Simply put “yes”. Every place that I fish has a sweet spot in the tide when the fish are most active and feeding. I like throwing topwater best during the higher phases of the tide at most of my spots, but if the tide is lower then I like I go to other areas that have a steeper bank so there is still deep water by the shoreline. When the tide is real skinny I choose throwing topwater at redfish instead of trout since they can be easily found wallowing around the mudflats and they pull a heck of alot harder. You can throw topwater successfully during any tide phase the trick is matching the right section of river to the present tide phase. With a little time and effort you will be able to log where to fish during each part of the tide and in theory you will be able to go from spot to spot putting a beatdown on the fishes. 