Fishing Frenzy

I always preface my comments by saying this is what has worked for me and by no means is this the ONLY way to catch fish. Each of you should hone your observation skills and spend as much time as you can in the areas you have confidence in. Familiarize yourself with the places you fish so that you will know where you are and where your next "target" is no matter what the conditions are.

One of the first areas I look for are grass lines. Baffin Bay, especially the south shoreline, has many areas where the grass lines make strong transitions and stop in shallow water. Typically in these areas you will see a change to a white sandy bottom from the dense shoal grass found elsewhere. On a good, clear day with high visibility the contrast from these transitions sticks out like a sore thumb.

Another type of grass line that is a little more subtle often occurs on a depth change. As an old Bass fisherman, it took me a while to realize that a depth change in the Laguna Madre was not necessarily a three to four foot drop into a channel. In fact, many of the ones I see that will change fish behavior are as little as two or three inches. The grass line I refer to here is a transition from the longer dense grass to a sparse short grass in the shallower water. This is redfish heaven as it seems to give small crabs and shrimp a false sense of security while leaving them virtually exposed to any predators swimming nearby.

There are all sorts of techniques you can use once you have picked out a target. I typically like to start with a steady and fast retrieve and try to get a quick strike from a predator fish. Sometimes incorporating a "waving" motion with this speed works for me as well. There usually isn't one right way of doing this, and what works well in one situation may not work in another. This is why you should experiment and try out different motions, retrieval speeds and other variations until you discover what works.

Potholes are another one of my favorite grass line features. These are often small, but sometimes can be several feet across, so be looking for both sizes. Smaller baitfish love to hang around the edges where they can keep an eye on the openings, so there is usually a bigger fish somewhere nearby waiting for the surprise attack. Some times these edges are smooth, but often in Baffin Bay they are steep and rocky, with the rocks sometimes reaching out past the surface and then going deeper than you are tall. This is another situation where some old-fashioned Bass fishing tactics can come into play. Key on these areas and work around the edges, but be careful to not lose your lure on the rocks.

I've always been an advocate of slower to moderate retrieves on soft plastic fishing lures like Devil Eyes by Brown Lures. Short, quick hops in varying combinations with pauses in between have been my bread and butter ever since I started seriously fishing saltwater. It's one of the things I brought with me from Bass fishing. A Texas rigged worm on a 1/4 oz. or less bullet sinker was definitely a go to lure for me. That style of slow bouncing has carried over and worked very well for me. I use this tactic when fishing potholes and rocky dropoffs. It seems to give the fish plenty of time to focus on the target and hopefully, with just the right twitch or jerk, you can trigger an aggressive strike. Again, vary your retrieve and REMEMBER what it was you did that triggered it.

The weather has been very cooperative and the winter fishing looks to be very good this year. We have already seen a few small flocks of teal, while mourning and white wing dove are everywhere. Give us a shout and we'll "hook" you up for your next Outdoor Adventure.