The good and the bad, This was a first for me, with cloud clover and a bit of wind Paul Rankin and I headed out for some bull reds on the beach front. The forecast was to be 5 mph winds and sunny. Wrong! Foggy west wind 10-13 mph but we still found the bull reds! These fish have been in 1-2ft of water busting on some mullet and shrimp trying to fatten up for the winter. This was the first time Paul and myself were getting bummed about catching 15lbs reds. The bigger fish in the 20-30lbs class range couldn’t really get their tails up due to the shallow water they were feeding in, and with no sun we just couldn’t pin point the bigger fish’s location after 2 15lbs range fish we decided to head out and get a better day. On the other hand the fish in the 15lbs range were able to get their tails out of the water making them easy targets. The reds are really busting some shrimp on the outgoing tides, and if the winds are tough on the reds the trout bite is insane right now. A light spinning rod and a DOA shrimp with a popping cork or not will give one all the trout action they can stand.
Tag: beaufort fly fishing
Hilton Head, Savannah, Beaufort Fly and light tackle Charters 912- 308 3700
Great Tailn tides for the past week and many more to come. One thing I love to do as guide that seems to no longer be the norm, is go looking for new spots and try and stay away from the beat up fish that everyone and their dog knows about. I almost feel sorry for some folks who are paying good money to catch some reds on fly and the guide has them at the same spot he has been at for the past year, as well as every other fisherman. Usually if the fish are not going to eat your offerings they have been beat to fargin death. Most of the time if a red dosn’t know you around he will stomp on almost any fly pattern offered. Many times I talk to folks who had hired a guide and they will tell me they saw fish but couldn’t get them to eat. At that point I’ll ask them did ya leave that school immediately and no is usually the answer. Why not? if they are not eating they have been beat down most of the time. It seems as though many in my profession have given up the exploration part of their jobs and just keep returning to the same old spot day after day after day. Is this due to gas prices? Or laziness? I’m done ranting. This month has had some great tailing action and many more tailing tides are in the on the way for the remainder of the month. I know where I’ll be, shallow and in the marsh. Tarpon are still around I just haven’t had the weather I would prefer for looking and with the tide sending so many reds tailing in the grass it’s hard not to go with Mr. Red fish.