Looks likes a good year for seatrout! At present not much rain. One benefit that seems to go hand in hand with high salinity is good numbers of seatrout. That being said we still need rain. The seatrout action thus far has been good! Seatrout are starting to roe out. As these fish roe out the bite will shift mainly to the sounds and beach fronts. At present the bite has been scattered. One day in the creeks, another in sounds and the next closer to fresh water. Live shrimp is still available and in good supply (Adams Bait House). Anticipate shrimp to become scare as large roe shrimp move to the sounds.
Despite water temperatures being all over the place from the low sixties to the low seventies. There are small sharks already in the sounds (likely due to high salinity). We’ve caught mostly bonnetheads and small sharpnose and a few cold water sharks. As conditions continue warm up the whiting and shark bite should heat up!
Redfish action has been fair. Catching a few but the action has not been great. As conditions continues to improve and winds subside reds will likely start reappearing in good numbers. During windy conditions redfish are likely present just more difficult to target. It’s more difficult to keep a lure in the strike zone, the fish just aren’t eating or fish have moved to more into more backwater settings . As I’ve said before this one fish that it’s good idea to go light on your take. Keep a few seatrout, flounder or whiting if you desire a few fish to eat.
Strangest catch of week was a short nose sturgeon by Jeff Smith at the Flood Gates. We were bouncing jigs at flood tide around when the fish hit. I thought we had a big old catfish. Then when I saw the tail I thought somehow a shark wondered up river. The sturgeon was quite a surprise. Also caught a few seatrout and a hybrid and red. Fishing upriver wasn’t hot but caught some nice fish.
The best action for last week been seatrout. The bite has been all over: one day in the sound, the next in a creek, the next in a river. It all about conditions. Is there bait and is the water fairly clean? If the answer both of those questions is yes. Then I’m looking for current to stimulate a bite (food chain). The seatrout bite has been good. Roe trout are next year’s crop of fish. That being said seatrout are very prolific. Keeping some should be no big deal (releasing big roe trout is good idea). Always stays with in the limits and encourage your friends to do likewise and support catch and release. I’m reading Tom Manns’ book, Think like a Fish. Tom talks about a fish he caught and put in captivity. His wife named this fish Leroy Brown. The point is was a dominate fish that could only be fooled once and exhibited incredible survival instincts. In our fishing we’re likely to come some Leroy Browns or Big Reds. These fish deserve to be released.
Hope this of help! Capt. Jack McGowan