This week I was scouting some new areas to get out of the wind. Using google maps I found an area that had a long mangrove line that was protected from the wind. I did not launch until 2pm in the afternoon, and wasn’t expecting to catch much that late into the middle of the day. The water was super clear in some places, so I slowly bumped my trolling motor down the mangrove line. It wasn’t long until I started seeing mullet and mojarra on the sandy flats next to the mangroves.

I first spotted a couple of snook and tarpon in the murkier water, but they did not seem interested in my artificial bait. Moving on into the cleaner water I saw multiple redfish looking for a meal. Using a gulp shrimp on a 4/0 weedless hook, I was able to get in front of one and get it to eat. Sight casting redfish has quickly become my favorite thing to do lately. I realize that if these fish are out from the mangroves and on the flat they are looking to eat, it doesn’t seem to matter what time of day it is. I don’t think these fish would risk being out of the cover if they weren’t searching for a meal. As you’ll see in the video though, the farther you can spot them / cast to them the easier it is to catch. A lot of times I will be right on top of these fish and they become much more hesitant and spooky once they are within 10-15ft of the boat. I saw several more redfish but I couldn’t position myself / lure without spooking them.

I finished out the trip by catching the second biggest trout I’ve ever caught. I switched to using a swimbait hook with a skirt on it. It’s a jig that I actually ordered from Japan because I’m a big nerd. All in all I thought it was a great trip considering it was the middle of the day and my first time in the area.

Until next time, tight lines!
Spanky