This past weekend saw a monster afternoon high tide cycle which generally equates to great sight fishing for tailing red drum in the marshes. Friday afternoon did not disappoint as numerous fish were sighted in some spots where they cannot typically forage but a few times of the year due to flood tide. Seeing redfish standing on the heads and wagging their tail at you can get the adrenaline really flowing but calming yourself down to make the right cast makes all the difference in the world in less than 1’ of water.
Drum fishing in the marshes should keep getting better and better as the summer heats up, until the gill netters start setting up shop in the creeks that is…
Nearhsore, flounder are moving nearby structure in greater numbers as the waters continue to warm up. These groups of fish are staging and feeding in these locations before moving into the sounds later into early summer. Generally bunched in tight groups, we found them laying on top of each other in certain drifts and fish up to 5# were eagerly taking artificial.
Numbers of cobia are finally on the rise this past week as well. Those numbers are directly related to the sudden prevalence of menhaden bait balls along the beaches. Finding an undisturbed pod all to yourself makes a big difference to getting fish under or around these tight schools. Half a dozen boats trying to fish one school and all pitching jigs and/or live bait makes the fish skittish. But when you are not able to find schools of free swimming cobia, this is as good a place to prospect as any.
Stay tuned for next week’s fishing report.
