John, Raymond and I got on the water with a few modest goals in mind. John has had limited time to fish this year, so he wanted to get out and catch his first slot red of 2011. John also wanted to break in his newly acquired buggy whip. On the other hand, Raymond has been on the water plenty but he’s been in a slump. He hadn’t landed a single redfish since early spring due to misplaced casts, broken line, and being outsmarted by many fish.
The day started off with a lower than expected water levels, but the tide was incoming. We managed to make it in the area without too much trouble. We each caught a some fish early, but despite the amount of bait in the area the fish were not very active. We kept moving and covering water looking for active fish. A short while later we spotted several groups of birds working in the distance. We made our way over to the birds and found small pods of reds schooled up underneath them. Most of the fish were small but there were a few slot reds mixed in.
John immediately broke out the fly rod to in an attempt to lose his redfish on fly virginity. He got plenty of shots, but couldn’t connect. Fly casting is much easier when you’re casting at a stationary target, the wind is at your back, and you don’t have a school of redfish in front of you. You learn real quick fly fishing saltwater that you’re lucky to get one of those conditions.
John blew several opportunities, but I ribbed him a little to keep from giving up too quick. He ended up using his training wheels, i.e. spinning rod, and managed to catch a few more fish. Raymond was also able to break his near historical skunk-streak. I only landed one small fish on a tan gurgler but I spent most of the day looking through the lense. It was a good day on the water wiping the rust off with a couple of good friends.
Weekend Conditions:
Tide: running low; incoming tide
Water Clarity: Muddy
Depth: 1.5′ or less over shell
Wind: NW, SE, E 5-10 MPH
