May/June 2022 Fysh Report
A fishing report straight from Capt. Dustin
We made it through the harsh bitter cold winters of North Florida and now are enjoying the warm full spring weather accompanied by her wind. We have less windy days and immediately I am reminded how close we are to having ninety degree weather.
What are the flats and water looking like?
Well, warm and less than warm than clear and warm followed by dirty and cool, but now we are heading back to clear and warm water. The water temps are hanging around the 75 degree mark with water clarity getting better. Grass is filling in on the flats drawing in bait with hungry fish following. Speaking of grass, this time of year brings back floating mats of grass adding frustration to top water fishing and trolling.
Tales and Scales:
Fishing has been slow to amazing from week to week, but the fish can be found. Bait pods are showing up with bigger fish following. Jacks, Blues, and Spanish can be found keep your eyes peeled for signs of action on the water surface.
Mustard mouth trout can be found scattered everywhere awoken from their sleepy winter holes and hungry. Big spawners have been caught and released back to the general population. If a trout blows up on your bait but misses, keep the action going like nothing happened. Trout are known to strike multiple times or fight over food. Have caught trout in 6-2' of water using popping cork, cut bait, live bait, and artificial lures.
There are other toothy fish that lurk the flats this time of year, the beloved pinfish and smooth puffer. Known to be highly aggressive to baits and wreck all fishing tackle. Usually ending in your line getting cut before you know what happened. Be careful handling puffer fish, they can have a nasty bite.
The Redfish bite has been strong and so has their drag pulls. Have found great success with both live/cut bait and artificial lures. Check your grass lines and oyster bars for your redfish and flounder. Jerk baits, jigs, popping corks, and topwater have all been plucked from the moth of a hungry redfish.
On slower or windy days I have found drifting baits along the flats behind the boat to puck up quality fish. Fighting off the endless pursuit of bait stealers can be managed when you find yourself tight with a quality fish. Just because its a tough fishing day doesn't mean it has to be a skunk; take what the water gives you and find a new presentation.
My outlook for the coming season is good.Going forward I like where the water is at and what it can shape up to be. Enjoy your time on the water, and the time spent with good company. Its not the fish your chasing, its the memory made while fishing.
Keep your eyes open this time of the year for the warm water migrators. Spanish, pompano, triple tail, and cobia. They are known to surprise you boat side when you least expect it. Have a rod ready and keep your heads on a swivel. They are known to hang around channel markers and floating grass mats.
Safe fishing and boating as we go into our our warm season into summer.
Tight lines is good, UnoDat?
~Capt. Red Beard
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