Howdy, Anglers!
Capt. Adam Morley here, reporting for Flagler News Weekly, and let me tell you, the weather’s been a real head-scratcher lately. The rain, the winds, and those unpredictable fronts have turned many anglers into armchair fishing enthusiasts, opting for the warmth of home over the wet embrace of Mother Nature.
The forecast for the upcoming weekend isn’t doing us any favors either, leading to the unfortunate cancellation or postponement of several outdoor events. But fear not, fellow fishers, for where there’s a will, there’s a way, even if that way involves a bit of rain gear.
Sheepshead Shenanigans: If I were a betting man (which, between you and me, I’m not when it comes to weather predictions), I’d set my sights on those wily Sheepshead. Those convicts seem to revel in this gloomy weather, and they’re just waiting to be tempted by your offerings. Bottom sweeper jigs, knocker rigs, or your trusty traditional sheepshead rigs (you know, the 6″ Carolina rig with a 1/0 short shank hook) – they’ll all work wonders when baited up with the angler’s choice of sand fleas or fiddler crabs. So, gear up, brave the elements, and give those Sheepshead a run for their money.
Black Drum Drama in the Depths: Now, if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, set your sights on the elusive Black Drum lurking in the deep holes. A Carolina rig and a juicy shrimp will be your best allies in coaxing these dark-dwelling creatures into a dance. Cast with care, and you might just reel in a story-worthy catch.
A Crap Shoot of Possibilities: Beyond that, well, it’s a bit of a crap shoot out there in these conditions. The fish are keeping their cards close to their scales, and what you might haul in is anyone’s guess.
Remember, our local tackle shops are eagerly awaiting your arrival. They’re probably as lonely as we are here at Genung’s Fish Camp. So, gear up, embrace the weather, and let’s turn these soggy days into fishing tales worth telling.
Until next time, tight lines and fair seas!
Capt. Adam Morley
Chris from skinny Water Lures mentioned, the weather continues to cool down, also bringing the water temperatures to a low 66-69 degrees.
This week the weather brought favorable fishing conditions with temperatures in the mid 60s-low 70s. The tides were moderate with an incoming tide during the morning and an outgoing tide in the afternoon. We had a successful week finding the redfish around the grass flats and oyster beds. Due to the cooler water temperatures we found downsizing to the 3inch weedless SWL creature style bait, worked through flooded grass and around oyster beds had the redfish chewing. Large schools of under slot and lower slot reds were found this week in the Pellicer Creek area. These groups of reds were found grouped up inside dead end coves. These coves were surrounded by oyster bars allowing these redfish travel from oyster bed to oyster. These dead end coves were holding large numbers of baitfish allowing the redfish to have an endless buffet of baitfish.
Color of choice this week for redfish was the SWL green goblin and the Texas-T. While searching for redfish this week we were able to hook into several 18-20 inch flounder in the Pellicer Creek area.
Areas of choice were sandy bottom deep drop offs with moving water. Drag a 3 inch paddle tail or creature style bait across the bottom and you will be sure to pull up a door mate of a flounder. We found around the High Bridge area the snook have been more active around the low light periods so focus your efforts around dawn and dusk. Try throwing a larger 4-5 inch paddle tail style lure in areas with high current.
