Hey folks, Captain Adam Morley here from Genung’s Fish Camp in Crescent Beach. I wanted to give you an update on our local fishing conditions. This past Thursday, we experienced a new moon, which typically means a slow bite for the next couple of days. However, I expect the action to pick up and continue improving as we approach the full moon.
Despite the moon phase, the redfish bite has been pretty hot. We’re seeing great success with topwater lures during higher tides and sub-surface baits during the lower tides. The flounder bite has also really picked up, with reports of good numbers being caught in the river. Snook are starting to show up as well, adding to the excitement.
Water temperatures in the river are in the mid-80s, which seems to be keeping the ladyfish, jacks, and catfish active and plentiful. They’ve been aggravating anglers, but it’s all part of the fun.
Over on the surf side, whiting has been decent, but we haven’t had many other promising reports from the surf just yet.
So, gear up and get ready for some great fishing as the conditions continue to improve. Tight lines, everyone!
Chris from Skinny Water Lures talks about techniques he used to reel in a first place win this past week at the Florida Redfish series tournament. It was 6am on the morning of the Florida Redfish Series, St. Augustine round, and I was already itching to get on the water. The high tide was going out, and I knew that the redfish would be pushed into the high-flooded grass as it dropped. I pushed my kayak into the flats, and before long, I spotted several redfish tailing through the grass, feasting on small crustaceans clinging to the blades.
As I waited patiently for a bite, I noticed a tailing redfish right in front of me. I quickly made a cast deep into the grass with a weedless frog, hoping to entice it with a topwater presentation. Just as I started to retrieve the lure, the redfish spotted it and torpedoes after it, missing the lure by a hair’s breadth. I quickly reeled in the line to make another cast, but something spooked it and off it swam.
I knew these redfish would be in the flooded grass, so I decided to switch up my tactics and tie on the Skinny Water Lures wake bait. I was hoping the vibration and noise from the wake bait would draw these fish out of the grass and produce more strikes. And boy, was I right! After making several casts parallel to the grass, BAM! A perfect 27-inch redfish shot out of the grass and hammered the wake bait like a NFL linebacker.
The fish put up an epic fight, swimming in and out of the grass and around my kayak. After what felt like an eternity, I finally got it in the net and released it back into the wild. One fish down, our goal was to find one more to take us to two fish between 18-27 inches.
I continued to work the flooded grass, making several more casts before finally getting another bite. This fish felt like another upper-slot redfish by the way it was fighting. But just as I thought I had it beat, it broke free and cut my line. I sat there in disbelief, wondering what could have been if I had held on.
As I began to paddle into another spot, I noticed another tailing redfish belly-crawling through the mud. I decided to push pole my kayak through 3 inches of water to try and sight cast this fish. After several minutes of battling through the mud, I finally got close enough to make a cast with a suspending twitch bait.
The lure hit the water just past the redfish, and I made two twitching motions before it was game on! The redfish spotted it and attacked it like a bull, pulling away from me as I tried to reel it in. It was a battle of David and Goliath, with me trying to pull back against its incredible strength. But eventually, I managed to get it in the kayak and on the board.
I couldn’t believe it – I had just landed a 26-3/4-inch redfish. With almost two perfect fish, we were now in first place and ended up winning the tournament.
What helped us win this tournament was being able to watch and listen to my surroundings. Sometimes being able to look and listen will allow you to find those fish that are hiding just out of sight.
