Inshore Report 12/09

[Capt. Bryan Russell]

Inshore Fishing is as hot as it gets!

Well the fall fishing is in full swing..... You can always tell when the water drops into the mid 60's 'cause the trout and sheephead go on an absolute suicide feed! The fishing in the river and the intracoastal waterway is off the chart.....target drop offs and shell bars in 20 feet or so on a mid incoming or mid outgoing tide. I prefer a float fishing rig to control both my presentation and my depth. fish a slip float with a 2 foot flourocarbon leader, and pin a nice live shrimp on a sharp #2 red Gamakatsu octopus hook. Set you float so your lead is a foot off the bottom. If you don't get any hits , change your float depth. One of the biggest mistakes i see the average angler make is to stay with the same method all day! I only do that if its working! The key to catching fish on a regular basis is to experiment and CHANGE! ( thats almost a dirty word!) I like to say to my clients every morning "our challenge for the day is to crack the CODE" It changes hourly with tide changes, atmospheric changes, Wind direction, weather fronts and sometimes just downright moody fish! The sheepshead are biting very well when the wind isn't blowing the waves over the jetty rocks. When the tide isn't running too strong , try casting 1/4 oz. jigs with a fiddler pinned on it up tight to the rocks, let it settle on the bottom a bit, then SSSLLLOOOWWWLLLYYY! and i mean SLOW move it over the rocks. when you feel the almost imperceptible bite of the 'head DON'T do the Bill Dance rip his lips off hook set. Instead bring the line tight and lift your arm as high as you can, this will set the hook.
Offshore?

The reason for the ? is when are we ever going to get out? The ocean has been closed for some time, But the fish should be snappin' when it lays down again. Hopefully the snapper and groupeer will still be inshore.The sea bass should be stacked up inshore also. 'til next time, Tight lines and screamin' drags,Capt. Bryan