This is a fantastic time to get out and enjoy some beautiful weather and phenomenal fishing!
Throughout the bays, a variety of fish species are schooling up and ready to feed at nearly every opportunity. The number of redfish out there in the shallows is staggering – several flats have schools of well over a hundred fish and, in some cases, more than one school that size. As you approach them, keep in mind that you only want to get close enough to present a bait to them (and you should have no trouble getting hooked up). Topwater baits, jigs and spoons are all good choices when casting to redfish.
Trout are moving out of the bayous and onto the grass flats, seeking areas that have a thick layer of dead seagrass piled on the bottom. There are a couple of different ways you can go about targeting these fish, but a “must have” is a bait that makes noise. Topwaters will get the trout’s attention but, if they won’t commit to eating it, you may need to try a plastic shrimp with a glass rattle in it. Other weedless soft plastic baits will also work, but the glass rattle is going to increase your catch by calling fish out from under thick layers of vegetation.
Spanish mackerel are becoming more common and are often seen working baitfish on the surface or under groups of birds. They’re rarely picky but you do want to use something close to the size of the fish they are eating. Trolling is the most common way to target them but you can also “run and gun” surface schools by throwing small spoons, plugs and hair jigs into the middle of the action and working them at a high rate of speed.
In the pass, sheepshead are stacking up around the jetty rocks and can be easily caught by anglers of all skill levels. These fish are usually willing to eat, but you’ll want to try to target them at times when the water is moving slowly. The tide change (when the water slows down, stops and then speeds up again) is a good time to get out there and catch a few. A lightly-weighted Carolina rig with a shrimp on a medium spinning rod is all that you need to put some fish in the boat.
Good luck!
