Fishing with Capt. George Tunison | Sight-fishing redfish is enjoyable and rewarding

By CAPT. GEORGE TUNISON

You’re new to the Southwest Florida redfish sight-fishing recreation and through well mannered dialog in regards to the flawed boat you towed all the best way right here from Connecticut, your neighbor mentions its Red September to quickly be adopted by Red October and “they’re biting!”

After asking who’s “they?” Your neighbor politely takes you to high school about Southwest Florida fall redfish education exercise. You’ve now caught the bug and shortly you end up on the native sort out store attempting to determine what lure to purchase whilst you overhear some sun-baked fishy-looking sorts speaking about “happy fish,” however you’re reluctant to ask what “happy redfish,” apart from the plain which means, of what blissful means?

Let me assist. The skilled anglers have been referring to a single, a pod or an entire faculty of redfish which are backside feeding with tails within the air breaking the floor of the water, making a gift of their location and course of motion with noses down as they vacuum the shallow searching grounds for something alive which may pop up out of the grass solely to be inhaled within the blink of a watch, as the varsity strikes throughout a flat.

Redfish are ravenous. To a fats, wholesome and ever-growing crimson, awake means consuming time. Sleeping means hours spent dreaming about breakfast. I’ve caught them on Spam however not on scrapple. I requested at Walmart about scrapple and so they directed me to the video games division. Confusing.

Soon you’re on the boat vendor attempting to promote the flawed boat you towed all the best way from Connecticut and the numbers popping out of the vendor’s mouth are hurting your ears however you resolve to lick your wounds and make the commerce anyway. Now you’re in a model new, high-tech poling skiff that prices greater than your dad and mom’ home backing down the ramp. Mr. Redfish!

Poling a skiff quietly and patiently with the added benefit of top will open up an entire new world for you. You’ll be amazed on the fish you’d have by no means seen utilizing an electrical motor and the way shut you’ll now have the ability to get to them.

If you see somebody poling a ship in skinny water following a college of fish, please use frequent sense and courtesy – give them loads of room. Go out and round.

If you may, plan your redfish sight-fishing journey on an early morning low incoming tide and search the water’s floor for low water tails whereas training with that new push-pole. Practice facet arm or skip casting to get far again underneath buildings. Practice correct “pitchin’” strategies to choose aside docks and downed bushes. Reds love flies so study to fly fish — it’s simple!

In your sort out choice, you’ll want to have at the very least one 8-foot medium motion rod and high quality reel spooled with 12 to 15-pound check line. With this lengthy rig you may solid great distances with floor plugs and spoons masking numerous water when search casting or when casting to a noticed faculty somewhat far out of vary of shorter sort out.

Bring at the very least one fly rod, perhaps an 8 or 9-weight, though a 12-pound crimson on a 6-weight rod is huge enjoyable. Reds love huge floor poppers, so deliver an assortment of massive bugs, additionally keel flies and Clouser’s for subsurface work.

Experienced anglers know that the redfish’s nostril can scent meals a mile away. Quietly anchor or stake out on a flat and put out useless or dwell baits across the boat. Have persistence. Keep quiet. No clients? Move on then arrange store once more at your subsequent “hot spot.” When fishing mangroves, get your baits as far again and underneath the limbs as you may however don’t let the fish take you too far again underneath the sticks or it’s game-over shortly.

Sight-fishing fall reds is usually difficult however rewarding top-notch angling enjoyable.

Capt. George Tunison is a Cape Coral resident fishing information. You can contact him at 239-579-0461 or through e-mail at [email protected].