As the cooler weather blankets our west coast again, inshore fishing techniques will involve focusing on warmer pockets where gamefish will hold. Shallow flats that are near any type of bayou, river or canal system will have a tendency to stabilize the water temperature. Oyster bars and mangroves are great ambush areas to work. The outgoing tides will invite redfish and trout to use these feeding zones as water flushes through with each tidal exchange. Sightcasting to fish layed up in mere inches of water is exciting in that a Pumpkin Jigs Slamr rigged weedless can be worked slowly along the bottom and still draw aggressive strikes. On the higher tides , the new Mirrolure Paul Browns(The Original) are the key to catching those five pound trout. Once again- the slower the lure is worked the better.
Working the sandy potholes with a select-sized shrimp, has lead to a variety of fish this season. Larger pompano, flounder and redfish have all been taken while slow drifting through a grassflat with these depressions mixed in. By locating the big mullet schools, clients are hooking into larger redfish that will feed among the muds left behind.
With a high pressure settling in after a front, the clear skies can make the bite tougher. By downsizing in leader to 15 pound fluorocarbon and making those extra long casts, anglers will disguise the presentation better and find more hook-ups. Using a trolling motor or push pole to approach a desired spot is also necessary to help relieve pressure on shallow water fish.