March 2015: Good times, good friends, and good fishing !

The month started out with a few very foggy mornings.  This made navigating a bit difficult, however we still managed to find the fish.  Offshore the Sheepshead bite was still solid, but we had to hit the rocks and ledges in deeper water to find them.  15 to 20 feet of water was the range, and when the tide got right it was non stop action.  Shrimp on a 1/2 oz knocker rig worked the best at this depth.

Inshore, the Spanish Mackerel showed up and made their presence known by the sound of screaming drags. Anyone who knows me, knows I like to chum up the fish whenever possible, and it really gets them going.   Fish up to 28" were common.      Fresh shrimp free lined in the current worked the best, but remember to keep the bait moving to entice these fast moving eating machines.    Pompano, Cobia, and Blue Fish also joined in on the party in the chum slick.

Trout fishing this month has been outstanding.  Using 1/16 oz jigs in 7-10 feet of water drifting over the spotted bottom produced limits on almost every trip, with many over the 20" max of 1-fish per person.  The Bourbon color "Little John" shrimp seemed to be the best color for me, but any shrimp color should do the job.  Almost every fish caught coughed up shrimp that they had been previously feeding on.      The "glow" jerk bait in 1-4 feet of water was still my go-to bait for the big trout.  The incoming tide seemed to be the best for both of these techniques.  When fishing the jerk bait, work it as slow as possible without getting hung up in the grass.  And, don't hesitate to set the hook on any tap you feel because the strike is soft in most cases.

All sizes of Redfish are biting.  Fish up to 28" have been landed, but many were in the slot at 18-24".  Live shrimp on the bottom or under a cork both produced fish.  Many undersized Reds were also landed and released in March.  It's important to handle them carefully and release them quickly to give them best chance to fight again.  The usual spots; points, rock bottom, and oyster bars are all holding fish.  The incoming tide up to the change has been the best time for catching.

As always, much appreciation to all my fishing friends this month.   Capt Mark