Get that Fishing Edge

First, it should be said that tips and tricks like these that I have put together can only take you so far. It is important to hone your skills and practice observing the conditions while you are out fishing. These tips are a few that I have put together over many years of guiding but are by no means the only way to catch fish. Make sure that you are familiar with the places that you are fishing so that you can key in on certain conditions and look for your "target".

One of the first areas I look for are grass lines. Baffin Bay, especially the south shoreline, has many areas where the grass lines make strong transitions and stop in shallow water. Typically in these areas you will see a change to a white sandy bottom from the dense shoal grass found elsewhere. On a good, clear day with high visibility the contrast from these transitions sticks out like a sore thumb.

Another type of grass line that is a little more subtle often occurs on a depth change. As an old Bass fisherman, it took me a while to realize that a depth change in the Laguna Madre was not necessarily a three to four foot drop into a channel. In fact, many of the ones I see that will change fish behavior are as little as two or three inches. The grass line I refer to here is a transition from the longer dense grass to a sparse short grass in the shallower water. This is redfish heaven as it seems to give small crabs and shrimp a false sense of security while leaving them virtually exposed to any predators swimming nearby.

There are all sorts of techniques you can use once you have picked out a target. I typically like to start with a steady and fast retrieve and try to get a quick strike from a predator fish. Sometimes incorporating a "waving" motion with this speed works for me as well. There usually isn't one right way of doing this, and what works well in one situation may not work in another. This is why you should experiment and try out different motions, retrieval speeds and other variations until you discover what works.

In addition to the grass lines, be on the lookout for potholes that range from a few feet to yards across. The edges all around the sides of the potholes are very important as small fish will hang around looking for food here. Larger predator fish are usually nearby. Baffin Bay is home to many of these potholes, especially rocky ones with steep drop offs that plunge down 8-9 feet. I like bring out the old Bass fishing tactics here when working these structures and edges.

I've always been an advocate of slower to moderate retrieves on soft plastic fishing lures like Devil Eyes by Brown Lures. Short, quick hops in varying combinations with pauses in between have been my bread and butter ever since I started seriously fishing saltwater. It's one of the things I brought with me from Bass fishing. A Texas rigged worm on a 1/4 oz. or less bullet sinker was definitely a go to lure for me. That style of slow bouncing has carried over and worked very well for me. I use this tactic when fishing potholes and rocky dropoffs. It seems to give the fish plenty of time to focus on the target and hopefully, with just the right twitch or jerk, you can trigger an aggressive strike. Again, vary your retrieve and REMEMBER what it was you did that triggered it.

With the birds already moving around, and the weather being very cooperative I'm looking forward to a solid winter fishing season. If you are looking for an exciting outdoor adventure give us a call and we'll hook you up.