Spring has finally given way to warmer temperatures which raised the water temperatures just enough for me to start keeping an eye out for our big red friends. Well just like clock work they are here!
It is mid June and we have schools of "Reds" eager to take soft plastic baits when we find them. What I am seeing right now are smaller schools of these giants cruising there normal haunts for this time of year. I am finding groups of 10-50 fish using side scan sonar then deploying a variety of large artificial lures to them. If we can get one of these baits in front of them it is game on! Drag screaming fun on a fish of a lifetime.
Now as fun as that sounds it is far from easy. These fish are always on my mind when I have clients on the bay for a day of fishing but they are not the only fish I will target during a trip. Bluefish are here in good numbers and they are a good size to put up a nice fight. Striped Bass are still lingering in the shallows early in the morning and late in the evening taking top water offerings or soft plastics worked on the bottom. Speckled Trout are showing up in better numbers and are an impressive size this year.
So as impressive as one of these giant Red Drum may be, they do not eat all day. Most days my strategy is to search for Red Drum at key times of the day when I know they are active. This changes all of the time but it is something I key in on and note every time I am on the water. Driving around all day for one or two shots at Red Drum does not sound like a fun trip to me... top water rockfish in the morning, jigging hard fighting bluefish and mackerel and throwing soft plastics to big speckled trout and finding a school of 40"- 50" Red Drum along the way at the right time.... now that sounds like a fun day to me
I have a passion for putting clients on an unforgettable Red Drum bite and every time I leave the dock I set a goal to do so. But I also have a passion for catching fish and a variety of fish at that. If you book a charter with me know that you are in for an incredible light tackle and fly fishing experience, targeting all of the species of fish our great Chesapeake Bay waters have to offer. These next few months of summer offer incredible fishing here in Southern Maryland and I would hate to see you miss out on it.
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