Night Shift Crew
Well, where to begin? The past two weeks, we have finally seen those bigger fish push in from the south. The 20 to 40 pound class of fish sitting in the Buzz, finally entered the West End of the Canal and guys had a field day jigging the bottom. If you enjoy being 5 feet apart with someone while catching fish, then have at it. Just make sure you get there EARLY.
I for one, will always choose to head elsewhere and catch fish with no one in sight. It’s just how I prefer to fish nowadays.
I opted to avoid the crowds, as usual, and continue the hunt for some bigger fish in the surf. Pogy schools have invaded CC Bay and boat fishermen have also been having a field day with sot fish and fish to large to keep. Nothing against the boat crew, but when you have fish finders, side scan, and structure scan, it makes it pretty easy to locate the fish and hone in on the bite.
The thing I like about the surf game, is the pursuit and the challenge. I don’t have a device in my pocket that beeps when I’m out on a rock and a fish passes by. Or a map showing me the bottom structure 30 yards to my left and right.
Instead, I explore new territories (boulder fields, sandbars, etc.) and quickly learn the sweep that forms during the ebb and flow, the structure in front of me, the depth (by counting how long it takes for my 1 oz buck tail to hit the bottom), the wind direction and how it affects the bite and so fourth. This is the part of the fishing game that keeps me grinding it out in the surf while others chase the fish and chase the reports.
I am a big fan of making your own reports….
So anyway, back on track….
The surf game this year has definitely been a little unusual, as it seems a majority of the larger fish are passing too far off shore and when they are in tight, they are feeding in a very short time frame. One 15 minute window can be on fire, and then the fish shut off the feed bag.
So far, we have found fish up the mid 30 inch range and the top producers continue to be darters, needles, and eels. A slow retrieve is working best, and I can not stress this enough! One crank of the reel should be taking around 4 to 5 seconds (yes, you should almost be falling asleep). However, always remember to maintain contact with the lure. So, if the conditions call for a bit of a quicker retrieve, then yes, that is what you should be doing. No contact with the lure = little chance of fooling a fish. Presentation is EVERYTHING.
As far as color goes, continue to match your colors with the moonlight overhead. For example, if there is bright moon light overhead, try starting with white or chartreuse. If the moon light is non existent, go with blurple or black.
I’ll be back in the surf tonight, looking to land that first 40 incher for the season. Stay posted and check out the gram for updates. As always, reach out with any questions.
Pictures have been lacking lately, as I am trying to get these fish right back into the water!!
Tight Lines
