The thermometer read a cool 27 degrees yesterday morning as I set out with a friend Dave Eakins in search of a few redfish. The water temp cooled off 8 degrees with that cold snap and one would think the fish would be sluggish. The third cast of the morning proved that wasn't going to be the case. We poked and prodded at them all day landing somewhere in the neighborhood of 20. A lot of small fish, but there were some nice quality drum in the mix as well. Our bait of choice was Squarebill Crankbaits. We were throwing up in the stumps in 2-4 foot of water and getting smoked. We caught a couple on Rat L Traps as well and 2-3 came on soft plastics.
It is an awesome way to get them. I can't say for certain that it is a better bite than a topwater, but IMO it is right up there with it. You don't have the visual experience, but man do they hit it hard.
Was going to deer hunt yesterday but most movement has been after dark. I feel as if I made the right choice. Honestly haven't been very motivated to deer hunt this year.
No problem at all. I'm using the Strike King KVD 2.5. The split rings that come on them are fine, but I have installed VMC 4x strong hooks. The factory hooks held up to several fish, but eventually started getting week. That won't happen again...
They run 3-5 feet as claimed on the package.
Wake baits are also killers. It's a fun way to target them and something that's "different" than the normal approach.
Its been a tough year for sure. The club I hunt is in Franklin county and we got hit very hard with EHD this year. Talked to the game warden and he said harvest numbers are down 70% this year compared to 2012 and 2013.
I don't hunt any more but getting good reports of deer (size health and numbers) in Lincoln and Catawba counties. I have already been given two hindquarters for New years BBQ.
Thanks for the report.
Refreshing to see a report that doesn't mention Mirrolure. I was beginning to think the board was sponsored by them and every bait mentioned was auto-edited to a mirro MR17 or something similar.
Been catching em on crankbaits and wakebaits for a long time. Lot of fun when they get really tuned to this method of fishing and you can also cover a lot more water while doing it.
Nice work! I'm going to have to give that a try. I have a whole box full of different colored baits from when I walleye fished a lot around heavy cover with the short fat baits. Never even though to give them a try down here. Just can't seem to make it out fishing lately due to ducks and scouting.
Very similar and anyone can do it. Several of the stumps I fish are submerged and were discovered with the sonar. Cruise an area while looking at electronics and make mental note of where they were and then go back and fish them later. This time of year pay attention to flats with structure on them in 3-4 feet of water with 7-10 feet close by. As the sun heats gets high in the sky they will come up out of the deeper water and warm up on the flat.
Thanks again for this report. Beautiful day to be on the water yesterday afternoon and managed to find some. All small, or too doubtful to lay on the ruler but very satisfying after 3 weeks of no fishing and being under the weather.
Nice report. One day I'll figure them drum out. Guess I got a reason to run over to chasin tails on this rainy day. I wonder if that bait would work good trolling in the marsh areas?
Trolling? Is that what you do on the Internet when you're trying to start a ruckus?
Not sure about using them for trolling but know for a fact they work good in the marsh areas for drum just as well as they do up in the stumps of the New and Neuse.
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