Recent bay grouper and snapper reports(my friend Matt’s specifically) have stirred my curiousity. Certainly, Redfish University doesn’t consider bottom fishing it’s specialty and wouldn’t seriously entertain the thought of confidently guiding clients in this realm. My dad and website designer/marketer, Randy Hamilton; well, that’s a different story. Asked the guinea pigs to meet me on Texar at 700am. No bottom finder on the Hewes 21 Redfisher, no rodholders and I hadn’t thrown a bait net(a 12′ ) in about 15 years. After a few really pathetic spreads, I finally got back on track and opened a few big ones. For the first time in ever(10yrs), I filled the livewell on a flats boat with LIVE BAIT, the rod lockers with Penn 4/0 with 6oz. leads and circle hooks and rolled with great intrigue into the unknown. Arrived at an area with some patchy bottom structure and set up a drift with the outgoing tide. Used the GPS to track our path and made a few passes with our large live baits about five feet off the bottom. Randy finds the first fish which nearly jerked the rod out of his hands. A few moments later, a very nice 28″ grouper hits the deck of the 21 Hewes Redfisher. A few more break offs and some sharks in a few hour period then over to the Hilton for our weekly Sunday brunch, Stella Artois and bloodies. It was a fun little trip that I would like to do more often with friends and family. Grouper fish tacos are in the plans for this week! Book now to experience the thrill of Redfish...
Read More30+ Redfish, Big Flounder and Speckled trout in Mobile Bay at Redfish University-October 27, 2010
You gotta love this time of year! Pre-cold front conditions can be outstanding for shallow water fishing as redfish, trout and flounder are predictably rabid one or two days before a major front. Today was no exception! The redfish were biting extremely well and we hit it on a superb tide. Guided Mr. Rick Olsen and Mr. Rob Roberts this morning in Mobile Bay/Orange Beach for some spectacular inshore redfish, trout and flounder action. Rick and Rob are seasoned offshore anglers but wanted to tighten up on some inshore techniques and prime locations where they can utilized Rick’s 22 Pathfinder. Made a pretty lengthy run and got started around 630am. Lots and lots of redfish were taken on Johnson Gold Spoons, Marsh Works Bayou Thumper spinnerbaits and Gulp! 3″ Shrimp in lime tiger under Marsh Works Big Poppys. The guys got to experience how effective corks are for locating fish. A few doubles and even a triple hookup today! We even got some huge flounder in the mix as well as some small speckled trout. Total for the day was over 30 Redfish in the 3-6# range, lots of trout and a few big flounder. The fellas kept some redfish and flounder for dinner. Rick and Rob are set for inshore fishing!! Book now to experience Redfish University! Please click an image to enlarge and view...
Read MoreRedfish University on a Saturday morning!-October 23, 2010
Redfish University NEVER guides on the weekends but for Redfish U. VIP’s, we make exceptions. Guided Dr. Edwin Yee, his son Jordan and friend Andy this morning in some northern areas of the bay system to find some redfish and speckled trout as well as to introduce them to some new areas to them that will be very, very productive in the coming weeks. Launched Edwin’s beautiful 22 Pathfinder/F150 Yamaha at first light and got to work. Full moon, high pressure, low/dead water made things difficult but not impossible. There was a real lack of mullet this morning but we found some redfish hanging on muddy banks to draw some topwater strikes. Very uncooperative fish today with only a few fish caught but we had some great strikes as well. With total home renovation in the process at the Holstman residence, I departed a little early to meet the interior designer and theater room specialist, and sent the crew a bit further south where I hear they found a few more redfish. Hopefully, this trip was extremely productive in a few other ways (locations, techniques and bait selections) because there wasn’t much rod bending this morning. The guys are still out there as I write so maybe as the water begins to move, things will improve. All fish released. Lots of trips again next week(full in fact) so look for more reports soon. Book now to experience the absolute best in inshore angling with Redfish...
Read MoreA quick morning of redfish and trout at Redfish University-October 19, 2010
Guided Mr. Paul Heatherington this morning for what may be one of Redfish University’s last trips on the year in Santa Rosa Sound. It’s not that the fishing is horrible over there, it’s just that there’s so many more fish in a few areas to the north. We were interested in seeing some redfish and trying to get some larger trout in the deeper water. Started out with very small topwater baits at first light and really nailed some great redfish outside the schools of large mullet. The key this morning was a very soft dog-walked retrieve with a 3-4 second pause every 5 feet. Most fish crushed the bait as it was stationary and they had a huge problem eating it while it moved. Neap tide, very little water movement and laziness are my guess. Once we could see them around 800am, we switched to very small Johnson Gold Spoons and picked some more redfish. Pushed off the banks in some areas to go back to topwater and found some decent speckled trout on the sandholes in 4-6 ft of water. The fish are thinning out in the Sound in my opinion but there are still some nice redfish if you get there early and mid-week always helps. A great bonus for today was the chance to pull on some fish with my Conquer 2000’s/All-Star ASR 7′ with 6# Spiderwire Ultracast Invisi-Braid in preparation for Belize’s tailing bonefish, permit as well as tarpon and snook. Casts an 1/8-1/16 Bone jig a mile!! Book now to learn more about inshore angling than you’ll ever imagine at Redfish University. Happy Fishing. Please click an image to enlarge and view...
Read MoreIFA Redfish anglers at Redfish University-October 15, 2010
Several times per year during the local IFA redfish tournament season, anglers seek Redfish University’s vast regional knowledge in search of productive redfish areas from Port St. Joe, FL. to Pensacola to Hopedale, LA. In the last month, Redfish U. has performed many such trips. These are very exciting and tiring trips for Redfish U. as we pre-fish with these teams as if I were fishing the event as well. A 110% effort always!! Today I guided a couple anglers from the IFA Redfish Tour over in Grand Bay, MS. and around Bayou La Batre, AL. Ideal wind and tide conditions with falling water all morning. Plenty of redfish but only in a few areas. Without getting into too much detail, the fish were found to be very aggressive in both shallow and deep water and took a variety of baits. Lengths ranged from 23-29″ with many 25-26″ in the mix which will be fantastic for tournament day with the Alabama 26″ limit. Back at the ramp at 100pm to save routes and label some more areas on the map. It’s really fun fishing with the IFA guys who are always very enthusiastic and I think we all benefit by exposing ourselves to new and old techniques. I learn alot on these trips and I hope the teams learn alot as well, especially where the redfish are!! Good luck guys!! Book your guided fishing trip or instructional guiding trip at Redfish University now!! Staying very busy and quite booked all...
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