With the passing of TD#5 this week, Redfish University has laid low and rescheduled several guide trips for the coming weeks. High winds, rain and dirty water has made fishing tough, especially in the upper bays and Sound. It was an excellent opportunity for Redfish University to deliver its 2010 Hewes 21 Redfisher to The Ships Chandler in Destin to have a 50 hour service performed on the new Yamaha 250 SHO. Oil changed, lower unit oil change, plugs, a full system check/boat check and we’re ready to go! I refuse to let anyone touch my boats except Mac, Pete Jr.and Peter Sr. down at The Ships Chandler in Destin. Those needing Yamaha service, boat service, mounting of accessories, a new Yamaha and a new/used Maverick, Hewes, Pathfinder or Contender, I would highly recommend The Ships Chandler. They do it right the first time, every time. Also, got a new lower housing for my Motorguide SW Digital at Bass Pro so we’re set. Redfish University has a full slate next week and the fishing will be excellent.
Here’s a short fishing report from Redfish University. Early morning topwater for trout and redfish is excellent. We have been fishing sand bottom and mud bottom exclusively in the upper bays. From 515am-730am the optimal zone and I enjoy throwing the small Rapala Skitterwalks. Long casts on productive banks in Escambia, East and Blackwater Bays as well as Santa Rosa Sound. Make sure you are around large groups of mullets/small baits and you find plenty of redfish and trout. Once the sun gets up around 800am, I’ve been having great success with Berkley Gulp and Powerbait Jerkshads in camo or any natural color such as mullet, watermelon or rootbeer. Use these baits with a 1/8-1/4oz. Marsh Works jighead and you’re golden. Don’t forget your fluoro leader(2-3′) in 15 or 20#. Very simple fishing but extremely productive, especially if you’re around lots of fish. Those Mirrolure Mirrodines MR17 are also very productive once the sun has risen. The sightfishing for redfish in shallow water has been okay. The fish are cooperative but not very thick yet. Give it another few months. Deeper structure has also been a focus of Redfish University in the heat of the morning from 930-noon. Deeper docks, ledges, pilings and deep oysters have proven to produce some very large speckled trout and nice redfish. For those who wish to just catch fish, the lower bay near the Pass has been full of bait. We’ve hit the large Spanish mackerel to pass the time next the Ranger Station east of Ft. Pickens. Lots of 3-6# Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, bluefish with some redfish also mixed in. Look for the redfish underneath the undesirables in 10-15′ of water. And of course, lots of sharks. Big sharks. The fishing has been excellent with a pretty easy time of catching a limit of quality speckled trout and our 2-3 redfish limit. The flounder have been a mystery this year. Last year, catches of 8-20 flounder this time of year was the norm. Oh well, maybe soon. Looking forward to seeing all our old and new clients soon! Great fishing!! E Holstman
