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...
Read MoreRedfish University in Destin-October 14, 2010
Guided Mr. Morris Monroe this morning over in Destin, FL. Morris is the proud owner of a brand new 22 Pathfinder/Yamaha 150 decked out with a Power-Pole, Minnkota TM, Garmin Color GPS/Map and a kickin’ sound system purchased from The Ships Chandler in Destin, FL. Morris wanted to learn about the inshore redfish and trout fishery in Choctawhatchee Bay, particularly with the use of artificial baits. Started at first light with some great speckled trout action on topwater baits. We concentrated on protected banks filled with mullet and bait over broken grass/sand bottom. Lots of trout but also some undesirables including big bluefish, Spanish mackerel, medium bonito and ladyfish. As soon as the sun was high enough to sight fish we took off to some very productive banks filled up medium to upper length redfish. Switched over to Johnson 1/4oz. Gold Spoons and looked for redfish amongst the hords of mullet. Since the tide was falling rapidly, we predictably found our redfish laying in relatively deeper troughs in 2-3 feet of water. Caught fish blindcasting to troughs and sight fished some as well. Morris, being primarily an offshore angler, got off to a bit of a slow start before really coming into his own to produce some small-medium redfish. I helped to catch his “redfish dinner” quite a few times over while also demonstrating the correct techniques in the process. Next time, Morris’ bounty will be his own! For an added challenged, we decided to make a run to some areas Redfish University has never fished before. Many times, replicating banks in terms of broken bottom, troughs and bait will produce results over and over again. This experiment was no exception as we found more redfish and even schools of great quality fish in packs of 20-30 fish. Stick-fest! Morris had the great opportunity to watch a beautiful redfish inhale his bait in very shallow water. Anyway, Morris now is very, very familiar and confident in some new areas around Destin to break in his new Pathfinder. Great numbers of redfish and trout this morning and Morris kept some fish for the grill. Book now to experience Redfish University! Please click an image to enlarge and view...
Read MoreDay 2 Redfish and Speckled trout at Redfish University-October 7, 2010
For Day 2, I guided Mr. Keith Jones in Pensacola Bay and over in Santa Rosa Sound. Started at first-light and tagged many fish on topwater baits. Redfish and trout were together off the bank during the low-tide but just outside the schools of bait and mullet. Found large schools of bigger redfish in the shallows enticing them with topwaters and sub-surface baits although it took a little while to get into a groove. After catching most the fish along that bank, we trailer the boat to the Sound. Low water had the fish pulled way off the banks so we pitched Johnson Gold Spoons outside huge schools of mullet to produce a few good redfish. After a great morning of shallow water fishing, we set course for McGuire’s for some late morning brews and a hefty lunch, the Thursday Pot Roast Special. Impressive indeed! All fish released. Last trip of the week tomorrow with the Pure Fishing/Walmart execs from Bentonville. Looks like I’ll be heading up to Bentonville, AR. again soon. Please click an image to enlarge and view slideshow....
Read MorePascagoula and Mobile redfish at Redfish University-October 1-2, 2010
Guided over in Pascagoula, MS. on Friday and in Mobile Bay today in search of redfish. Started at 700am Friday morning over in the Pascagoula River and hit some very productive areas for redfish. Threw topwaters down shallow river banks and had some great strikes although many were short bites but it was very apparent they were redfish. Corks and Gulps! in this instance would have produced. Topwaters are more fun! Switched to inline-spinnerbaits and hit area with lots of schooling pogies. Immediately, the first fat redfish hits the deck, followed by more. Found more fish on the edges with bait than anywhere else. Fished the river until 930am and then hit the marsh. Found redfish literally crawling in very shallow water spraying shrimp. Eyes, noses and gills out of the water. Picked off some more fish and looked around Grand Bay on a very low tide. Some fish over there but not great, especially at 130pm. Today, we hit Mobile Bay and found more redfish than we knew what to do with and in all size ranges. Caught redfish on Gold Spoons, spinnerbaits and Gulp! Shrimp under Marsh Works Big Poppys. Also caught plenty of trout and flounder as well. Lots of redfish both days! Book now to experience the thrill of Redfish University. Please click an image to enlarge and view...
Read MoreA short tour of East and Blackwater Bays at Redfish University-September 29, 2010
Called yesterday’s client on Monday and described Monday’s difficulty in the late morning. Instead of performing what could have been a very unproductive trip, I offered a makeup date in hopes the weather would remain more constant next time. The first few cold-snaps of the Fall can be very tricky and this year is no exception. Constant weather is the key, at least for a few days. Guided Mr. Carl Smith on a detailed tour of East and Blackwater Bay this morning. Although the temperatures haven’t fallen significantly enough to push a huge amount of fish north yet, the morning temperatures this week are a positive sign for the very near future. Broke out the maps and made several stops in areas that will hold great concentration of redfish, speckled trout, striped bass, largemouth bass and even a few tarpon in the next few weeks. Only fished a few areas and picked up the same small redfish and trout as last week’s tour. We did see a few larger redfish and hefty wakes so it really won’t be much longer until we see the area come alive. For those anglers who are just looking for extremely productive areas in the Fall and Winter months, the Redfish University instructional tour is an unbelievable way to eliminate dead water. Can’t be the $300 price tag as you’ll save that in a few months of fishing. Book now to experience the Gulf Coast’s premier and highest rated guide service, Redfish...
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