Well, getting caught up on trips after all of last week’s cancellations because of TS Ida. Guided Mr. John Prudhomme of Pensacola over in West Bay, P.C. this morning. Great conditions this morning! Light wind, negative tide and sunlight. Found plenty of uncooperative fish in a few areas. Not many tailing fish but lots of cruisers and sitters which made things a little difficult. We both made many fantastic casts that were ignored and eventually concentrated on picking off fish that were facing away from the boat. These are typically the “catchable” fish. As always, seeing the fish from long distance and long, accurate casts made the difference. Must have seen 200-300 fish in packs of 2-20 fish. A few tailing redfish here and there but not many. Ended up sticking some very nice quality fish including John’s 7+lb. 27″ fish and a nice 6# 26″ fish. A little over 13lbs, not too bad! Sightfished with Gulp! 5″ Jerkshads in camo rigged with 4/0 Owner Twist-Lock weedless hooks. All fish...
Read MoreA very kind gesture-November 13, 2009
Over the last six or seven years, I’ve taken it upon myself to get involved with the angling community from Panama City to Orange Beach. Writing in the Pensacola News Journal, countless magazine angling articles, Berkley/Penn Tour, speaking at fishing clubs and especially in creating the “Hook, Line and Sinker Seminar Series” in Pensacola, a series heading into it’s sixth success season. Until 2009, we did not receive payment for the HLS, we didn’t really want to. Because of it’s success, local businesses were very interested in advertising with banners because the HLS sttracted 150-350 attendees on a very consistent basis. This brought in some cash for us. Of course, these events are beneficial to me for several differents reasons but I hope they have been an important source for knowledge for anglers along the Gulf Coast. They are always free to the public and I hope they have improved everyone’s angling experience in some way. Anyway, I see seminar attendees all the time along the Gulf Coast and many times they walk up with a beer and say “thanks.” I appreciate the kind gesture so much, and it’s never necessary, but I sure like beer. Friday night, as usual, Tracy and I are having dinner at the Fishhouse. Towards the end of our meal, a very nice gentleman named, Jeff, approaches our table and says hello. We talk for a moment and discovered he and his son are HLS seminar veteran attendees. Jeff left a wonderful gift with me. This column is to, first, say thank you very much to Jeff again and to make sure he calls me at 8507484368 so that I can take Jeff and his son on a free Redfish University trip very soon. Call me soon and thank you again, Jeff!! Eric...
Read MoreClasses cancelled this week at the University-November 8, 2009
As Hurricane/Tropical Storm Ida approaches, the Gulf Coast prepares for this late-year storm. Here at Redfish University, we have cancelled trips at least through Thursday, November 12th. These three trips will be rescheduled and all clients have been contacts. Obviously, we will do our absolute best to fit these trips in as soon as possible, even considering working a few weekends!! Depending on wind and rain amounts, Redfish University may resume operations on Friday, November 13th, but most likely next Monday, November 16th. Our apologies for the weather inconvenience and look forward to seeing everyone soon. E....
Read MoreYamaha Friends in for some fishing!-November 6, 2009
Guided Tim Haney, Yamaha saltwater promotions coordinator, and Adam this morning. Our first choice was to rocket out to the beaches and do some sightfishing for pompano and redfish and then go stick some over-sized redfish nearshore and inshore. The 15-20mph winds from the east scratched that out for us but that is our plan tomorrow. We decided to trailer up to Blackwater and do some shallow water fishing for redfish and trout. Thankfully, it was much better up there than yesterday. We had lots of action with medium-sized redfish and some very nice trout, including a 3# fish. All fish caught on Gulp! 5″ Jerkshads in camo rigged with Marsh Works 1/4oz. Bull Red jigheads in assorted colors with worm rattle inserts. All fish released. Looking forward to seeing and sticking some pompano tomorrow and pulling on some big, dumb redfish!! Please click a photo to...
Read MorePretty grim day at Redfish University-November 5, 2009
Guided my friend John this morning over in Blackwater and East Bay. John is an accomplished billfish angler and quite an inshore angler as well. Well, I guess it’s bound to happen every once in a while. Today was the second worst Redfish University trip on the year. On trips, I like to fish as well to demonstrate retrieval techniques and to help locate fish. This was the first trip ever where I didn’t catch a single redfish!! We covered some normally very productive areas and started out with two quality trout. John, who caught all the redfish, followed with two very small redfish. From there, it was all downhill. Ended up traveling way south where John scratched up a few more small redfish and an undersized trout. Then he completed his Grand Slam with a decent flounder. Headed back north to cover some areas at dead-low tide and saw some average-sized redfish on muddy bottom where we had already thrown at five or six times. John stuck the biggest redfish of the day(around 23-24″) and it spit the hook at the boat. That is the way the morning went! The highlights of the day were: 1. A pretty pathetic Grand Slam. 2. Seeing a bald eagle grabbing mullet. 3. John being an absolute pleasure to fish with. All fish caught on Gulp! 5″ Jerkshads in camo rigged with Marsh Works 1/4 Bull Red jigheads with rattle inserts. Although John and I caught some fish as guaranteed, it really was a disappointing day. I invited John on a make-up, prefishing trip with me next week in either Panama City or here locally. Please pick Panama City, John!! Look for the next report to be off the hook! I remembered my camera this time but nothing exciting to photograph except the bald...
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