Econfina River Sept 26 - 27

[ropeman]

I feel like I need more practice catching and less times wishing!

I spent the weekend at the Econfina river and by the looks of the tides I thought we were going to have a busy day catching fish. It was pretty exciting Saturday morning when we got out of the mouth of the river and my girlfriend was broken off on 3 of the 4 rods in the first 5 minutes. She didn't want to use the bait caster so I had to tie on new hooks. We had a few more bites that seemed to be trout, but then the sail cats showed up. We did manage one keeper trout for the grill. Sunday we fished for a few hours before the rain and headed back in by 12:30. Monday we tried several creeks and had one 17.5 redfish get in the boat. He was the most golden/copper color I've ever seen a red. Too bad he wasn't just a little longer.

The water was a very dark tea color, but I saw other people with plenty of trout and a few reds.

We did pretty good with the crab traps so at least we weren't skunked.

[ropeman]

Any opinions on what I could have done to catch more fish?

[Mckayaker]

What were you using? Live bait or lures? What type and how rigged?


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[ropeman]

My girlfriend was using live shrimp with no cork or weight Saturday and added a popping cork for Sunday/Monday. I think she hooked a big catfish or black drum first thing because it stayed on the bottom and popped the line at the boat. She probably had a Spanish on the second cast because the 30lb leader was cut smooth. I put some wire on the third hook and I think a trout hit it and then slung off. We saw several tarpon roll (they must have been relocated or lost), a 3' or so bonnet head shark and something tried to jump in the boat with us so it was interesting.

I was throwing several lures, bone Super Spook jr, black/white/silver Catch 2000, gold spoon, new penny DOA shrimp, gulp peeler crab, electric chicken Gulp under a Cajun thunder cork. The one thing I thought we could have changed is getting on the water at sunup. I talked to a guy that said he left the ramp at sunrise and was headed back in by 11 with several fish.

We stayed within 6 miles of the river on the west side, maybe I should have gone south east.

[mpa_72001]

ropeman try a glow colored soft plastic under a popping cork next time out and see how that works out for you.

[ropeman]

I don't think I had any glow color, but the e-chicken seemed to be the brightest color I had except for pearl white. There was a lot of water draining out of the woods too, but it didn't seem to bother other more seasoned fishermen.

[mpa_72001]

Ropeman when that water is really dark I usually use a glow white or something like chartreuse and usually do pretty good over there.thats the area I probably fish the most but been around Keaton more lately with the cleaner water and more mullet that way.

[ropeman]

I guess I need a few more colors in the Gulp bucket. Thanks for the info!

[mpa_72001]

Ropeman need u some the unfairlures plastics too like a glow white ,pink, or chartreuse in that dark water

[Burning daylight]

Z-man has some of the best bright colors atomic sunrise, coral trout, bleeding banana,

[ropeman]

Can you put the unfairlures or Z-man in the Gulp juice or will they fall apart?

[FishWithChris]

Never mix your plastics.

sent from the Ketchup Packet

[mpa_72001]

ropeman like Chris said don't mix your plastics .they will get messed up for sure.the zman and gulp have different scents which are not the same would definitely not mix well.the unfair and zman are probably two of your most durable.i believe their material is pretty similar and hold up really well.i rarely use more than a couple baits a trip unless the mackeral and blues or stuff like that are out there.

[Salty Gator]

Can you put the unfairlures or Z-man in the Gulp juice or will they fall apart?

If you want stank, add a drop of pro cure on your plastics. It will stay on your bait a lot longer than gulp juice will.

[mpa_72001]

salty gator love that procure I put it on plastics and lures all the time.