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Just a general question on how to do this. I have never figured out how or when to do this for reds and trout. To simplify I'm talking about when the fish are on the flats 65* water and up. What tips can you give on lures, bait, presentation and how do you approach? I don't have a trolling motor but do have an anchor pin. It seems like every time I try I just lose lures. Is this something you only fish at a certain tide stage or time of day? Thanks in advance.


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I cast around the edges not directly on top usually. Cast on the back edge to ambush points where current is pulling over. They are usually in clusters so If you don't have a trolling motor just line a drift directly over them once they are covered in water. Anchor and throw live bait to the deep side.

So the best time to fish them is during the high tide? Or just the safest time.


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The best time is when there is moving water around the bars. Not necessarily high or low tide. Just anchor up near where you can see water being pushed between bars or at an edge and throw into that area or at the edge of it. Soak some live pinfish or cutbait on the bottom or throw a gulp and work it keeping it off the bottom. If you are losing a lot of lures maybe throw a topwater. Nothing beats a topwater strike.

Good luck!
Lucky

Primarily fishing from boat out of the Econ / Aucilla area, I tend to fish either rising tides near high or when just starting to fall so that have water movement but not as dangerous running conditions as when approaching low tide. That said, when water is moving around the high tide it's a decent time to fish as small critters hanging around the oyster bar lose their ability to hide and accordingly the reds are on the prowl for them.

I've had the best luck with bars having lots of hard bottom extending from them. My method is to approach bars as stealthily as possible, often running at near-idle speeds from about 1/2 mile out until I reach 1/4 mile distance from them, placing myself in the direction to drift to the bar and then cutting my engine and drifting until a hundred yards or so from the bar. As I drift I throw a 1/2 ounce gold johnson minnow spoon. About 100 yards or so from the bar, I'll anchor and fan cast towards the bar. I then slowly let anchor line out 10 yards or so at a time until I'm casting right to the bar's edge. By doing this slow approach it minimizes spooking schooling reds and sometimes you can double digit on a school by catching fish farthest out and then slowly picking off more fish by releasing a few more feet of anchor line.

If I don't find a school hanging around the bar by the time I've reached the ability to cast right to the edge, I'll change up strategies and put a live shrimp under a cajun thunder and cast the rig up-current of the bar and let the drift carry it parallel right along the length of the bar. Don't tend to catch big numbers as much using the drift method but often do catch at least one nice red for the cooler.

luckywsp wrote:The best time is when there is moving water around the bars. Not necessarily high or low tide. Just anchor up near where you can see water being pushed between bars or at an edge and throw into that area or at the edge of it. Soak some live pinfish or cutbait on the bottom or throw a gulp and work it keeping it off the bottom. If you are losing a lot of lures maybe throw a topwater. Nothing beats a topwater strike.

Good luck!
Lucky

. Thanks that's info that helps me out.


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big bend gyrene wrote:Primarily fishing from boat out of the Econ / Aucilla area, I tend to fish either rising tides near high or when just starting to fall so that have water movement but not as dangerous running conditions as when approaching low tide. That said, when water is moving around the high tide it's a decent time to fish as small critters hanging around the oyster bar lose their ability to hide and accordingly the reds are on the prowl for them.

I've had the best luck with bars having lots of hard bottom extending from them. My method is to approach bars as stealthily as possible, often running at near-idle speeds from about 1/2 mile out until I reach 1/4 mile distance from them, placing myself in the direction to drift to the bar and then cutting my engine and drifting until a hundred yards or so from the bar. As I drift I throw a 1/2 ounce gold johnson minnow spoon. About 100 yards or so from the bar, I'll anchor and fan cast towards the bar. I then slowly let anchor line out 10 yards or so at a time until I'm casting right to the bar's edge. By doing this slow approach it minimizes spooking schooling reds and sometimes you can double digit on a school by catching fish farthest out and then slowly picking off more fish by releasing a few more feet of anchor line.

If I don't find a school hanging around the bar by the time I've reached the ability to cast right to the edge, I'll change up strategies and put a live shrimp under a cajun thunder and cast the rig up-current of the bar and let the drift carry it parallel right along the length of the bar. Don't tend to catch big numbers as much using the drift method but often do catch at least one nice red for the cooler.

. Thanks a lot great info. Had no idea whether needed to be up current or down. I would not have thought to start fishing that far away from it. Thanks again.


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Manns 1minus. With upgraded short shank hooks and o rings. Throw over the bar, and reel back. Throw it everywhere. They catch fish!!

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