Capt. Mark Wright
It’s early May as I write this report and we are still dealing with cold-front activity. Water temps remain in the favorable range and the air temperature is as well. However, the constant bombardment of winds from the north has prevented the springtime rise in water levels.
What weather patterns will June bring? I have no idea, but I’m hopeful we’ll gain some water depth and put the cold-fronts behind us.
While many guides in my area love the low water levels I do not. I love it when the backwaters are flooded and the redfish and big trout spread out across areas which are too shallow for them much of the year. Keep in mind when the fish scatter throughout the lagoon so do the fishermen.
Mullet is the food of choice for our lagoon predators during the warm water season and finding concentrations of fingerling silver mullet virtually assures you’re in a good spot. Do yourself a favor and keep in mind a good “spot” does not always guarantee fast and furious action. Lagoon fish feed on their own schedule not necessarily on ours. It’s entirely possible to be at the right fishy place at exactly the wrong time.
Since it is mullet season I’m loading my Memory Stix rods with Z-Man soft plastics in mullet imitating patterns. Diezel Minnowz is my go-to lure now with the Jerk Shadz as a back-up. When I need something with a larger profile a Grass Kickerz is my favorite option. The beefier body and larger tail paddle give the predators more of everything; more size, more vibration and more wiggle/wobble!
Live mullet is always a good option if you can easily procure them and cut mullet will usually catch you a redfish or two if the pinfish don’t consume the chunks beforehand. A tip; let the bait stealers nibble away at your chunk bait. Often a nearby predator will see the activity and claim the chunk as its own.
Capt. Mark Wright
321-302-3474
captmarkwright@earthlink.net
www.captmarkwright.com