Trout fishing is heating up Red Drum fishing has been off the charts and the water is clearing up making it easer to find Red Drum on the flats. Even though with the water cooling down and the Flounder heading to the ocean but, there are still some around in the deeper waters. Live shrimp has been key for me last month and still is if you can find them.
As most of you know, I am a MirrOlure junky and catching Trout on them is the best. Match the hatch when fishing them, if Bunker are in the area then use the 17s or 26, If Mullet are around, 52’s and Catch 2000 are what you want. As far as colors, for the past 2 years, the BKGCH in the 17s PIN in the catch and the GH in the 52 and the 38. Work all these as slow as you can, then slow down some more.
Grubs work very well also but my bigger fish most of the time come on the MirrOlures. I have 3 main colors with grubs, the newer Christmas Tree color, the Mnt Dew green and the clear chartreuse. Mnt Dew green on bright sunny days, Chartreuse on the cloudy days and the “Christmas Tree on any day. Live Shrimp is Speckle Trout crack, the downside is everything else loves them too. I use a # 6 or 8 treble hook with the shrimp on a float as I am keeper fishing when I use shrimp, loose drag is a must here.
Red Drum will be on the flats and should eat most anything you throw at them. I really like grubs on worm hooks and gold spoons. On warmer days, topwater will work too. On falling tides, I like to fish the creek mouths as the Trout and the drum will both stage there and when you find them, it should be good fishing all of the fall. Do not over look live bait and don’t turn up your nose at small Pinfish. Take a pair of scissors and trim the top fin off, place under a popping cork and hang on. Mud Minnows should be readily available from any of your tackle store and all fish love them. I like to use a 2 ought Kale Hook, works better than a circle and will still be in the corner of their mouth.
Look for Flounder in the deeper channels on the falling tide and the main water ways and inlets on the rise. Flounder love big baits and Gulp. Purple with a chartreuse tail is my color of choice and they love it. With live bait, a slip rig works great if you drift. Also look for steep banks where you need to vertical jig, heaver weight with a short leader and a bigger bait is the key and you should catch bigger Flounder.
Remember, be safe on the water and as the water cool down, have extra dry clothing and a space blanket in case someone takes a dive, nothing worse than being wet on a ride home.
Capt. Lee
Picture is of Tars Lynch McCreedy from Sunset Beach NC
