Sometimes fishing is “for the birds”. Well, not so much for them, but they are sometimes the key to a phenomenal day on the water. Many people have said to look for birds when you are fishing and to fish where they are feeding, and they are right. But there are a few things to look for when using the bird+fising theory.
When looking for birds while fishing, one telltale sign is to look for several birds hovering and diving. If you see this, watch the water beneath them. If it is “popping, then that means bait fish below are being chased by something, and often that something is the fish you are after. When you see this, approach slowly and make your casts to the center of the action. Try not to get too close and make long casts toward them. The whole scene may move quickly, so be prepared to follow them if possible. A trolling motor works well in this situation. Since the birds are feeding at the top of the water, the predator fish-the one you are looking to catch-is pushing the baitfish upward. Be ready with your “match the hatch” live bait or consider throwing an artificial that is for topwater. Remember if you fish with topwater and the birds start to dive toward your bait, freeze. Once the topwater lure is still, the bird will likely leave it alone. This technique is not only good for inshore fishing, but for offshore as well.
And just to make it more interesting, try to identify those birds while you are out. South Carolina has incredible bird species, and those who are on the water get to see an amazing array of birds. Some of them are year round residents, but many are migratory and we only see them at certain times of the year. Learn the birds, identify them, and keep track of what you are seeing when you cast. My Dad used to call all coastal birds “white shorebirds” but as I grew in my fishing, I began to learn their names and understand them. So grab a field guide, log what you see, and learn from it. It will make you a better
BeBe Dalton Harrison Executive Director, Hampton Wildlife Fund Owner, Angling Women anglingwomen@gmail.com
(803) 269-2470 www.anglingwomen.com