By: Capt. Charlie Gray
It’s a summery type Spring, and the speckled trout, reds, sheepshead and other Spring time fare have finally made the transition out of the marshes and Winter holes and into more saltier waters. It has been an early Spring and the true Spring fishing pattern is now on around the Island. Fish are moving out now to the flats and oyster beds that are so abundant around Mississippi Sound, Mobile Bay and the surrounding bays and are also transitioning to the Gulf beach side of the Island and around Sand Island. Live shrimp under a popping cork in water 3 to 6 feet deep are a good bet for now, but tight lining or free lining on the bottom in deeper water will work well too. Most of the local bait shops are now open andmost have live shrimp. If you can’t locate live shrimp, don’t be afraid to tie on a plastic shrimp imitation. I use the VuDu shrimp in any natural or fleck color and white with a chartreuse tail. I am also throwing a lot of the Matrix shad baits in a variety of color, but I often use the Lemon Head, Shrimp Creole, Pink Champagne or Magneto colors with a Goldeneye jig head. Also, early morning, just at daylight and late afternoon right at dusk, the top water bite for speckled trout has been on and that is a fun way to catch trout and reds either wading or fishing from the boat. I prefer to wade and have had success using the Yo-Zuri top water baits like the 3D Minnow Series; I prefer the mullet imitations, silver sides, dark back, but the clear, chartreuse and pink work well too. When you are wading you can cover much more area. Try to mix it up a bit and have fun. When you are fishing around the deep holes on the Gulf side as well as around the oyster beds be ready for those redfish and flounder they are there too and are hungry.
We are still booking trips daily, so give us a call and lets go fishing and catching ! No group is too large or too small, we have access to multiple boats if you have a large party.
Capt. Charlie Gray
Gray Gulf Charters
Dauphin Island / Mobile Bay / Ft Morgan Alabama
251.379.5067
Charlie@Graygulfcharters.com
www.Graygulfcharters.com