Clients often ask me when MY favorite time to fish on the ‘goon is. I don’t even hesitate as I answer April, May and June. Being a bit like the Goldilocks tale… things are “just right”. Not too cold and not too hot with plenty of forage for our predatory fish to eat to their heart’s content. This is recipe for great fishing!
Along with the stable weather patterns we can expect a seasonal rise in our water levels. This will allow us and the fish to enter areas which have been all but off limits for most of the winter season’s ultra-low water levels. It will become a bit easier for anglers to spread out across the lagoon taking advantage of the gator trout and redfish as they scatter about.
There will be an abundance of forage for our gamefish to gorge on. For the savvy angler this means almost any type of lure will catch fish provided it is compatible to the water depth in which it’s being used. Experimentation is required here and covering the top and bottom of the water column is a must. Where appropriate the middle of the water column may be important and easily targeted with a shallow running lipped plug.
Another plus in the spring is the grass will become lush again throughout the lagoon. Areas which sustained a relatively thick carpet of grass throughout the winter will become even thicker making weedless soft plastics a perfect choice. My boat is always chocked full of Exude Darts, RT Slugs and Shrimp. Affixed to a keel weighted keeper hook these lures excel in catching redfish and gator trout in the thickest of grass beds.
Live and natural baits will often (not always) outperform the manmade stuff. While I personally prefer to fool my quarry rather than feed them it cannot be denied that Mother Nature’s tasty tidbits will be responsible for more fish coming to the boat over the long haul. Anglers will have lots of options here with mullet, pinfish, crabs and shrimp being readily available.
Capt. Mark Wright
cell: 321-302-3474
home: 321-264-3474
captmarkwright@earthlink.net
www.captmarkwright.com