Shallow water on flies, 10/30

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preast
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Shallow water on flies, 10/30

Post by preast »

Couldn't resist the low wind prediction for Saturday even with the low/slack tide and recent front. Turned out to be a good decision, as I started seeing tailers immediately. I ended up at the right place at the right time several times. Along the first shoreline I found a number of fish visible or tailing in the grass and I picked up a couple. Then something I've never witnessed before was a pod of reds working both sides of a small cut/drain. Usually too deep to see anything, but so low I could see everything as they moved back and forth, crashing bait in the grass on either side. I picked off a couple in the process. All in the slot. Pretty wild to see in such shallow water. Caught a couple more doing some semi-blind casting into what appeared to be reds feeding on baitfish.

Weather was perfect around 80 at most, and water temp was very mild. Tide went completely slack around 10a and by 11:30a not much happening. Caught 5 total for the day, with a couple other hookups, and was off the water about noon. I never even got a mile from launch. All fish caught on the flyrod, and on some beat up old flies I tied years ago (crack fly and a small shrimp gurgler) that worked better than any of the newer stuff I've tied. I only make it down once or maybe twice a year, so this was a success for me.

First fish right at sunrise
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Limit by 9:30
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In the slack time, I tried some soft plastics on spinning gear but this is all I could manage(he actually bit it); so back to the flyrod
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Around 22 to almost 24"...
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karstopo
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Re: Shallow water on flies, 10/30

Post by karstopo »

Nice. Beautiful fish. Hard to beat a fly rod redfish in shallow water, especially ones like those you caught. They gain a lot of power as they move into the slot. For eating, I like lower end slot, for the fight, an upper slot, but those 22-24” fish are a happy in between.
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Prof. Salt
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Re: Shallow water on flies, 10/30

Post by Prof. Salt »

Very nice! Shallow reds on fly is a great combo!
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JW FunGuy
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Re: Shallow water on flies, 10/30

Post by JW FunGuy »

Nice! Just like fishing for Bonefish! :D
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OldTownYakBoi
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Re: Shallow water on flies, 10/30

Post by OldTownYakBoi »

Great report, thanks for sharing. I went out Saturday as well, were the lowest tides I think I’ve ever fished. Looks like you had some clear water where you were at too


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shoffer
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Re: Shallow water on flies, 10/30

Post by shoffer »

I like those pictures a lot. Thank you for sharing!
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