The $299.99 Redfish University Fall/Winter Special will end on February 28, 2010. There are still some dates available in February to take advantage of this fantastic deal. Starting March 1, 2010, rates will again climb to $350.00 for the same 5-7 hours Redfish University trips. Winter fishing has been excellent with quality catches of redfish and very nice speckled trout. As always, Redfish U. offers the absolute BEST inshore instruction on the Gulf Coast and the famed  “catch fish, or don’t pay” guarantee so you can’t go wrong! Join the hundreds of anglers that have experienced Redfish University and expand your angling knowledge. Looking forward to fishing with everyone. Eric Holstman

Returned from Belize(Ambergris Caye, San Pedro) last Saturday evening. Tracy and I were married on the dock at our house in a very beautiful, tropical and private ceremony last Wednesday at sunset, January 20, 2010. Had a great Belizean dinner at Matachica along with some drinks.

While in Belize, we had the incredible opportunity to fish with Captain George Bradley for two days for bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook and more! If anyone ever travels to Belize, hiring George Bradley as your guide is a must! Great guy and an awesome angler. On day one, we had a mild coldfront come through which meant west winds at 15mph. George took us to the mainland to target bones and snook along the protected banks. Once the sun was high and the wind went slack, we moved to a place called Savannah Flats and absolutely hammered the bonefish in 10″of water. Tracy actually caught the first two bonefish on the day and sightfished a few more on Sav. Flats. On day two, George took us 15 miles north into the backcountry lagoon of northern Ambergris. The most beautiful water I had ever seen. Bonefish, permit, 20# tarpon, big snook and big mangrove snapper everywhere! Again, we caught all the above until our arms cramped. We will be returning to Belize to fish with George a few more times this year and also to look for a place to live!! Enjoy the photos!

Please click on a photo to enlarge.

Today was Day 3 of my speckled trout adventure with Greg Amos. We decided to stay local and find some more trout and then head out to the beach to look for some big redfish. Started the morning out with some decent trout but it was painfully slow after 8am. Pointed the Hewes Redfisher towards Pensacola Pass and went in search of redfish. We were met by 3-4′ rollers as the wind and tide were fighting so we turned around and went to find more trout. Stuck some more medium trout and got a redfish as well. Overall, a very slow day and we had to really work for our strikes. Changed baits, techniques and depth but not much was working. Under the difficult water conditions this week, we actually did pretty well and caught the trout and redfish that were in the various locations. I am proud to say that I guided Greg to his first sightfished redfish in West Bay yesterday and I hope he has years of fun stalking the shallow redfish in Tampa/Sarasota. Anyway, it was  three fun days of pretty difficult fishing but we managed about 40 or 50 trout of all sizes(1-4#) and some very nice quality redfish. Most fish caught on Gulp! Jerkshads in various colors as well as Berkley Swimmin’ Pogies in Lime Tiger. All plastics confidently rigged with Marsh Works bull red 1/4oz jigheads. No fish worthy of photography.

Today was Day 2 of the Speckled Trout Adventure with Greg Amos of Sarasota. Picked Greg up in the Excursion this morning at 315am and hit the road for West Bay, FL. Ran to the Warm Water Canal at first light and pushed all the way to the back of the canal. The water was very low(-1.3) so we concentrated in 4-6ft. of water outside of the WW canal. Picked up several small trout with few legals in the mix. Ran into North and poled Greg along a bank to produce his first sightfished redfish ever!! Picked out a comfortable, distracted, tailing fish and Greg made a perfect cast. Approached a few small schools of redfish but not many takers. Returned to the WW canal to hammer some more trout on high water and ended to the day near Breakfast Pt. watching waking and sitting redfish that simply wouldn’t eat. All fish caught on Gulp! Shrimp and Jerkshads. I caught the smallest trout today. Day 3 is tomorrow!!

Today was Day 1 of my three day trout fishing adventure with Sarasota, FL. resident Greg Amos. Greg is an avid freshwater angler and is fast becoming an excellent saltwater angler. Greg asked me to show him all I know about speckled trout fishing with a little sightfishing for redfish mixed in. Started out at first light this morning and found fish immediately. Slow tap-tap, deadstick retrieves produced very soft bites. Picked up several quality trout including a 4# fish and a great 26″ redfish in the mix. With the slack tide approaching, we decided to travel to the canals and bayous of Gulf Breeze. Found clear, warm water but very few trout and some small redfish. The bite really shut down after 10am and we found ourselves working extremely hard to produce a few strikes. Checked out some other normally productive areas with limited success. Returned to the first stop of the morning with higher water in the afternoon and dropped a few quality fish. Called it a day around 330pm to save our energy for Panama City in the morning. The day started with a bang and ended pretty grim. We will drop the hammer on them tomorrow. All trout and redfish released.

Prefished this morning with friend and fellow angler, RJ McDermott,  in search of some large trout for my Wednesday, Thursday, Friday trout trips. Found plenty of quality trout including this nearly 7 pound beast and some quality redfish. All fish caught on Gulp! 5″ Jerkshads in camo. Pensacola Wednesday, Panama City on Thursday and TBA for Friday. Looking forward to changing gears with some big trout!

Time for vacation, to get married and some fishing on my own. Heading to Ambergris Caye, Belize in the morning and spending eight days fishing for bonefish, permit, tarpon and more. Some free diving, sailing, Mayan ruins and looking for some property is also in the plans. Planning on spending LOTS of time down in Belize in the very near future. For clients looking to schedule a trip at Redfish University, please email me or leave a message on my cell which I will check a few times while in Belize(but possibly not!) I will return Monday, January 25 with a 3-Day trip already scheduled. I will be well-rested and ready to put everyone on quality fish upon returning. Reports and photos to follow in about a week’s time.  See you soon. Eric Holstman

Redfish University is still running trips!! It’s cold but the fish are really cooperative. Short, 25 mph runs keep things as comfortable as possible for clients and once the catching begins, the coldest temps will be forgotten. More trout than redfish at the moment but the quality of fish is very good. Quality cold-weather gear, face protection, gloves and warm socks are a must! See ya soon.

Guided Mr. Larry McAdoo  this morning here in Pensacola. Larry is a recent Houston transplant to the Pensacola area and a long-time Hewes flats boat owner. Today was the coldest conditions I have ever fished. The temperature range in Redfish University’s Ford Diesel 7.3 Excursion registered at 24 degrees at takeoff time and only rose to 37 degrees at noon. Nevertheless, redfish and trout were found and redfish and trout were caught. Over 25 quality trout and 12-15 redfish were landed in extremely harsh conditions. In fact, we were having a difficult time casting because of the icebergs forming between the guides on our rods! This is the first time I have EVER seen this!!! Anyway, it was an extremely cold but productive morning of redfish and speckled trout. All fish caught on Gulp! 5″ Jerkshads in Lime Tiger and Gulp! 3″ Shrimp in Natural. Rattles increased strikes and ALL fish released.

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Happy New Year!!

The fishing is fantastic with these cold temperatures although we have cancelled a few recent trips for a later(warmer) date due to unsafe and slippery conditions.

Got out this morning with buddy, Eric Michener, for some prefishing for an upcoming 3-Day multi-Gulf Coast location speckled trout adventure with a client from Sarasota. Greeted at the boatramp with frozen surface water in the bayou. It was very interested breaking the ice with the bow of my 21 Hewes Redfisher. Reminded me of the Deadliest Catch as they offload at St. Paul Island(but not as dangerous.) Although the banging on the prop and hull made me a little nervous. Found some very nice speckled trout including a few pushing four pounds. Basically, one after another in a small area. All fish released and mission accomplished locally. Next is Mobile and Panama City next week.

Please click an image to enlarge.