Several times per year during the local IFA redfish tournament season, anglers seek Redfish University’s vast regional knowledge in search of productive redfish areas from Port St. Joe, FL. to Pensacola to Hopedale, LA. In the last month, Redfish U. has performed many such trips. These are very exciting and tiring trips for Redfish U. as we pre-fish with these teams as if I were fishing the event as well. A 110% effort always!! Today I guided a couple anglers from the IFA Redfish Tour over in Grand Bay, MS. and around Bayou La Batre, AL. Ideal wind and tide conditions with falling water all morning. Plenty of redfish but only in a few areas. Without getting into too much detail, the fish were found to be very aggressive in both shallow and deep water and took a variety of baits. Lengths ranged from 23-29″ with many 25-26″ in the mix which will be fantastic for tournament day with the Alabama 26″ limit. Back at the ramp at 100pm to save routes and label some more areas on the map. It’s really fun fishing with the IFA guys who are always very enthusiastic and I think we all benefit by exposing ourselves to new and old techniques. I learn alot on these trips and I hope the teams learn alot as well, especially where the redfish are!! Good luck guys!! Book your guided fishing trip or instructional guiding trip at Redfish University now!! Staying very busy and quite booked all...
Read MoreRedfish University in Destin-October 14, 2010
Guided Mr. Morris Monroe this morning over in Destin, FL. Morris is the proud owner of a brand new 22 Pathfinder/Yamaha 150 decked out with a Power-Pole, Minnkota TM, Garmin Color GPS/Map and a kickin’ sound system purchased from The Ships Chandler in Destin, FL. Morris wanted to learn about the inshore redfish and trout fishery in Choctawhatchee Bay, particularly with the use of artificial baits. Started at first light with some great speckled trout action on topwater baits. We concentrated on protected banks filled with mullet and bait over broken grass/sand bottom. Lots of trout but also some undesirables including big bluefish, Spanish mackerel, medium bonito and ladyfish. As soon as the sun was high enough to sight fish we took off to some very productive banks filled up medium to upper length redfish. Switched over to Johnson 1/4oz. Gold Spoons and looked for redfish amongst the hords of mullet. Since the tide was falling rapidly, we predictably found our redfish laying in relatively deeper troughs in 2-3 feet of water. Caught fish blindcasting to troughs and sight fished some as well. Morris, being primarily an offshore angler, got off to a bit of a slow start before really coming into his own to produce some small-medium redfish. I helped to catch his “redfish dinner” quite a few times over while also demonstrating the correct techniques in the process. Next time, Morris’ bounty will be his own! For an added challenged, we decided to make a run to some areas Redfish University has never fished before. Many times, replicating banks in terms of broken bottom, troughs and bait will produce results over and over again. This experiment was no exception as we found more redfish and even schools of great quality fish in packs of 20-30 fish. Stick-fest! Morris had the great opportunity to watch a beautiful redfish inhale his bait in very shallow water. Anyway, Morris now is very, very familiar and confident in some new areas around Destin to break in his new Pathfinder. Great numbers of redfish and trout this morning and Morris kept some fish for the grill. Book now to experience Redfish University! Please click an image to enlarge and view...
Read MoreWinter Speckled trout specific trip at Redfish University-October 12, 2010
Redfish University has been performing quite a few Pensacola Bay tours in preparation for the Fall/Winter inshore fishing. These trips consist of intense instruction, highly-productive locations and Redfish U proven techniques that will increase your redfish and speckled trout catch rates as the weather begins to change. Guided Mr. Sam Collins this morning on one of these great Redfish U. tours. Started out showing Sam where the trout are currently and we stuck many with topwater baits, suspending baits, Gulp! and Marsh Works Big Poppys. After catching some nice fish for the first hour, we took off with map and Sharpie in hand and covered Pensacola, Escambia, East and Blackwater Bay in great detail. Tides, water clarity, weather conditions, baits and techniques were the topic for the next four hours of the trip. I can’t wait to see Sam’s reports this Fall and Winter!! Redfish University standard guided trips and instructional tours are the absolute best ways to learn the secrets of inshore fishing along the Gulf Coast and become a better, smarter and more efficient angler. Book now to experience the wonder of Redfish...
Read MoreRedfish University with Pure Fishing/Wal-mart friends-October 8, 2010
This April, I attended a series of meetings with the Pure Fishing/Wal-Mart executives at Wal-Mart Headquarters in Bentonville. Our focus was to better serve Gulf Coast anglers with Pure Fishing(Berkley, Penn, All-Star, Spiderwire, Stren, etc.) products in our region’s Wal-Mart fishing departments. Today I guided Mr. Jeff Cope and Mr. Vince Minnick for some inshore redfish and speckled trout action. On the water at first-light and ran way east. Found trout and redfish with mullet and bait along shallow banks. Further down the bank, we noticed some large wakes coming our way. Last week it was large redfish and jacks. Today it was only huge jacks cruising the shallow water looking for schools of mullet. Got into position and landed some topwater baits in their path. It was a great opportunity for Jeff and Vince to test the new All-Star ASR Redfish rods, the new Sargus and especially the Spiderwire Ultracast in 10# that I have been raving about. Both fellas drew tremendous strikes and Jeff was first to hook one of the beast. After a 30 minute brawl, Jeff’s jack was boat side and back to the redfish and trout. Covered some very shallow sandy banks once the sun was high and sight fished some medium redfish with Gulp! 3″ Shrimp in camo and 1/8oz. Johnson Gold Spoons. Dead water made it a little tough at times but Jeff and Vince were very impressive with their accurate casts, insticts and sight fishing capabilities. It was a great morning of fishing at Redfish University with two very good anglers. Off the water at noon and to the airport. Book now to experience Redfish University. Please click an image to enlarge and view slideshow....
Read MoreDay 2 Redfish and Speckled trout at Redfish University-October 7, 2010
For Day 2, I guided Mr. Keith Jones in Pensacola Bay and over in Santa Rosa Sound. Started at first-light and tagged many fish on topwater baits. Redfish and trout were together off the bank during the low-tide but just outside the schools of bait and mullet. Found large schools of bigger redfish in the shallows enticing them with topwaters and sub-surface baits although it took a little while to get into a groove. After catching most the fish along that bank, we trailer the boat to the Sound. Low water had the fish pulled way off the banks so we pitched Johnson Gold Spoons outside huge schools of mullet to produce a few good redfish. After a great morning of shallow water fishing, we set course for McGuire’s for some late morning brews and a hefty lunch, the Thursday Pot Roast Special. Impressive indeed! All fish released. Last trip of the week tomorrow with the Pure Fishing/Walmart execs from Bentonville. Looks like I’ll be heading up to Bentonville, AR. again soon. Please click an image to enlarge and view slideshow....
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