Guided Mr. Jim Lawrence and his son, Jamie, on Tuesday and guided Chris and Missy Simmons this morning. Jim and Jamie really stuck it to the redfish and trout, taking some great fish home for dinner in Destin. Today, Chris and Missy joined me for a very similar trip where both anglers got their share of quality redfish and trout. Gulp! 5″ Jerkshads in camo always do the trick and fish were found on both protective and wind-blown banks. With the water quickly rising, I find it most productive to skirt the banks very closely, casting outward to redfish approaching the grass and root-filled bottom. Blindcasting and sight fishing were both successful techniques. The couple took a few quality trout and some mid-sized redfish home for dinner. Lots of trips booked so plan accordingly anglers!! E...
Read MoreDay 3-Epic 25+redfish trip at Redfish University-November 10, 2010
For Day 3 with the Enabnits, we decided to head over to Orange Beach and target some redfish in the marshy creeks on the falling tide. It was a race to beat the falling water so we worked smartly and very quickly. For this type of red fishing, a small spoon, small spinnerbait or jerkshad in the prefered method but with beginners to this tricky fishery and relatively inexperienced anglers, a Marsh Works Big Poppy cork with a 3″ Gulp! Shrimp in New Penny proved most productive. We did get into some topwater action as well. As expected, we found very clear and very shallow water where redfish between 23-27″ were observed spraying shrimp along the marshy banks and inside creeks. Most areas held a feeding fish every ten yards. Most fish were found on the banks with their backs and eyes out of the water but we also launched corks down the middle and outwards to produce many redfish as well. Because the fellas wanted some redfish to take back to Atlanta, we concentrated on securing our limit quickly which only took about 20 minutes. After that, we screwed around with the video camera and launched topwaters at them which dramatically reduced the hookups for the trigger-happy anglers:) It was very fun and amusing to watch!! Anyway, it was a great morning with action around every corner and it was fantastic to introduce the enthusiastic anglers to this style of fishing. Many wait a lifetime to experience this morning’s stellar redfish conditions!! We didn’t count but 25+ redfish between 22-27″ is a safe estimate. Ended the morning at Lulu’s for some pints and appetizers. The Shrimp Quesadilla is very nice. Angler’s choice tomorrow but I think they want to take it easy, sip some beers and do some bottom fishing in the bay for grouper or whatever. Not my favorite or expertise but maybe they just need a break from all the redfish. In any event, it should be interesting!! How hard can it be? Book now to experience your own epic redfish trip at Redfish University. Openings after December 7 unless we have a cancellation. Thanks, E Holstman Please click an image to enlarge and view slideshow. *Viewer warning* Video contains an F-bomb...
Read MoreA morning of intrigue at Redfish University-October 31, 2010
Recent bay grouper and snapper reports(my friend Matt’s specifically) have stirred my curiousity. Certainly, Redfish University doesn’t consider bottom fishing it’s specialty and wouldn’t seriously entertain the thought of confidently guiding clients in this realm. My dad and website designer/marketer, Randy Hamilton; well, that’s a different story. Asked the guinea pigs to meet me on Texar at 700am. No bottom finder on the Hewes 21 Redfisher, no rodholders and I hadn’t thrown a bait net(a 12′ ) in about 15 years. After a few really pathetic spreads, I finally got back on track and opened a few big ones. For the first time in ever(10yrs), I filled the livewell on a flats boat with LIVE BAIT, the rod lockers with Penn 4/0 with 6oz. leads and circle hooks and rolled with great intrigue into the unknown. Arrived at an area with some patchy bottom structure and set up a drift with the outgoing tide. Used the GPS to track our path and made a few passes with our large live baits about five feet off the bottom. Randy finds the first fish which nearly jerked the rod out of his hands. A few moments later, a very nice 28″ grouper hits the deck of the 21 Hewes Redfisher. A few more break offs and some sharks in a few hour period then over to the Hilton for our weekly Sunday brunch, Stella Artois and bloodies. It was a fun little trip that I would like to do more often with friends and family. Grouper fish tacos are in the plans for this week! Book now to experience the thrill of Redfish...
Read MoreRedfish and Flounder before the deluge at Redfish University-October 28, 2010
Guided Gene and Tina Hunter this morning for some redfish, flounder and speckled trout action in hopes of packing the cooler with fresh fish. It was Redfish U’s intent to make a valiant effort to follow my friend Matt’s stellar performance on yesterday’ trip with Gene and Tina, a tremendous bay trip of grouper, snapper and big redfish! It seems we just couldn’t catch a break with the weather this week with Monday’s strong winds and this morning’s downpour, lightning and hard northwest winds. Our plan was to return to the site of yesterday’s epic inshore trip where we conquered over 30 redfish, big flounder and plenty of trout. Made the run west in pretty nice conditions with darker skies to the north. Radar indicated that clouds were moving from the southwest to the northeast but as we all know, things can change very quickly. Arrived in the area and started fishing. Wham! Big flounder on the second cast, a redfish immediately after that and plenty of bait and strikes in the next few minutes. Then the rain and wind hit us making it very difficult and with some thunder coming in, we decided to run back. A very disappointing morning especially since the fish were biting as well as they did yesterday. Perhaps next time Gene and Tina are in Pensacola we’ll have much better weather but at least they had a great day of catching fish one day prior! Book now to experience Redfish University. Please click an image to enlarge and view...
Read MoreRedfish University in Destin again-October 21, 2010
Redfish University spends time from Port St. Joe Bay to Hopedale, LA. The majority of Redfish U’s traveling trips are located in Destin and Panama City. Today, I guided Mr. Bobby Stewart for some redfish(big and legal) and trout action in Destin, FL. Bobby is an accomplished bass fisherman and has some property in Ft. Walton so he wanted to learn about the inshore fishing in Choctawhatchee Bay and around Destin. Started very early with topwaters first fpr speckled trout and legal redfish. Pounded out some very nice trout and some medium redfish on topwater and spoons. Checked a few more areas and then headed to a flat with lots of redfish of all sizes. Superb, sunny and glassy conditions made it very easy for me to call out fish for Bobby who was pretty tuckered out from the early morning action. With his arms cramping, it was a pretty dirty trick to save the redfish festival for the last few hours of the morning. Bob had a blast!! Used 4″ Gulp! Shrimp in lime tiger to sight fish countless redfish from 28-40″. Bobby was able to see the fish, place the bait and watch these fish inhale his Gulp! bait. It was a bit challenging as these fish were not as easy to catch as usual, so a well-placed pitch was the key to our success. All fish released and the ice was saved for Bobby’s arms! I had a great time fishing with you, Bobby! Until time…. E Holstman Please click an image to enlarge and view slideshow....
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