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IFA Redfish anglers at Redfish University-October 15, 2010

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...

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Redfish 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...

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Winter 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...

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Day 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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Pascagoula and Mobile redfish at Redfish University-October 1-2, 2010

Guided over in Pascagoula, MS. on Friday and in Mobile Bay today in search of redfish. Started at 700am Friday morning over in the Pascagoula River and hit some very productive areas for redfish. Threw topwaters down shallow river banks and had some great strikes although many were short bites but it was very apparent they were redfish. Corks and Gulps! in this instance would have produced. Topwaters are more fun!  Switched to inline-spinnerbaits and hit area with lots of schooling pogies. Immediately, the first fat redfish hits the deck, followed by more. Found more fish on the edges with bait than anywhere else. Fished the river until 930am and then hit the marsh. Found redfish literally crawling in very shallow water spraying shrimp. Eyes, noses and gills out of the water. Picked off some more fish and looked around Grand Bay on a very low tide. Some fish over there but not great, especially at 130pm. Today, we hit Mobile Bay and found more redfish than we knew what to do with and in all size ranges. Caught redfish on Gold Spoons, spinnerbaits and Gulp! Shrimp under Marsh Works Big Poppys. Also caught plenty of trout and flounder as well. Lots of redfish both days! Book now to experience the thrill of Redfish University. Please click an image to enlarge and view...

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