Working The Winds For Reds

Shallow Water Anchors and Kayak Fishing
May 15, 2019
fishing podcast
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With limited time to fish many of us find ourselves at the boat dock with big winds keeping us away from our best fishing holes and scrambling to make something positive happen.

Some of the best redfish haunts are in some of the most wind-prone areas.

Ever tried to fish a seagrass flat in 30 mile per hour winds? No fun.

What about hitting that clear marsh pond you found the evening before only to find it murky from a stiff west wind.

The good thing about redfish is there are lots of them and they can be found in various places, giving us an opportunity to score even in brutal winds.

Here are some tips to help you score on reds no matter the situation.

#Launch in The Interior: Many of us go to certain boat launches because of easy access or they are a quick shot to many places in the bay system.

If the winds are howling, running across the bay or even launching on it can be dangerous but there are many smaller ramps I the interior. Galveston Bay has dozens like this as does the Aransas Bay complex.

Reds will be in the interior cuts in the spring and in marshes. There may be more on the flats or reefs but there are always reds in the cuts and marshes. By launching in them you can have a safe run and can fish when that may not be a viable option elsewhere.

Fish the Channel: On big, windy days I will fish popping corks rigged with Gulp in the ship channel and try to let the cork be pushed by the wind toward the shore.

Typically, small baitfish in shrimp will also be against this shoreline and so will the redfish. Make sure you are using a weighted cork, so you can make long casts and so the wind does not push it around too much.

Cut Bait: On windy days when the water is murky simply fishing cut instead of the usual lures you prefer can score nice catches.

Do you want redfish on the half shell? Sometimes need to fish cut bait to get it. Redfish are cut bait connoisseurs and will gladly accept your offerings. You will also occasionally catch drum and trout which of course is a nice bonus. I prefer using cut mullet but cut croaker and shad can be effective.

Use Power Pole: If you do find an area with clear water or a high location of fish on a highly windy day staying in the key location is extremely important. Power Poles allow anglers to lock down on a location quickly and easily.

Run North: If the bay system you are fishing is seriously salty then redfish can be found way up into the river systems north of the bay itself. Run into some of the protected bayous up the river and look for shrimp and shad.

 

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