Justin wrote:
[quote]
I spent Saturday morning in a boat behind Topsail completely surrounded by Reds and couldn't talk a single drum into getting in the boat with me. I threw everything in the box at them,plastics, mirrolures, grubs, dynamite, even tried the fly rod. Everything that I swam past them scared them away. It's pretty frustrating to watch them feed on everything except your bait. Any thoughts? Justin
[end quote]
And my answer:
Hi Justin, I have had good luck with these spooky reds in hot weather like this using the following method.
Tie a 5 or six foot leader directly to your fishing line.(no swivel or snap) I use 8 lb test on my reel and a 15 lb leader. Flourocarbon is best, but I can't afford to buy it. Tie a 1/0 circle hook to your leader. Again, no hardware and no weight, just tie it to the leader line. Hook a bait 1) live finger mullet through the eyes 2)live shrimp through the exoskeleton avoiding the black spots , I think these are brains, but whatever they are, if you hit it with the hook, your shrimp will die quickly, 3)gulp saltwater swimming mullet or shrimp, 4 inch just through the head. The color of the Gulp will depend on water clarity and weather conditions. In sunny weather and relatively clear water, I use white. If a bit overcast, and in dingy water, I use new penny. Just throw out the bait, and free line your reel so no pressure is on line. Watch the line for movement. If you think you have a bite, you will probably know as these reds don't like to just lay around, DON'T SET THE HOOK! just close the bail, or lock your bait caster, and slowly tighten the line. The fish will hook itself if you are using circle hooks. When the line gets tight, HOLD ON!
Good Luck!
Till next time....
Tight lines!
Johnny and Donna
Thank's for supporting our sponsors.
Shop the Clearance Department at Basspro.com
Ready for a great day fishing on the water? Check out our Charter Boat page.
Topsail Area Charter Boats
Ready to enjoy eating your catch? Impress your family and friends with recipes from our seafood recipe page.
Fishin Topsail's Seafood Recipes
