Outdoors

Captain's Corner

By JIM HUDDLESTON
Published February 5, 2008

What's hot: With a new moon this week, tides will strengthen and get a bit higher. Redfish are starting to get together around oyster bars and grass flats with good tidal flow. These fish are averaging 20 to 25 inches with a few 30-inchers roaming the flats. The clear waters off St. Joseph Sound are making for great sightcasting opportunities when the sun is high. The best choice for targeting redfish is a tail-hooked jumbo shrimp. This allows for longer casts, and the larger crustaceans will puff up sand in the depressions, drawing attention. The incoming tide is key to finding small schools that will push into the shallows as the tide flows into a flat. Lighter skiffs will not displace as much water and give an angler's position away to these wary game fish. Another choice is to wade in.

Pro's tips: Break off the last tail section of larger shrimp - a scent trail will travel with the tide and pull fish into the strike zone. Use a larger hook such as 3/0 to get a bigger gap and increased hookup ratio.

[Last modified February 4, 2008, 22:55:42]