The impact from Tropical Storm Cristobal is finally showing up, unfortunately. With the marsh, tidal creeks and rivers all draining, the water on the flats ranges from slightly silty to downright stained, mostly with reddish tannin. As in three-day-old tea. Those conditions will be even more evident near Deep Creek and other tributaries that have flood gates in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Water temperatures on the flats still register in the mid-80-degree range, though.
As a result, anglers will have to make some adjustments. The first would be the willingness to move around until clearer water is found. That often entails shifting deeper, which with the warmer temperatures, isn’t a bad idea anyway. The depths around the refuge boundary line are cleaner and trout will take a shrimp jig or tout slowly bounced just above the bottom. Another option is to work the flats that have suitable structure like rock piles, sandy pot holes and rock grass. The prime forage right now for bigger trout is bait fish, so lures that mimic pinfish, finger mullet and pilchards are good choices, especially retrieved in low light conditions. In other words, early morning forays just as dawn is breaking. Soaking real bait fish under a float or clacker cork will also attraction attention from a variety of fish.
Redfish are a little more tolerable of discolored water and higher temperatures than their drum cousins. If the water is stained, the pink Aqua Dream spoon is the top choice, followed by gold. Adding a squirt of Pro-Cure scent will also increase chances of detection. Noise is the other trick to use when the water is cloudy. After all, you can’t catch ‘em if they can’t find what you’re offering.
Shifting deeper is another option. Spanish mackerel, jacks, bluefish, maybe even small king mackerel and cobia are available from the stake line on out. Watch for diving birds, showering bait to tip off location.
When the weather/seas allow, offshore enthusiasts are finding cooperative red snapper, with lanes, mangroves and vermilion mixed in. Gag and red grouper are also being landed. The prime zone is 60 feet or deeper, according to the reports. Live bait, squid and dead baits are the top offerings.
Sunday’s new moon will usher in strong tides, so the feeding activity should be robust despite the water situation. Tides will be low in the early morning hours, with nearly four feet of incoming water by mid-afternoon. Peak feeding times will occur an hour or so around daylight and again the last two hours before the afternoon high crests.
With the weather pattern (high pressure, easterly winds) changing, things should get back to more normal summer-like conditions by next week and hopefully the water will clear up quickly when it does.
Copyright 2020, Capt. Dave Lear. All rights reserved.