grass and weeds is ideal . I personally have an 18X50 Shallow Water Customs boat that is pushed by a Gator Tail 37 EFI . Since my boat is fairly heavy , I ended up going with a 70lb thrust trolling motor that has no problem moving my boat and cutting through vegetation . Before buying a trolling motor , be sure to check the manufacturer ’ s hull ratings . Poling your boat is also an option ; however , it will require a poling platform and a buddy to be done correctly .
Where & When
Have you ever entered into an area with a feeling of uncertainty , wondering to yourself , “ Are there fish here ?” If you ' re shaking your head yes , then you ' ll be happy to know that isn ' t the case with sight fishing . Since you ’ re required to see the fish you ’ re catching , you ’ ll be able to see how many fish are in the area after a couple minutes of trolling . Redfish love ponds and pieces of marsh that are full of aquatic vegetation . Grasses like coontail and widgeon grass filter out the water allowing it to become gin clear . When entering a pond , look for sheepshead , stingrays , and garfish , all promising signs of redfish being in the area . If you fish an area and aren ' t seeing any fish , make a move . Sometimes moving to the next pond over can completely change the tempo of your day , and will allow you to learn and explore new areas . The best conditions for sight fishing are going to be crystal clear , bluebird sky days with no wind . Clouds are your worst enemy and can completely shut down a day of sight fishing ; so , it ’ s best to avoid fishing on cloudy days . The wind isn ’ t as much of a factor since you ’ ll be protected in the marsh , but too much can sometimes become a handful . If you ’ re looking for areas to get out and make your first trip , here are a few to get you started :
Irish Bayou Marsh :
The marsh surrounding Irish Bayou holds a decent amount of fish and is fairly easy to access , especially if you live on the North Shore . You ’ ll also have access to the long rock shoreline running along the Bayou Sauvage Refuge which can be great to fish on days with a strong west wind .
Chef Pass : The marsh surrounding the Chef Pass area is great for sight fishing . Many of the ponds in this area remain fairly clear throughout the summer despite being so close to Lake Borgne . You ’ ll find lots of grass in this area and a decent amount of fish .
Lake Borgne Shoreline : The rock mats along the Lake Borgne shoreline are one of my favorite spots to fish during a strong north wind . While you aren ’ t going to find much grass , the rocks help clean up the water , allowing for excellent visibility . Look for the fish to be swimming along the rock mats or sitting just off of them . Be mindful that the mats do have holes in them and getting your lure hung up is quite easy .
Delacroix / Reggio : Delacroix and Reggio are probably at the top of my list for sight fishing . The ponds are very fertile , producing a lot of aquatic grasses which create a perfect habitat for redfish . You ’ ll not only find redfish , but an abundance of bass as well . Ask any number of sight fishermen about Delacroix , and they will agree that it ’ s sight fishing heaven .
Lures
Redfish , in general , are fairly curious fish ; so when it comes to lures , you have wide variety of options . Soft plastic lures such as Matrix Shad , Vortex Shad , Ribbit Frogs , and Flukes can all be fished weedless or on a jighead . Inline spinners , gold spoons , and spinner baits also work great in cloudier
The Stanley Ribbit Frog is available in 3 1 / 2 inch and 4 1 / 2 inch sizes . Stanley has named the 4 1 / 2 inch model the Bull Ribbit Frog .
water conditions where visibility isn ’ t as good . If you find that the fish you ’ re casting on aren ’ t liking what you ’ re throwing , switch it up and try something different until you find something that works .
Sight fishing is a lot of fun and can be a great way to put your duck boat to use during the off season . If you have your boat set up correctly and choose the right days to make your trips , odds are you ’ ll end up putting some fish in the boat .
May 2016 www . marshandbayou . com 53