Hot Summer Fishing Tips for
Reds and Specks

Hello folks, Captain Griff here. As I sit here on my front porch overlooking the Barataria waterway, enjoying the nice afternoon breeze, I’m thinking about how great the fishing is right now. Lots of reds and when the wind is down, boxes of trout! Yes, life is good now. But…

Don’t you just hate it when someone adds that “but…”! You know, they bit good yesterday, “but…”. Or “but…” if the wind wasn’t blowing so hard…”but…”!
Well, the fishing is good right now, “but…”, as the temperature rises into the 80s, 90s and 100s, it’s going to get tougher and tougher to catch those fish!

That’s one of the reasons I’m writing this article now. Our friend, Mark, at Mark’s Outdoors called and asked me to pass on some Hot summer fishing tips to his readers. The second reason is that I just like sharing stuff I’ve learned over the years with other fishermen!

Well, here goes, “but…” (just kidding!), no buts here, just simple techniques that will guarantee you will catch fish when all of your buddies are complaining that it is too hard to catch fish in the heat! <br>
Let me start with a disclaimer. “The experts may not agree with what I’m saying, but what I do know for a fact is that we caught over 10,000 red fish last year!” That’s right, 10,000! Of course, we also did over 1,000 charters as well. My point is, we know how to catch reds and specks as good as anyone in the country.

Let’s start with spring fishing. We all know how easy it is. Those red fish and trout have been laying in those deep holes all winter long and they are hungry! In April and May as the temperatures rise, they start to feed to get ready for the spawn. If it moves or smells good, they like it and will chase it down! Shrimp, crabs, pogies and finger mullet are in serious trouble if a red or speck is anywhere around!

But… as the temperatures rise to the 80s and 90s, things change a little. Just like us, right now, we don’t mind cutting the grass or doing a little yard work. But…as the temps rise, we don’t move around as well, especially in the hottest part of the day. See where I’m going???

Those reds and specks are no different. You’ll find them in the same areas, eating the same bait, only the bite has changed now!

We believe the change has to do with the heat. We fish hard from daylight till about 11:30 or 12:00, then quit! That’s right, at noon, you’ll almost always find us heading to the dock. As the water gets hotter during the day, we find that reds and specks slow down. Even when the tide is still moving good, it doesn’t pay to keep pounding away.

So here is the first tip. Break your fishing day into two parts. Four or five hours in the morning and three or four hours in the late afternoon. Simple, right? You would be surprised at the folks we see out on the water from daylight till dark. And when you ask when they caught their fish, it’s always “early and late.”

Second tip. I hear people say this all the time during the summer, “I could see the fish but they just wouldn’t bite!” Ever happen to you? Sure it has! Here’s how to make them bite or at least increase your odds. Before you leave the dock, check your tide charts, not your lunar charts. When it heats up, reds and specks will always bite on the rising or falling tide. If there is little or no tide in the morning, wait till afternoon.

Think about it for a second. Would you rather be in a stagnant pond or a flowing river? Which is cooler? Which one makes you feel better? Okay, we’re almost there. Early and late fishing, moving tied. Right?

Here’s the last tip. Cover! “Cover?” you say, “there ain’t no cover in the marsh oir on the beaches!” Oh yes there is! It’s just a little different than what you think. Let’s start with a sand bar. On one side or the other, it’s always a little deeper. For trout or reds, that’s cover, less sunlight. Add a little deeper water, moving water and the sun rising or setting. What do you have? Perfect hot summer time “catching”!

It’s the same with marsh grass. Fish the side where the sun is throwing a shadow and the tide is moving along the bank. If you use these three simple rules, you are guaranteed to catch more and bigger fish!!

Last and not least, please remember the sun block, especially for the kids. Don’t wait until you are out on the water. You’ll forget then and they’ll already be sweating. Put it on before you leave the house and reapply it later. Also, be sure everyone drinks plenty of water, several times a day! Not soft drinks or beer! Water!!

Until next time, y’all be safe on the water, keep what you are going to eat and put the rest back to catch another day!!

--Captain Raymond Griffin
www.griffinfishing.com
1-800-741-1340