I am not sure if there is anybody that is more obsessed with the pursuit of a truly monster trout than myself. During the Spring I wake up every morning at about four o clock and run outside to look at the water. I take into consideration the wind, tide, barometric pressure and whatever else I can think of that might give me an edge, and I start planning my morning of fishing. This is the time of year for the long trout to be fat and healthy. Every cast you make is like playing the lottery. Your chances are slim, but if you cast enough times you will someday hit the jackpot.
I have many different spots that I enjoy fishing during this time of year when I am searching for a big fish. Some of them are twenty miles north of the marina, yet others are less than a mile from the dock. No matter where I may end up fishing for the morning or afternoon I always have a plan that is a little more detailed than most people think. I have seen the look on my client s faces when I tell them where to cast. Just like a smart bomb from our U.S. Air Force can go through a window of a building. You can send a tiny lure into a certain pothole in a huge grass flat.
Over the years I have caught many big trout on accident . Usually I was just drifting along or wading while just casting away not paying much attention. I reach up to scratch my nose and POW! you have a big fish on the line. Once I started paying attention to these strike zones I started to realize that these big fish were usually in the same spot where I caught a big one two weeks prior. Now, I have a whole mess of GPS points in my head where I can anticipate a big fish to be waiting to ambush a little snack. I like to call this precision fishing. I think it has really increased the success rate of my Trophy fishing charters. For example instead of fishing Airport Cove , let s fish that big pothole next to the pile of oysters that is fifty yards from the shoreline during a falling tide in Airport Cove . I have two trout on my wall from that one little spot that is about the size of a coffee table. With that said, I wouldn t go run around in Airport Cove looking for that pothole I guarantee you won t find it. Ha Ha.
This kind of fishing takes a lot of hours on the water. The basic word to describe precision fishing is Experience. Through trial and error I have very small fishing holes that I go to in search of a big fish. The way to start your own list of these great spots is try to remember a big fish you caught in the past. Where were you? What was the tide doing? What time of year was it? Etc Once you get the same conditions during the present day try to hit that spot again and see if it produces. It just might. Then you have an edge on the competition.
This method does not always work. There are many more random fish caught than anything. Fish cruise around everywhere and can be caught almost any part of the bay. However, if you can find a truly special fishing spot you have a better chance of catching a monster Trout or Redfish. Next time you are out on the bay try and pay a little more attention to the water. You might just be wading next to your dream fishes weekend home. www.spifishing.com