Finally as we edge closer to Christmas there seems to be some let up to the constant Northeast winds we have been getting since those two storms. The runoff from all the rains has ever so gradually continued to subside to where now almost all water levels in the Mosquito Lagoon area have returned to normal levels. During these high but very dirty water conditions the Redfishing has been on and off again. Fishing has been very inconsistent at best. Part of the problem is that even in very shallow water less than 1 foot it is very difficult to see bottom and tell where the sandbar is. Likewise the drop-off, or the big sand patches we all throw to in the fall and winter months for Redfish and occasionally a nice Trout or two. As I relate to my clients from time to time , " Its always a tough day when you can't see the bottom of the livewell or the bait because the water is so dirty".

Pair that with rough windy conditions it can become an effort in perseverance and patience. Such describes the conditions for much of the last couple of months. And also to add just a little more challenge to all this it has been overcast or mostly cloudy along with these other tough conditions. Speaking as a guide these are the worst possible conditions to have to go out on fishing trip without any of what I call the BIG THREE in water conditions especially flats, sight type fishing.

#1 water clarity

#2 surface water conditions (calm , choppy, etc.)

#3 and finally probably the most important SUN !

If I start out on a fishing trip and I have all three of these conditions I should be able to find Redfish quickly and consistently through most of the year.

If I have only one or two of the Three I should be able to find fish sometime during the trip and can potentially still have very good days.

When I start out with none of Three I know it is going to be a tough day. Maybe still productive but still tough casting. The only way to produce effectively with windy, cloudy, dirty water days is to efficiently blind cast in and around known good areas and try to as quickly as possible determine if there are fish on the flat or not and continue to move until you can find fish. This can be tedious and time consuming and as on all paying guide trips, fishing time is very valuable. I usually try to get my clients to cast downwind as far as possible ahead of our drift direction and work a consistent, thorough grid pattern for several hundred yards until you have hooked up a few and go back around for another drift or no hits or hookups and move on to the next area and do the same. You must be careful though to make sure you did have a broad casting pattern as you drifted and fished it thoroughly or you might leave not knowing there are 50 to 100 Redfish scattered across this flat and you just did not fish it well enough to know. This probably happens more than you think. Be Thorough always but especially on days when the "Big Three" leave you wondering where the fish are.

Such was the case on a trip last week.

On Sunday we went out with 0 of the Big Three conditions existing. It was constantly cloudy, mostly overcast. The wind was blowing 15 to 20 mph at dawn from the East and the water was a cross between rust and gray color. Tough day. I had Three young teenagers from North Florida on a full day. We first went to East side of the Lagoon to see if we could find fish in the calmer areas along far eastern edge.

All three of the boys casted very consistently and thoroughly and with four fishing rods laying down a 20 to 30 yard wide pattern after about an hour or so we did not have any hits, nor did we see any fish movements, wakes, etc.. I decided to move more North in the Lagoon and get out in the wind more and drift an area North of Tiger Shoals. Then out in the wind more we could cast even farther ahead of the drift and we were again fishing a wide pattern as we drifted. About 100 yards into the drift we hooked the first Redfish, about an 8# and shortly thereafter another about the same size. In about 250 yards of drift we had two redfish by being thorough and consistent with our casting pattern. We had identified that there were Redfish on this flat and we ended up drifting that flat 15 times through that whole day and boated 14 Redfish and had another three or four spit the lure. I thank my clients for the effort they gave. Most trips in these conditions can be productive but you must pay your dues by casting, casting, and casting.

Finally though, Mother nature seems to be letting up and the winds are less and less each morning. The water is cleaning up and the Sun has been out cloud free for several days. Maybe we finally can get to the great Fall and Winter fishing we have here sighting and casting to Tailing or Finning Redfish. The Redfish through all of this have continued to feed well when found. They too are probably more than ready for easier feeding conditions and bait pods, crustaceans burrowing in the sand etc..

LETS GO FISHING,