# The marsh is on fire! (pics included)



## Te.jas.on (Mar 28, 2005)

I've made several trips to the marshes from Trinity to Freeport in the last couple months, and the fishing in the backcountry has been outstanding since the hurricane.

I donated a guided trip to CCA sometime back, and the guy who bought it wanted to get his wife on some redfish. We had planned to make this trip sometime late in the summer, but Ike rolled through and forced us to postpone.

I was finally able to get him and his wife out yesterday morning. The forecasts showed SE winds at 10-15 knots and a 40% chance of thunderstorms lingering throughout the day. Needless to say, I was prepared for a grind, but the weather wizards missed it again, and it actually turned out to be a pretty nice day.

We left the dock about 6:10 am and had our lines in the water by 6:30. I set the Beavertail up in a marsh drain on the outgoing tide and the trout were cooperative. We boated a few keeper specks early, and then the redfish started showing up. They were moving down the shorelines gorging on shrimp. The fish on the main-lake shorelines were moving too fast to chase down, so I fired up the motor and moved further back into the marsh to see if I could pin some reds down in the bayous.

I wasn't on the poling platform for 5 minutes before we saw our first school of reds. It was a school at least 50-fish strong, and there were some STUDS mixed in with the group. They were crawling all over each other with their backs and tails out of the water - I think that's one of my favorite sites to see in the marsh.

The husband hooked a fish out of that school on a spinnerbait and the rest of the fish went nuts and turned the bayou into a muddy mess. They were bumping into the boat on the way out of the marsh. I don't think he and his wife had ever seen that many redfish in one place. They were sitting there with their mouths open as all the fish were speeding by the boat.

About 10 minutes later I poled them into a small pond where I'd seen a couple big wakes. The wife made a cast near a mud boil, twitched her rod a few times and all I saw was a big swirl, and then her line started swimming off to the side. She set the hook and the fish went nuts. It actually pulled the boat into the grass. There were a few tense moments, because she was fighting the fish on a 6-foot medium-light rod with about 15-pound test mono. The fish finally wore itself out after doing a couple laps around the pond and when I got it in the net and she went crazy. She said this was the biggest fish she'd ever caught. The fish was exactly 29-inches long and topped the 12-pound mark on my Boga.










And here's a shot of the release:









We sight-cast to reds for the next hour or so, but once the wind picked up and put a ripple on the water it got tough to see the fish. We did manage to put a couple more fish in the boat from under the birds. They actually got a double hook-up under the birds - hubby caught a red and she caught a trout. I made a cast hoping for a triple hookup Texas slam, but it wasn't meant to be.

There's really nothing special about the details of the pattern. Just find some skinny water and start looking. The little grass shrimp are everywhere. If you see those little shrimp jumping out of the water like popcorn, cast right there and it's almost a guaranteed catch. If you can get an outgoing tide that overlaps with sunrise, that's been the ideal scenario. If you can get a major or minor on top of that, it's money for sure.

I've only been using two baits for the past several weeks, and that's a TTF Killer Flats Minnow and a TTF Killer Shrimp, both in Mumpy Glo color. Anytime I feel like the fish are feeding on shrimp, I'll throw one of those two baits. I just think they mimic little shrimp perfectly, and with the red fleck they've got just the right amount of appeal to get a fish's attention. When there's a ton of bait in the marsh I like to throw something that's natural, but not TOO natural. It's just a personal belief of mine, but I think if your bait looks too much like the natural forage, you're less likely to get bit. I like something that looks fairly natural, but has just a little extra something for added appeal.

The Louisiana boys have always told me that fishing after Katrina and Rita was insane, and now I think we're experiencing that first-hand. I know everybody is still stressed from the storm, and I was in a major rut for a good month after Ike passed. I actually had to force myself to leave the house work and get out on the water, but I'm glad I did. I feel a lot better now that I'm getting my required dose of 'saltwater therapy'. :tongue:


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## bslittle79 (May 24, 2004)

Good post Jason, and nice photos. I need you to teach me a thing or two about photo editing. Think they'll be there Friday? haha


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## spitfire (Jan 2, 2007)

Nice red!


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## long shot (Sep 23, 2006)

As always...nice report.


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## Texxan1 (Dec 31, 2004)

Good Job Jason... Glad to know the fish are still on fire 

I had an oustanding marsh day saturday out of the kayak


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## shorty70 (Jun 29, 2008)

Very nice report...bet that gal was super happy !


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## Te.jas.on (Mar 28, 2005)

So I heard! I found some fish on the other side of the world with my dad on Saturday, but a combination of factors made for a short day. There were duck hunters in most of the spots I wanted to check, and I tend to steer clear of guys with big guns. lol

I'll probably be out there for a few hours, Weds. morning. Tide's not very strong, but the conditions look favorable. If you head out we'll probably cross paths. Or, if you want to get on the front of the Beavertail let me know. Scott might come with me, but he's not sure yet.



Texxan1 said:


> Good Job Jason... Glad to know the fish are still on fire
> 
> I had an oustanding marsh day saturday out of the kayak


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## Captain Dave (Jul 19, 2006)

I like the bronze tint to the photos. Lighting was key to the fish success.

Always a pleasure to read a report from the Te.jas.on


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## MsAddicted (Jan 25, 2005)

Very nice Jason, one of those memorable days! Awesome redfishing for your customers. 


Hey, I have a mumpy glow question...I tend to rig with either that or bone catcher or liquid shrimp in those conditions. So if your preference is the MG, when do you put the others on?


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## bayoubum (Aug 7, 2007)

great report


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## FishinHippie (Jun 19, 2005)

Thanks for the report Jason! awesome job!

Is this report also on inshorefan.com?


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## Te.jas.on (Mar 28, 2005)

Good question, and I've never really thought about it. But after considering it, I use all three of those colors in different situations.

The only time I really use the Liquid Shrimp is when the water is fairly clear AND the sun is bright. Liquid Shrimp is a go-to for me in the surf when it's trout green. I also use it quite a bit on sunny days in that area where you caught your big trout a while back, you know what I mean. 

I use Mumpy Glo probably 60% of the time. If the water has a little stain to it I'll use it. I also like it for clear water on cloudy days.

As far as Bone Catcher, I tend to use that in stained to dirty water on sunny days.

With that said, all three of those colors are pretty versatile, and I use them all quite bit in clear to stained conditions.

When you have really dirty water with less than 6-inches of visibility, or a really cloudy day, I'll go with something dark like a Texas Roach or Bug Juice. I use both of those colors a lot on spinnerbaits.

BUT in spite of all that... I'm a firm believer that the best color you can use is the one that you think catches fish. When I'm throwing a Mumpy Glo Flats Minnow I can go all day without a bite and still feel like I'm going to catch one on the next cast.



MsAddicted said:


> Very nice Jason, one of those memorable days! Awesome redfishing for your customers.
> 
> Hey, I have a mumpy glow question...I tend to rig with either that or bone catcher or liquid shrimp in those conditions. So if your preference is the MG, when do you put the others on?


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## Te.jas.on (Mar 28, 2005)

Nah, I don't put anything related to my personal exploits on there, with the exception of some kayak stuff every now and then. Nobody wants to hear from some lousy editor, they only care what the PROs think. haha

When you gonna' take me fishing in that Mosca? I'll swap you a Mosca outing for a Beavertail adventure. 



FishinHippie said:


> Thanks for the report Jason! awesome job!
> 
> Is this report also on inshorefan.com?


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## SEA SLOT (Jul 28, 2005)

Great report and pic's!!!


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## twitch-twitch-reel (May 21, 2006)

where are the pics? am I going blind?!


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## FishinHippie (Jun 19, 2005)

Well, keep putting people on fish like that and soon you'll be the pro!! 

I would LOVE to take a ride in the beavertail!! I've always admired your boat and I even stole a few idea from it for my Mosca!



Te.jas.on said:


> Nah, I don't put anything related to my personal exploits on there, with the exception of some kayak stuff every now and then. Nobody wants to hear from some lousy editor, they only care what the PROs think. haha
> 
> When you gonna' take me fishing in that Mosca? I'll swap you a Mosca outing for a Beavertail adventure.


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## Autco (Jul 2, 2008)

Fantastic and great post and pics.


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## bajafever (Oct 3, 2007)

Jason,

How about a ride and fishing out of a Lake and Bay?

Ed


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## MsAddicted (Jan 25, 2005)

Te.jas.on said:


> When you gonna' take me fishing in that Mosca? I'll swap you a Mosca outing for a Beavertail adventure.


Jason, tell the truth...you'd rather ride on a full grown Mosca than Hippies half-pint :rotfl:


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## fpoon (Apr 7, 2007)

good lob bro


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