Spring in Full Swing

I think it safe to say that the cold days of winter are finally behind us and the seasonal changes toward spring are already occurring. There may be a few mornings that require a light jacket for the boat ride but the days of being bundled up are over. As much as I enjoy fishing during the colder months I am happy to see some warmer days in my future.

Another thing anglers can rejoice about is that the days are getting longer. This means that we can spend more time on the water fishing and I know that everyone agrees this is a good thing. The only bad thing is that we tend to get a few rainy days in April but if you can manage to dodge them it is worth getting out there.

Being that my first love is sight-casting redfish, I will admit that I have become accustomed to “fly fishing hours.” That means sleeping in and taking your time to get ready. There is no point getting out there before the sun is up high enough to allow us to see the fish. That being said, the one thing I miss is being on the water while the sun is barely peeking over the eastern horizon and watching the world wake up. There are times throughout the year I will sleep late, but not during springtime. I try to never miss a springtime sunrise.

The reason being is that there is something special about having a peaceful calm morning interrupted by a trout blowing up a topwater. And odds are, you will usually find many more than just one fish. This is a great time of the year to have some fun catching a few fish to get your day started out right before hitting the marsh.

Fishing this time of the year is great and no matter what you do, you can’t go wrong. The trout fishing is great and you can find schools of them scattered across Sabine Lake. The flounder should have moved back in from their spawning run to the gulf and will be stacking up in marsh drains. Along with that, redfish should be back in the marsh. Plenty of options for everyone.

Over the past several years it has taken me a little bit of studying to find redfish during this transition to warmer weather. Their diet is changing from mostly mullet to shrimp, shad, and crabs. This in turn changes their daily habits and patterns and it forces an angler to transition as well. The first thing to do is figure out where their prey is hiding.

As it gets warmer, one of the first signs I look for is ponds where new seagrass is growing. Winter causes a die-off of the majority of aquatic vegetation in our marshes. However, once the temperature starts to rise, grass will begin to grow and it will do so quicker in some ponds than others. I have come to find that the first ponds that show seagrass recovery will consistently hold the most fish. One thing that I can never figure out is that these grassy ponds tend to be inconsistent year after year. The same pond that grew grass first last year will sometimes not be the first the following year. It is never a recurring pattern. That being said, it may take a few trips out to find them but once you do, you can be certain that there will be fish there. The grass in the marsh provides a perfect refuge for all forage species and this will definitely attract hungry redfish.

When it comes to lure selection for springtime, I personally like to stick to what I know. I will always have a 1/4 oz. Johnson gold spoon tied on; it is tried and true and been around for a long time. Along with that, and likely since I just got done targeting daylight trout, I will also have a topwater on one of my rods. My favorite for both trout and reds is the She Dog; it has the perfect size profile and the hooks are sturdy enough for a big redfish. When it comes to color, my preference leans toward the glow or a chartreuse and black patterns.

Another rig I will almost always have tied up is a popping cork. I know what some people think about this but it just flat out catches fish. Especially this time of year when you may be blind-casting more than sight-casting due to poor water clarity, there is not a better setup to have. I know there are several different styles of corks out there but my best advice is to avoid the cheapest ones. Redfish are brutes and will ruin even the best of gear. When it comes to rigging, I believe leader length under the cork for marsh fishing is one of the most common mistakes anglers make. Fishing water that is two feet or less in depth, I have found that a leader of ten to twelve inches will impart better action to your soft plastic lure tied below, and at more-or-less eye-level to the fish. My standard rigging includes 20-pound fluorocarbon leader material and a 1/16 ounce jighead. Never underestimate the power of the popping cork!

As I said earlier, there are plenty of angling options in April, highlighted by warmer and longer days. Be sure to get out on the water because it won’t be too long before the dog days of summer will be here before you know it. Enjoy your time with family and friends and remember that catching is always a bonus.