July 2016 Volumn 17 Issue 193 | Page 21

Marsh & Bayou ’ s

Fishing Forecast

Mississippi Coast
by Alex Smith www . alexsmithfishing . com
The weather is HOT , but that ’ s not the only thing heating up around the Mississippi Coast . With minimal effort , it ’ s taking no time to catch big numbers of speckled trout and redfish . Here ’ s what you need to know to get in on the great fishing . Chasing those freckled fish can be challenging during certain parts of the year , but now , it ’ s like taking candy from a baby . Typically , I like to catch my fish in deeper water , roughly 10-15 ft . Right now , the fish are suspending in seven feet of water . In the early morning hours , these fish can easily be spotted on a calm day underneath dozens of marine birds . My favorite time to catch these fish in July is right at dusk . As the water temperatures start to cool down , the bigger trout move back up onto the flats . If you can see mullet or ballyhoo schooled up , get ready for a fight . Watching the mambo-like dance of a topwater builds the suspense until it gets inhaled by a gator trout . Every once in a while , a redfish will sneak up and bust it as well .
Big numbers of redfish are also being caught along the coast . Most are coming from sight casting tailing reds in the shallow marshes . As the big bull reds continue their migration , it is
pretty common for anglers to catch them off of fishing piers scattered along the coast . When targeting these fish , the best time to do so is right at daylight . There is nothing more exciting than seeing the tail of a redfish dangling out of the water as it scavenges the mud for crabs . Pitching a shrimp creole Matrix Shad in their face is a sure fire way to hook up .
Delacroix
by Capt . Rykert O . Toledano , Jr . While Away Fishing Charters .
( 985 ) 778-1150
Hot is a relative term but by any measurement our weather has turned to true summer . The good news is the water outside in Black Bay and moving east has changed for the better . The salinity is up and the fish are moving through between islands and rigs . We are just beginning to enjoy those traditional great outside summer catches of speckle trout . Fish are to be found beginning in American Bay and moving east through Bay Lafourche , the area around Stone Island and Iron Banks and extending over to Five Wells . Conditions should continuously improve assuming that we have a generally prevailing southeast wind . Now is the time to be on the water early and in late evenings . Remembering to keep you bait cool by ice pack to insure that your shrimp are healthy . Never add raw ice but rather use heavy duty Ziploc bags or regular ice packs . Redfish abound throughout all areas of Delacroix however like speckled trout in the heat of the day they will move off the flats to cool and deeper water . I mentioned this in last year ’ s message . Let your children and grandchildren see the sunrise or sunset on a fishing trip and it will be a memory for life . While fishing the rigs remember that fish will generally be found on the up current side of the structure awaiting the flow of bait and position yourself accordingly . Last but not least conditions can change very quickly on the water due to thunderstorms . Watch the weather and always be respectful of the dangers inherent in lighting storms . Enjoy the fourth of July and if anytime I can be of help please feel free to call me at 985-778-1150 . Have a great time on the water and be safe . Captain Rykert O . Toledano , Jr . While Away Fishing Charters .
For more fishing tips on targeting inshore trophy fish , visit my Facebook page , Alex Smith Fishing . My blogs are also available on my website http :// www . alexsmithfishing . com . For all questions , contact me at ( 228 ) -669- 2317 or email alexsmithfishing @ gmail . com .
July 2016 www . marshandbayou . com
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