My long time friend, angling companion and fellow veteran Alaska fishing guide Brandon Price made it down to the coast to sample some of the winter redfishing I had been talking about. Yes it was cold yesterday and no it doesn’t mess up the fishing as much as it does the fishermen. In all honesty we need the weather to be foul for more than three days and nights to really hurt these fish’s metabolism and shutting them down. Yesterday’s water temperature was hovering in the low 50’s and this year even with water as low as 47 degrees F we have caught redfish.
So with spirits high and the cold upon us we set out to fly fish for redfish yesterday afternoon. My first stop with Brandon was to a place where a large Black Drum had been spotted. This fish is of world record proportions so we went armed with the 10 wt. and a black bunny fly tied on a tarpon style 1/0 hook. No luck in finding the black drum, aka Goliath, yesterday so we didn’t waste anymore time in searching for him. On to the redfish!
I have been able to stay on top of where the redfish are concentrated this winter and even catch them when it seemed the chances were slim. We had good weather and wind when we set out to locate this school of redfish but I had watched the forecast and was aware that we would have a small window due to some strong winds that would be upon us by 3 pm. Brandon got out his 7 wt. which happens to be 10′ long, I said Alaska remember, and with his casting ability and that limber tip he was casting an easy 65 feet or more. After about a ten minute stalk I whispered to Brandon that I had the fish in my sights, “there they are Brandon, at ten o’clock. They are at 50 feet and closing, look at the dark colored area, all of that is fish!” Brandon started his cast, took another look and said, “oh there they are!” as about 50 fish charged the boat. He laid the fly down and as soon as it did one of the drum tried to eat it off of the surface! The fish struck like a tuna and Brandon wasn’t tight yet so the fish never felt steel. Now the fish were crossing our bow, left to right at 12 o’clock and about fifty feet out, a perfect shot for Brandon. He made the cast, stripped twice and WHAM he was tight to his first redfish of 2008. The school scattered around the now hooked and distressed fish and Brandon was off to the races. It sure was cool to see 10 feet of graphite doubled over!
What a great day on the water with my good buddy Brandon Price. Here’s a piece of advice, Brandon, don’t wait so long before getting down here to fish with me again, it’s too much fun having you on the boat.
Winter redfishing is in full swing and I am fishing with my anglers on the warmer days of each week. We are averaging 10 or more shots at schooling redfish a day and when the weather cooperates the fishing is all sight oriented whether topwater spinning or fly. Don’t hesitate to call and book your adventure today.
Tight Loops & Lines,
Captain Seth Vernon~
