S-O-S…Same Old Spots!

Routine, mundane, habitual – along with a host of other terms – would easily describe the fishing patterns of many anglers, including myself, from time to time. It’s so easy to fall into a rut and become comfortable or complacent, especially if you are catching a few fish. The old saying that familiarity breeds contempt comes to mind as we slowly become more predictable in our approach. I was asked by a client not too long ago about some historic tracks on my GPS screen, specifically about how they basically described a pattern in areas I frequent often. There it was, staring right back at me in clear digital display, an electronic representation of a rut.

I had become predictable and not really noticed it; my approach had been based more on comfort than on conditions without me realizing what was happening. When a situation like this arises it means it’s time for a mental reset; time to step back and take a look at some different water or techniques in order to get back into the mode where you read the conditions and act accordingly. We are all are guilty of fishing like a “mailman” so to speak, taking the same route to the same spots and hoping to run into the fish. Don’t let that happen to you this summer; break the cycle with some of these options.

If you have read this column from time to time over the years you have more than likely seen me use the term crossover in reference to baits, lures or techniques used in freshwater. I certainly have my favorites, such as plastic frogs, shallow running stickbaits and even the drop shot come to mind. I have recently started toying with a technique that has been used in other locations to our east with great success over the years for speckled trout as well as redfish and that’s slow trolling soft plastics and crankbaits. In a venue such as Sabine or Calcasieu where structure is in short supply the fish tend to wander and are difficult to pin down at times much like they are on places like the Great Lakes where trolling for walleye, lake trout and others species is the preferred method.

Slow trolling is a great way to locate fish and this technique has been tested everywhere from offshore waters to freshwater inland lakes. For some strange reason this method never really was accepted by inshore saltwater anglers until several years ago in places like the Carolinas or even on Lake Pontchartrain over in Louisiana.

This simple technique of dragging soft plastics or crankbaits at low speed near ledges, drop-offs, jetties, or other areas of structure allows anglers to cover more water and pinpoint fish in spots where they can in turn be fished more thoroughly. So far I have been able find fish while trolling and then going back to the places where we had either caught fish or had several hookups, and fishing that spot with a more traditional approach, either by drifting or troll-motoring, with good success. I won’t lie to you, I felt like an idiot at first until that initial strike made me a believer. The technique is definitely worth a try.

Speaking of covering water, this month means longer boat rides as everything comes into play when the summer winds begin to fall slack. Leaving the dock in the morning from the Sabine River may have you in the Gulf before breakfast and running the beachfront. June, July and August invite anglers of all types but the traffic seems light as more water opens up with lighter winds. Last summer I spent more time down on the jetties than I had ever done and I’m sure that will be the case again this year. The trout bite along the rocks when the water gets right is worth the effort and I say that begrudgingly. It seems like I always break something, scratch my boat, or have some other mishap when I do the jetty program but the fish are worth it.

Last summer we had quite a few tarpon show up and that was an unexpected treat. I saw several of these fish hooked and watched as wide-eyed trout fishermen got a lesson into why they call tarpon the silver king. I will at some point make it a priority to target those fish this year because nothing would be sweeter than catching one here at home.

More options for the summer include chasing the big bull redfish down the beachfront and taking a shot at the tripletail that will invade the surf at the same time. The redfish will announce their presence with a vengeance as they herd up pogies and start a feeding free-for-all that has to be witnessed to believe. If you decide to target these fish bring the big stuff because they will make high-dollar splinters out of your favorite wading rod if you are not careful.

Topwater plugs and rattling corks will handle most of this duty and provide a surface show as well. Don’t be surprised if you run into some big jack crevalle running with the redfish, they’ll be in the mix when the dinner bell rings for sure. The tripletail will need a much more subtle approach like live shrimp or a smaller three-inch soft plastic on a light jighead or even under a cork. You can spot these fish sunning and sight-cast to them with good results.

As the crowds head offshore many will stay behind in the main body of either Sabine or Calcasieu and take advantage of some schooling activity as both trout and redfish will be hustling shrimp and shad all over these lakes. Look for flocks of birds to lead the way to the schooling fish as they look for an easy meal. Once the birds leave, give the area a few minutes to see if the fish resurface and begin feeding again. Typically the trout will push the shrimp all the way to the surface making it easy to spot them while the redfish tend to stay a little deeper. There is nothing like finding these fish without any birds around because you will not draw a crowd from any other boats fishing the “bent rod” structure pattern; if you get my drift.

With better conditions and more water to fish you have no excuse not to try some new water or perhaps a new technique in an attempt to break out of a self-imposed rut. Discovering alternate locations and styles of fishing only make you a more well-rounded angler and significantly increase your odds of success. Minimal effort is required to try something new and the feeling of accomplishment when your new program pays off is like a shot in the arm. You can always go back to your same old haunts and be content or you could take the chance of trying something new and open up a whole new world that you never knew existed.

Take that chance this summer and, if you can, be sure and bring a kid along so they can experience it as well.