July Floods and August Albies

It's been a month since my last blog update and we have a lot to talk about.  The last 30 days have been a roller coaster ride between some of the best fishing I've seen in a long time and some of the biggest struggle bus rides of the year.  We've also gotten to get out looking for some future opportunities for our anglers to enjoy the amazing fishery we have on the Crystal Coast.  So without further ado...

We've experienced some of the best tailing Redfish I've ever seen.  We've had some really good floods and witnessed some of the highest numbers of tailing fish I've ever seen on the flats.  Will the late August and September floods be as productive?  I guess we'll see.

Although the slot sized teenage Redfish are our bread and butter...sometimes, every once in a while, something really cool happens, and we get to cast at grandma and grandpa Redfish.

Although it doesn't get the hype that Redfish do, I love getting out along the beaches and chasing after Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel on 6wts.

Sightfishing Redfish in shallow water never gets old.

Tails in the grass.

Creeping and crawling.

Sending one back into the grass to go hunt more fidders.  We've experienced some extremely high air and water temps (88-94 degrees), so we've been really careful with our Redfish and taken some extra time on the releases to make sure they get back into their habitat safe and healthy.

Battling the Blues.

5lb Blues are a blast on 6wts!

Feeding fish up close and personal in six inches of water is a blast.  This fish was so shallow that I had to get out and push the boat to the fish.

Doing headstands.

They don't come everyday, but I live for those slicked out sunny days for sightfishing Reds.

Thats a big motor on a big old sumbarine.

Catching our breath.

Starting to fight back, almost ready to kick off.

"Alright Redfish, give us a quick smile and we'll snap a pic and let you go." 
​"Fine, just get it over with, I'm so embarrassed that I ate that fly..."

Moonrise over the tailing flats.

Megalodrum.

Yes, they are here!  The Albies started showing up sporadically in early August, mixed in with the Spanish Mackerel.  More recently, they have been showing up as full fledged blitzing schools.  I can't wait until September, I think we'll experience another great early Albie season this year.

The hard part is over, just got to bring him to the boat.

Tearing up the marsh!

Flood tide sunsets are the best sunsets.  Everybody comes for the fish, but the plan is for them to leave with so much more...with an experience, and long lasting memories.

Fooled another one crawling in ankle deep water.

There's been plenty of Spanish Mackerel around, and they are a bunch of fun on light tackle whether you are a beginner or a veteran angler.

The Redfish bandit strikes again...
​"Give me all your shrimp flies and no one get's hurt!"

"Let me just hide right here behind this blade of grass and maybe they won't see me."

Say no to trout sets, and say yes to strip strikes and side pressure. 
​Colin putting the heat on another fish.

I'm a biology dork, so I love seeing my anglers catch cool stuff like this Moonfish.

I think the coolest part of sightfishing Redfish is the couple seconds leading up to the eat.

When it's really good, we don't even cast, we just lean over
and snatch them right out of the water....just kidding.

Getting in a few last shots.  Was that a tailing fish, or are we just seeing things?

Gold fish, gold skies and gold reflections.

So worth staying till the last moment and riding back in the dark for.

My buddy Eric made it back from a year of working in Korea, just in time to fish the first annual Redfish Rodeo fly fishing tournament.  

We are gear whores.

The "neigh"bors are out for a morning stroll.

The eat and the set.

Head down and fighting back.

Jonah fished several floods with me this month and wore them out.

Bulldogging it.

Evening topwater bites are the best.

Coming in for a landing.  Watching clients cast to Redfish is a high excitement and high anxiety activity for me, but it all morphs into joy and relief once they come tight.

Gosh Jonah, leave some for the rest of us.

Red on Red.

Love watching them wake up and swim away.

Bluefish are super aggressive and a load of fun on light tackle and fly.

Topwater Grass Bass.

Copper scaled fly crushers.

Johah, I'm about to cut you off.

Thanks for your time, we'll catch you later.

Where do you think your going?  Come back here.

We've kept a couple this year, but we've put 99% of them back.  I'm planning on putting 100% of them back in 2024...stay tuned.

Multi-spotter!

Okay Jonah, you got another one...the sun is setting, can we go home now?

Cool tail spot.

First Redfish for this angler.

Blues and teals and greens.

Fooled by a well presented shrimp fly.

Somebody's not happy about getting caught.

Light rods and running the beaches for Spanish Mackerel = Good Times!

That look of guilt and regret.

Sightcasting pigs.

Want to see a magic trick?  Now you see 'em.  Now you don't.

Vast. 
​The first word that comes to my mind. 
​I love the open ocean and being able to watch giant storms form and travel across the horizon.  There's hungry fish out there somewhere.