Late February fishing report
By Captain Geoff Bennett
We’ve had streaks of rainy and windy conditions over the last few weeks. Fortunately, the temperatures have been holding steady following last month’s cold snap. If you’re like me, though, cleaning your rods and reels or working on your boat during nasty weather can only keep you entertained for so long. The days are starting to grow noticeably longer and you may soon find yourself with a case of spring fever.
So what’s an angler to do in February? The answer is that you need to pick and choose your days. Although few and far between, the handful of warmer, sunnier days this month have produced some excellent fishing. Right now, a redfish has two priorities: don’t get eaten by a dolphin and try to stay warm. The sun will make the water on the flats a few degrees warmer and redfish in large schools will flood these flats.
During these days, the redfish will be more likely to consider eating, which is kind of a daily bonus for them this time of year(though I suspect that, relative to getting eaten by a dolphin, anything is a bonus). Once we locate these schools, we have been fishing with artificial lures about four to five inches in length called “jerk shad.” I usually rig jerk shad weedless, with the point of the hook pressed into the lure’s back. The profile of this lure is not only slender but also lands softly in the water, which helps to prevent spooking these already dolphin-wary schools. You may want to try a flutter hook, which has weight on the shank that imparts action on the lure and will help you cast farther.
On occasion, you will find that anything cast towards a school will send the fish fleeing when the lure hits the water. Live bait fished on the bottom becomes the best alternative. I really like to use cracked blue crab with cut mullet as my second choice. Redfish are scent feeders and you can image the scent trail crab infuses into the water. Put your bait on a #2/0 or # 3/0 circle hook, add weight to the line near the hook to hold the bait on the bottom and wait for the fish to come to you. A circle hook is designed to catch on the edge of a fish’s mouth without any additional pressure applied by the angler. Try not to set the hook yourself until that rod is bent over and the fish is taking line – much easier said than done!
Think about calling in sick the next time a beautiful day comes along. In February, your boss probably won’t suspect you of playing hooky to fish.
See you on the water!
Capt. Geoff Bennett operates Charleston Charter Fishing providing fly fishing and light tackle charters. Clients choose from a full menu of fly rods, artificial and live bait fishing options with charters tailored to their desires. USCG licensed and insured, Capt. Bennett is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable charter to anglers of all skill levels and ages. For more information, call Capt. Bennett at 843-324-3332, visit his website at www.charlestoncharterfishing.com or email him at captain@charlestoncharterfishing.com.
