These tactics can be easily implemented on your next fishing trip.
Today I went scouting with a friend for some charters I had planned later this week.
I had plans to fish my favorite spots in the Hopedale and Biloxi marshes.
It's good to know what is out there and I knew I would have a much better shot at the reds and drum.
Unexpected Surprise
We were greeted with heavy fog upon arriving at BSM. Just my luck. Fog makes safe navigation that more difficult.
For the first time in a long time, I had to turn on the Lowrance GPS. This worked out, as all my routes were still loaded and that helped me safely navigate the fog. It hung over us just about all day.
With some dead shrimp, Gulp Shrimp and Matrix Shad we made a run for the MRGO and Bay Eloi.
Fun Fishing
Every spot I ran to produced fish, mainly redfish and black drum, though there were some random trout mixed in.
It was great, as soon as I'd pull into a spot, I'd identify where the fish were and catch a few before taking off and searching for the next spot. It's key to leave and see what else is out there.
Some were better than other ones, but we ended the day with an easy limit of reds and a smattering of drum and trout. We released all fish, save for one red, because he was so badly damaged he wasn't going to make it.
He graduated to the next level: my grill.
Keys to Productive Scouting
What made this day so successful? Well a few things.
Moving with a purpose
We wasted no time screwing around. We'd fly through fishing spots, pulling in, throwing lines out, effectively fish that spot, then bail out when we didn't catch anything.
I'd do this in five to ten minutes.
Adjusting on the fly
I didn't expect to see so much fog. It really slowed me down.
However, I kept my old routes and they were available to help me get across open water. Navigating open water in heavy fog is tough because you can't see landmarks or the shoreline.
It's important to note that I went slow. There is no point in flying into the back of a shrimp boat.
Leaving even if we caught fish
It's scouting. Not catching. There is no point in staying to catch fish, we would be wasting time and failing to find other good spots.
This can be tough for some anglers to do, but if you can overcome that mental roadblock you will unleash fishing success.
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