Fishing The Open Culverts

Normally, fishing the open culverts in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is done earlier in the Spring; but because of all the rain we have had for the past few weeks, the water levels in the marsh are higher than usual and most of the culverts have been opened up.

Needless to say, fishing the open culverts is usually extremely productive regardless of the time of year.

Saturday afternoon Karen and I decided to leave our dogs home and try to catch some redfish.

We left late in the afternoon, loaded up the truck with several rods and the ladyfish I caught for bait yesterday evening and headed out to fish some of the marsh ponds.

We decided to go past Peacocks Pocket boat launch and fish both sides of the road North towards Catfish Creek Loop.

When we hit the boat launch the culvert was open and tons of water was entering the Indian River from the flooded marsh.  Evidently a lot of baitfish was also being flushed through the culverts because there were all types of predatory fish waiting for a free meal.

I pulled off and started pitching a Chug Bug close to the water flow and immediately picked up a large needlefish on the second cast.

Karen wanted to fish with the ladyfish steaks but didn't want to fish here so I told her it would be a quick stop.

I made several casts into the area and spotted a juvenile Tarpon apparently after the needlefish, several sea trout and redfish farther out in the water flow.

Several casts later with the Chug Bug hooked me up with small "rat" redfish which I promptly released.

I missed a small Tarpon and hooked up with a ladyfish which I also released.

Karen wanted to hit the pond so I decided to pitch a Johnson Sprite gold spoon around just for the hell of it.

The second cast hooked me up with this sea trout.  I finally broke down and took out my sports cam but the bite was slowing down.   I was getting followups but no hookups.

We moved off to the pond Karen wanted to fish and pitched out three rods baited with ladyfish steaks that I smeared up with some Pro-Cure "for spice".

I pitched around the Chug Bug while waiting for a bite on the ladyfish steaks and got several followups and one small sea trout.

As I was walking back to check my rod, Karen hooked a bull redfish that was well over 30 inches.

The fish was running with a school down the marsh canal, picked up her bait and never stopped to look back.

Karen tried to stop the fish from running but it was next to impossible.  When she asked me to help her out, I tightened up her drag but the fish kept running.

Finally, Karen asked me to take the rod and fight the fish for her.  I took the rod and finally turned the fish around.  The school was spooked and came back by us but her redfish was still almost 100 yards up the canal.

After another 5 minutes or so I battled the redfish till it was around 30 feet away.  The fish then headed to some brush on the bank where it got hopelessly tangled up.  I tried to get it loose but the line finally broke at the leader.

I shot a video of Karen fighting the fish but unfortunately that's all.

I tied on another piece of 30# fluorocarbon and a 6/0 Owner Circle Hook, re-baited with another ladyfish steak and continued fishing.

During the commotion, the bait on my rod was taken by another red which dropped the bait before I could set the hook.

We fished until dusk and missed three more redfish before calling it a day.

Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.  We plan to take out Odie and Elmo.  That should be a treat!

Tight Lines.