March Gator Trout Fishing

The Gator Trout fishing in our area is always good but during March and April, it becomes exceptional.

Although I haven't been able to get in as much time on the water as I would like, I try to wet a line every chance I get.   So, this afternoon I took Elmo and Odie for a ride around the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge to check out what the locals were catching.

As I entered East Gator Creek Road, the water level at the first culvert was almost zero.

 

The water in the marsh areas has been drawn down to mud in most areas, but management has apparently been raising the water levels.

Some areas that were mud flats on Monday of this week, now had over a foot of water.   I spotted a couple of redfish in one area of Catfish Creek that had absolutely no water on Monday.

For the most part, almost everyone I talked to today was catching stingrays, catfish, and some some small sea trout.   One guy caught a slot red in one of the ponds on a cut mullet, and another lady who fishes the refuge on a regular basis caught a nice 25 inch sea trout on a chunk of finger mullet in another pond.

I drove slowly around Catfish Creek Loop road with Elmo and Odie checking out the water for signs of fish activity.

We saw a lot of waterfowl looking for dinner like the Egret below, and I spotted two redfish in the marsh area where there was not water a couple of days ago.

I left the house with a spinning rod tipped with a DOA Bait Buster, so started pitching the bait to likely looking areas. 

At the third or fourth stop, I spotted a fish in the shallows chasing something and pushing some water so I pitched the Bait Buster ahead of the fish and started a slow retrieve.  The fish turned on the bait but didn't take it so I shot another cast a couple of yards farther up and repeated the slow retrieve.

As I jerked the bait, the fish busted on the bait and after a couple of "sloshy" runs, I picked up the fish below.

I unhooked the sea trout which was what I would call and "almost gator" and released the fish to fight another day.

 

On the way out of the refuge, I spotted one other fish pushing water in the shallows that I pitched the DOA to, but it wasn't interested in the bait.  So, after a few half hearted casts, I finally decided to call it a day and bring my "boys" home.

It would be nice if Peacocks Pocket Road was open for vehicle traffic, but until they get funding, who knows when???

I was going to take my kayak out for a trial run but I still haven't got around to buying a paddle.

I guarantee that the next time I get into town, I will have all the paraphernalia necessary to sneak up on some of the gator trout that inhabit this area.

Till next time, Tight Lines.