Topwater Action In The Wildlife Refuge

Went out this afternoon around 4:30 pm for some topwater action in the wildlife refuge.

It was raining lightly and the air temperature was 83 degrees when I left the house.

I started fishing the first culvert at East Gator Creek with a Chug Bug, but moved on after not getting any hits.

There was a slight wind on the shallow grass flats that made casting somewhat difficult but just right for topwater fishing.

Fan casting the area around the first bend proved fruitless, so I decided to hit every stretch where I could make a reasonable cast and have a chance at landing a fish.

At the next spot I stopped to fish, I hooked a large ladyfish that thought it was a tarpon.  The fish jumped all over the flat and put on a great fight.

I landed the fish, took a couple of quick pics, and returned it to the water,

I smeared up my Chug Bug with some Pro-Cure Inshore formula and after a couple more casts hooked up with another ladyfish about the same size as the first one.

It started raining again and the fish started hitting my bait on almost every cast.

I caught a couple more ladyfish about the same size as the first two and another that was slightly larger than my Chug Bug.

Around the next bend, I made a cast to a large fish that I spotted nailing a bait on the surface.    

It took three casts to catch the interest of the fish, but it finally blasted my Chug Bug completely out of the water.   I let the lure sit and the fish came back and hooked itself on the second go around.

The fish turned out to be a big sea trout.  I got the fish close to the bank to where I could see it, but it broke off in the brush along the bank and took my favorite Chug Bug along with it.

Over the years I've learned to come prepared and I carry a small tackle store in the back seat of my truck.  I decided to tie on a topwater XPS series bait that I picked up at Bass Pro in Mobile, Al.  

I smeared up the bait with some Pro-Cure and started casting it to some Pro-Cureooking spots.

It didn't take long to pick up another under slot sea trout that I quickly released after taking a couple of pics.

It started raining again and I decided I had enough action for this afternoon.  I was tired, hungry, and the mosquitoes were beginning to get to me.

I managed to catch five ladyfish and land one spotted sea trout in an hour of topwater fishing.

I plan to get out again tomorrow and try for some tarpon.

Till next time,
Tight Lines