Sunset On The Mud Flats

It was almost sunset on the mud flats before I was able to get into the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and wet a line.

A "cold front" was expected to hit our area so I thought that it would be a good time to get out and catch up on my fishing.

Catfish Creek Road was the closest location and since I've been catching fish around some of the culverts in that area; I targeted the same locations.

My first casts around the mud flats picked up a hit and a miss, so I moved to the culvert I fished the other day and started getting solid hits.

I was using a Creme paddletail bait that is one of my "go to" lures for this area and casting tight to the grassy bank.

After several misses, I finally hooked, landed, and released a slot sea trout that nailed the bait in the culvert flow.

When things cooled down a bit, I picked up this rat redfish that inhaled the lure.

Several casts later, I hooked into a solid red that might have been his mother that hit the mangrove roots along the bank and broke off my favorite lure.

I tied on a Tsunami paddletail bait and started fan casting the area again.  

The sun was getting low and after getting some pics of the area, I landed and released a dink sea trout that nailed the lure.

There must have been a school in the area because I picked up two more fish before the bite died off.

I was about to leave the area and head home when I spotted some action around the grass, so I shot a couple casts to the area and picked up another rat redfish.

The sun was dipping to the horizon and after a few more fruitless casts, I decided to head home for some dinner.

On the way out I took these pics of the area.

Till next time, Tight Lines.