Trolling for Reds?

[MarshMarlowe196]

Hey Guys, have a question...

House-sitting for a while, and I won't have access to my boat for the next two weeks, but I do have a little SeaFox I can use.  I want to do some fishing for Reds in the nearby creek/river.  Only problem is the SeaFox doesn't have a troll motor.  I've never owned an inshore boat without a troll motor, and furthermore have never tried to fish for Reds without a troll motor.  BUT- I have been trolling for trout before and caught a Red on an artificial grub (once).

Has anyone had any luck trolling for Reds?  If so, bait used? Rigs?  Should I just find a spot and anchor?  (seems so unproductive...)

I managed to catch some live mud minnows and shrimp at the dock.  Was thinking of using a Carolina Rig setup and trolling them on the bottom near the shallows, and working the bank with an artificial lure / live bait on a bobber when I have the chance.  The SeaFox is a tunnel hull and idles real slow so I can get skinny and won't be pulling the bait too fast.

Thanks  

[pete]

Marsh,In small boats on the flats I try to set up a drift using wind/current to work the flat and reposition as needed.

[gran398]

Jess,

I have never trolled for Reds either. But from what I've heard in this area...

The idea would be to go with gold Johnson spoons. Some like a bucktail, or short plastic trailer added to the spoon, a green Mr. Twister. Pay particular attention to creek-mouths and oyster beds. You may want to search the archives at http://www.oifc.com/Inshore.cfm

On a big flood tide, they'll also throw these spoons way up in the grass, hitting holes/small creeks (they're weedless).

Good luck, keep us posted bro!

[seabob4]

Jess,
You ever think of hopping out of the boat and wading?  We do it all the time down here...

[RickK]

Jess,
You ever think of hopping out of the boat and wading?  We do it all the time down here...

Just make sure you anchor the boat before you do  
Seen a few that thought the boat would "stay right there" after they pulled up in the shallows on a flat tide.  Once it started moving....  

[gran398]

Jess,
You ever think of hopping out of the boat and wading?  We do it all the time down here...

Just make sure you anchor the boat before you do  
Seen a few that thought the boat would "stay right there" after they pulled up in the shallows on a flat tide.  Once it started moving....  

If we all ever meet, remind me to tell you of the time I went clamming by myself, one Sunday afternoon late November...  

[seabob4]

Jess,
You ever think of hopping out of the boat and wading?  We do it all the time down here...

Just make sure you anchor the boat before you do  
Seen a few that thought the boat would "stay right there" after they pulled up in the shallows on a flat tide.  Once it started moving....  

Kinda figured dropping the hook was a given...north Sarasota Bay, see it all the time.  Neat thing was, at low tide, maybe 50 yards south of the Manatee Avenue bridge, I could wade out almost to the channel, probably 400 yards...was neat seeing the big sport fishes go by at 25 knots and the captain sees a guy up to his waist just off his starboard bow...and, yes, I did have to do some bobbing up and down to deal with their wake!  Once you get past the Cortez Bridge, it's wide open into Tampa Bay...

[John Jones]

-set up a drift if the wind and current don't make you go too fast.
-wade
-soaking live or dead baits or Gulp in the likely spots like points or cuts

It all works.

[gran398]

-set up a drift if the wind and current don't make you go too fast.
-wade
-soaking live or dead baits or Gulp in the likely spots like points or cuts

It all works.

If the wind and current make you go too fast....deploy a drift-sock (sea anchor) amidships, side-to the drift, placed upwind, decent length of rode.