GULF COAST SALTWATER FISHING
by: Robby Myers
Howdy y’all, if you missed the last 2 week’s initial blogs, you can find them attached here: Fishing.
The coming week’s topics are going to cover the parts of how and why fish do the things they do, that will enable you to predict when and where you can catch fish. Understanding their behavior is winning half the battle with location and the timing of catching fish. Failure to catch fish is usually due to the attention to, or omission of recognizing one or more variables in the topics listed below.
Join me while we explore the intricate world of fish behavior and how it influences your success in saltwater fishing. From understanding weather conditions and food sources to decoding cover, tide movement, and solunar tables, gain insights that will enhance your fishing strategy. Delve into the importance of cover, including depth changes and physical features, as key elements for locating fish. Discover how various structures like reefs, pilings, and marsh grass create prime ambush points for different species. Learn how advanced electronics can aid in identifying underwater structures and fish presence, ultimately improving your chances of success on the water. Join us as we unravel the mysteries of fish behavior and unlock the secrets to successful saltwater fishing adventures.
Fish behavior is related primarily to;
- Weather conditions (barometric pressure, temperature, wind, etc.)
- Food sources
- Cover (depth changes, physical features)
- Tide movement
- Solunar tables
Last week we covered food sources, this week we will look at the cover (depth changes, physical features, etc. Fish are going to be in an area of water that has cover from predator fish and/or ambush positions to easily catch prey to eat. Fish are not always in a feeding mode. This is when they may be suspended/traveling or taking cover from some physical structure. The fishing cover can be as large as an oil platform’s legs or as small as a sheet of paper. Fish can either blend in with the cover they choose or stage themselves appropriately to attack and catch. Physical structures allow fish to conceal themselves to attack baitfish as they travel by.
Fish have areas that they like to feed in, much the same as we have favorite restaurants to eat at. These attractive areas can be depended on to consistently provide food unless an upset in water conditions drastically changes. Different fish can tolerate some salinity changes when freshwater flushing happens with a lot of rain in tributaries to the bays. Redfish are much more tolerant of fresh water than a flounder or trout.
A good example of cover is a shell or oyster reef. Reefs provide structure, depth changes, and baitfish such as shad, shrimp, croakers, and multiple food sources. Pilings and piers can be good cover. Marsh grass in high tide periods can provide more ambush points, especially for redfish and flounder. Speckled trout usually prefer grass on the bottom and sporadic sand pockets to ambush prey. A lot of covers are not visually able to see, i.e. under the surface of the water. This is where electronics can make a large difference in the ability to find structure. The better the electronics you have, the better your chances of success. Electronics can not only show you the presence of structure underwater, but they can also identify actual fish presence in the proximity of the structure.
These are just some of the things that can identify the structure presence that fish prefer. If you can find the cover with bait, you will catch fish there sooner or later.
Thanks for reading my blog. I look forward to covering other topics and am open to any suggestions or questions.
Thanks, Robby
