Shore Thing Fishing Report, 8/23/2023

August 23, 2023

If you like fishing for the mac daddies, this is your season. Bull reds, jack crevalle and sharks are giving beginners and skilled anglers alike a run for their money.
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- by Sonny Schindler, Shore Thing Fishing Charters

Todd Sleeper and Pokey Black, both from Nashville, with double bull reds near Cat Island.

It has been a mixed bag of awesomeness this past week. Between the heat and the windy days, we are having to get very creative with our fishing trips. Even with a few challenges, it has still been very, VERY fun.
 
I have been spending a lot of time chasing big fish. The jack crevalles, big bull reds, and mean old sharks have been a lot of fun, especially for out-of-town fishermen. 

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We are still getting a few trout here and there, but this heat has them scattered, so fishing for the big ones has been a welcome treat for folks wanting to do it.
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J.D McKeigny with a large cobia he caught on a FLY ROD!!! Fishing with Capt. Alex McIngvale south of Ship Island.

 
The majority of the sharks and jacks have been around the barrier islands and the Louisiana marsh. Our usual plan has been to chase the trout in the wee hours of the morning, get what we can, then go pick a fight with the big fish. Luckily, the big fish have been doing what they are supposed to do.
 

Another nice tripletail for this very happy customer, fishing with Capt. Bryan Rayomond out of Bayou Caddy.

 
Once we find a big school of ladyfish or pogies, around deeper water, we are just setting the big baits out and waiting. The easiest way to do this is with a large spinning rod/reel with a bait feeder option. My favorite is the Okuma Coronado 65. You set the reel into free-sport mode, fish with circle hooks, and once the fish picks up the bait, you just start reeling. The hook sets itself while the rod is in the rod holder – set it and forget it.

One very happy young man with a big speckled trout near Bay St. Louis.

 
Near-shore fishing around the Bay and on the nearshore reefs has been steady. Again, it is a mixed bag of fun. Some days it’s heavy on the trout, other days it’s puppy, drum, other days it’s redfish. Bring plenty of live or dead shrimp and plenty of tackle. Finding the sweet spot near the structure, but not in it, is the ticket. If you have youngsters or newbies that want to catch a really big fish close to shore, this is the time to get it done.
 
We had big tide swings last week, which usually keeps the tripletail away from the surface. If the tide slows down this week and the water gets calm, I would imagine those big, tasty critters will be near the surface. Our offshore boat has been seeing a few cobia on calmer days.
 
As always, stay safe out there and have fun!
 

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