Great end to the holiday weekend. Started off mid-morning in the shallows hunting for reds. Found lots of fish in less than 2 feet, but they were super spooky in the crystal clear water and with dolphins prowling the edge. They acted like I dropped a grenade whenever my spoon or jerk bait hit the water.
As the tide started coming in, I moved to one of my go-to spots. It has dark mud bottom and scattered oyster beds. Water clarity was very good, tho. Poling along, I spotted a school of good-sized reds. Fired a pink jerk bait and came tight–to a thrashing 6-plus pound trout. The school of reds was actually about 40 gator trout averaging 5 pounds. Pulled three more out of the school before they disappeared. The slot reds and a smaller trout took their spot. Landed all on soft plastics. Left 'em biting.
Water clarity is exceptional. Temperatures started off in the upper 50s but warmed to 61+ by mid-day. With the cold fronts now rumbling through on a regular basis, we're definitely settling into the winter season. If it stays like it did yesterday, you won't hear any complaints from me.
