I just heard my first whippoorwill last night, a harbinger of spring. While we might still be a few cold fronts away from spring, now is a great time to prepare for the upcoming season, getting tackle in order and keeping an eye on the sky for diving birds and breaking fish.
Under those birds, you might find Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, cobia, little tunny, jack crevalle and any number of other predators that come together to feast on schools of baitfish that migrate to nearshore waters this time of the year. Every one of these predators will ambush live bait, lures or flies and can be caught on spinning, bait casting or fly tackle. Except for king mackerel and cobia, most can be landed with light (8- to 10-pound test) tackle, adding to the excitement.
Depending on the species you’re targeting, you’ll want to rig accordingly. Since it’s possible to encounter such a diversity of fish in a single outing, multiple outfits are a good idea. After a long winter, tackle can fall into disrepair and need to be replaced. However you fish, take care to avoid the number one way fish are lost – improperly tied knots. To assure you’ll never lose a good fish to inferior knots, moisten and tighten all knots. Properly sharpened hooks and outfits with the appropriate bite tippet and leader are also key. Options include wire, monofilament, long-shanked hooks or a combination of these. It’s possible to catch a kingfish without wire but your odds aren’t good. The same applies with certain exceptions to Spanish mackerel. Mackerel can sometimes shy from wire. That’s the time to switch to a long shank hook and/or a heavy (60-pound) monofilament leader. Even then, it’s possible to get cut off, but you’ll be guaranteed more action if the fish are feeding.
When using wire or heavier mono for a bite tippet, an 8- to-12-inch trace can be tied to monofilament using an Albright Special knot (best) or a swivel. If you use a swivel, use a black one as opposed to silver to prevent fish from mistaking it for forage. American Fishing Wire makes a product called Surflon Micro Supreme that is extremely flexible and kink-resistant. This wire can be knotted to your lure, hook or fly like monofilament. It also provides greater flexibility and less stretch than monofilament. Umpqua makes a product that’s ideal for fly anglers. Their Re-Twistable Haywire Twist wire is reusable and will allow you to change flies in a snap. This is the quickest and most painless system to rig wire for toothy fish. A wire is less likely to deter a bite under low light conditions like early morning, overcast days and late in the day.
One of the most effective ways to find schooling fish in the spring is to look for surface action and diving birds in the inshore Gulf waters. Predators can also be present without revealing themselves around structures, reefs and wrecks, so a few exploratory casts around these areas are advisable. When you find baitfish schools and feeding fish you can approach them by trolling, drifting or with the use of a trolling motor. Whatever method you employ, never let your boat pass through or get too close to the action. With more and more boats and anglers pursuing feeding fish, they are likely to sound and move away. The best bet is to stay outside the action but within casting distance. If trolling, make wide turns so only your lures pass through the action. On species like little tunny that surface, feed and then sound suddenly, only to resurface yards away, learn to watch hovering birds. The birds track the finicky fish as they move from between baitfish schools.
Live bait anglers target schooling fish in several ways. By anchoring up current from a likely area, they may deploy a chum bag and then toss wounded live baits to draw fish into casting range. This can be an extremely effective method. Those who prefer artificial lures find spoons particularly effective as well as jigs like the DOA CAL or the Berkley Gulp. One of the most exciting and effective types of lures are top water models like the MirroLure Top Dog, the Heddon Zara Spook or the Rapala Saltwater Skitter Pop. Not only is the strike visual and often explosive, but the surface action can attract target species.
Fly fishing is also an effective and exciting way to target spring species from cobia to triple tail, Spanish mackerel and even kingfish. The same rigging applies and top water flies like the Crease fly or Garthside Gurgler can produce some memorable strikes. Clouser Deep Minnows are also a great choice for Spanish mackerel and little tunny. This would be a good time of the year to have a 10- or 11-weight rod rigged with a big black fly should a cobia make an appearance.
Whatever your fishing style, take advantage of the great action you’ll find in area waters in the next couple of months. If you’re new to the game, consider hiring a guide. This is a great way to learn the ropes and a great value when shared with a friend. Tight lines!
