Cape Fear Redfish and Trout

Brothers, Wes and Zach Engle joined me today to hunt Redfish on the open flats around Bald Head Island. As we crossed a rare slick calm Cape Fear river to the tidal flats behind Bald Head, it was immediately evident that there were some family dynamics at work that were going to make for some competitive angling. As we poled into position on the first flat, shrimp and mullett were raining all around us. A Small pod of 4-5 Redfish appeared ahead of us cruising along the edge of the emergent Spartina grass as they pushed a large hump of water in front of their wide sloping heads. Zach launched a soft plastic jerkbait right in front of the commotion and soon came tight to a hefty 25" fish.. After a couple quick photos, the pair got back in the game , and several small coves down from where we were , another pod of Reds made thir presence known. As I poled up current to the fish, Zach handed the rod that had just scored the first fish to Wes as a gesture of brotherly love and assumed the rod rigged with a Bayou Buck's spinner bait that Wes had been throwing. On Zachs first cast with the bait that Wes had been throwing with no success, the water roiled and the drag began to sing as Zach fought his second fish in less than 10 minutes. As I scrambled off the poling platform to get some pictures of the fight, Wes had a few choice words for his brother's new found prowess at Redfishing, but was soon high fiving him and offering suggestions on how to play the strong fish that was determined to run as far into the marsh as possible. After Wes got his well deserved Redfish on a gold spoon, we headed off in search of the Speckled Trout that would soon be feeding on the rapidly falling tide. On the way, Wes told me he really wanted to try to take one on a top water plug. As we edged off the flat into a deep channel slough, Trout began breaking the surface as shrimp scatterred in all directions. Wes scored on his first cast with the little Rapala Skitterwalk and soon posed with a 16" Trout. The bite wasn't as hot as the previous day, but the brothers managed 6 or 7 more trout before we made the decision to try to beat an approaching thunderstorm back to the ramp. Just as I finished securing the boat on the trailer the sky opened up with an incredible cloud to ground lightning display and the heaviest rain we've had all Summer.