Gulf Stream
Did I go to far?
I fished this area for many years and as I look back definite feeding patterns were formed. My up most gold when I headed out to this area was to get some fish in the box so that my customers good feel good about the day. I normally started my day with bottom fishing. For those that troll only, please read on, because there is a reason mentioning the subject of bottom fishing. As I said earlier, "bottom fishing was normally first on my list of priorities for the day!" While I was bottom fishing I put out a rigged something such as a ballyhoo or heck sometimes a live fish. My favorite plan of catching attack in this field while bottom fishing was to put out a live fish such as a red porgy or pinfish. My other technique was even simpler. I would lower one of my out riggers, let out a rigged ballyhoo dressed up with whatever skirt design that I had, hook it in the rigger clip, run my line up the rigger, and simply let it hang in the lower water column anywhere from 50 to 100 feet. If I didn't get a hit with 15 minutes I would change hanging bait depths.
Here's what I found out that should be good information for you at this time especially when your game is trolling. Firstly, we caught a lot of large Wahoo in the near to over 100 pound range. Most of the Wahoo were caught while live lining. Now I'm not suggesting that you switch from trolling to live lining. However, I am going to suggest that when you find yourself over some live bottom to slow a bit so as to let those rigged baits fall in the water column. It's a known fact that Wahoo stage around live bottom areas looking to score a quick meal.
Most of the live bottom areas that I fished especially at this time of the year was in 150 feet of water. With that being said, I suggest stopping short of the 200 feet of watermark. Here's my take on the reasoning behind this suggestion:
Trolling the blue waters of the stream is very popular at this time of the year. Most fishermen try to find the best source to fish, which is ledges and rips while focusing on the blue water edge. Now it's no big secret that during the first of the season that the edge is the happening place, because of the bait. Bait holds here during this time, because the temperature is comfortable for them and there is a food source. As you know, when this happens where there is fish there is fish! However, as the surface temperatures warm from this time frame bait fish have a tendency to spread their fins. They still move with the comfortable temperatures, but they are not as isolated as they are in early spring. So therefore I guess you could say, "After spring has good and sprung bait realms change!" I'm not going to say at this time that bait always migrates to the west, but it sure looks that way. (Indications are strong that this is exactly what is happening!) With that being said, "stopping short and dragging those baits before making it to the edge is certainly a great way to get some early action. All this information boils down to one thing, "most of my fish caught at this time was in 150 to 170 feet of water."
These depths don't necessarily have live bottom down under, because at this time it's not about live bottom. It's about location, location, locations in regards to the bait. Just to re-cap: When the water temperature warms baitfish head deeper into the western side of the edge. As this migration takes place the large fish let their instincts be their guide. Now that you know what the other side of the coin is doing I suggest using it to your best catching advantage!
My new motto, "If I'm running I'm fishing!"
I am still pulling my high-speed lures everywhere I go. The good news is that as the water temperatures warm large fish could be anywhere from the shore to the blue waters of the stream. With that being said, "drag it." For the best choice in lures I suggest giving Darrell a call 1 714 545 0197 or visiting his interesting web site www.ballyhoo.com
Just A Note…. As you know I am always talking about all kinds of lures. There are those that work and then there are those that look good but really don't offer anything for the fish. The ones that don't work at least for me don't usually make the fishing report! These lures work!