Sight Fisherman Heads to the “Pumpkin Patch” for Summertime Redfish!

Summertime is in full swing and right here within the Gulf South, which means its time to focus on shallow water for redfish! For Taylor Valois of Slidell, LA, the nice and cozy southeast winds and the excessive water that enable him to enterprise again into the duck ponds is what June is all about! “The time has lastly come to pole across the pumpkin patch,” Valois stated. The platform fisherman refers back to the duck ponds that he fishes as “pumpkin patches” due to the orange coloration that the redfish have in the course of the hotter months. Valios sight fishes from his flatboat which has a 6-foot aluminum platform mounted within the middle. In June, Valios fishes the marshes alongside Lake Borgne in Southeast LA. “It’s a sort of fishing that requires just a little work and observe however while you truly see your lure inhaled by a tailing purple, that’s a one-of-a-kind expertise,” he stated.
This month Valios stated the duck ponds within the marsh are the place to be as a result of the water is obvious and the vegetation is beginning to develop. When that occurs, he adjusts by fishing lighter lures on the highest of the water. “The areas I fish that I’ve been profitable in are normally ponds with excessive vegetation. So I get away the highest water frog, mild jig heads, or my private favourite weedless hooks,” Valios stated.

Valios stated June is a superb month to focus on the pond as a result of the grass isn’t fairly out of hand. “When fishing for redfish within the ponds  I search for shallow ponds with not an excessive amount of vegetation,” Valios stated. “An excessive amount of grass could be a battle to take care of and I discover the redfish don’t take care of it when the grass reaches all the way in which to the floor.

Currently, Valios has been utilizing Google Earth to learn the structure of the marsh and he’s discovered a approach to see if the water is the duck ponds is clear. “Earlier than I make a visit I map out spots on Google Earth which might be darkish blue,” Valios stated. “After I see a pond with a darkish blue tint which means I’m trying on the backside of the pond which is a wonderful space to attempt.”

Valios favourite set-up is any sort of plastic crawfish that you’d usually use for bass fishing. He threads it onto a weighted hook that permits the craw to swim horizontally.
Whereas Valios fishes from a platform, nearly all of anglers don’t have the constructions mounted of their boats. Valios stated don’t let that cease you! “Platforms are good to have however when you don’t have one,  standing on an ice chest, ladder or selfmade stand will work as nicely,” he stated.
Valios has been catching a restrict of redfish (4) each journey this month and stated the fish are very predictable with the shortage of cool fronts passing via. “We’re getting right into a summertime sample now and each day is a carbon copy of the day past for weeks on finish typically,” he stated. He stated the redfish chew ought to stay stout via the summer time and plans on fishing quite a few “pumpkin patches” from now till September!

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award profitable outside journalist that resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly outside column for the Slidell Impartial Newspaper. He additionally writes for the St.Tammany Parish Tourism Fee’s VisitTheNorthshore.com. He’s the previous host of The Northshore Fishing Report Radio Present and is on the board of the Louisiana Outside Writers Affiliation. Keith contributes to quite a few publications each on-line and in print and prides himself on selling South Louisiana’s distinctive fishery. To contact Keith electronic mail: keithlusherjr@gmail.com