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 through 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 a bit of work and follow however if you truly see your lure inhaled by a tailing crimson, 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 evident 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 escape 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 is usually a wrestle to take care of and I discover the redfish don’t look after it when the grass reaches all the best way to the floor.

Currently, Valios has been utilizing Google Earth to learn the structure of the marsh and he’s found out a method 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 are darkish blue,” Valios stated. “Once I see a pond with a darkish blue tint which means I’m wanting on the backside of the pond which is a superb space to strive.”

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 enables the craw to swim horizontally.
Whereas Valios fishes from a platform, the vast majority 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 if you happen to don’t have one,  standing on an ice chest, ladder or do-it-yourself stand will work as effectively,” 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 by way of. “We’re getting right into a summertime sample now and day-after-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 by way of the summer season and plans on fishing quite a few “pumpkin patches” from now till September!

Keith Lusher

Keith Lusher is an award profitable out of doors journalist that resides in Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes a weekly out of doors 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