Category Archives: Redfish

September in the Salt Marsh

September 30, 2022 tcujsp303 Leave a comment

The fall. One of the fishiest times of the year. Weather cooling off, turning on the feedbag, life is good. This past fall, was fortunate enough to return to one of our favorite places to get on some beastly redfish. Lousiana.

Over the years, we have fished Louisiana during the majority of the seasons. Louisiana truly is a year round fishery for redfish, but each season has its benefits and disadvantages. As for the fall specifically, the benefit is that the weather is still warm and there are large reds fo be found (assuming the fish are not in full spawn mode offshore).

During our past trip, we ran into both some excellent and difficult days. Day 1 specifically was a grind, with little fish even seen (which is very rare for a day in Louisiana). We took a chance on trying to go find some large bull redfish along the beaches, but with the spawn in full effect, and it appeared that most of the fish were still offshore. Still a fun day and we were able to hook into some redfish and gar, but the money days were coming on Day 2 and 3.

On Day 2, we got on ’em. Adjusted our tactics to stay deep in the marsh and search for any redfish that were either done with the spawn, or were not partaking for whatever reason. After about 30-minutes of searching, we found them. Good-sized tailers, pods of several fish, you name it. On this day, the water quality was terrific and the sight fishing opportunities were in full effect. The fish were active on most flies, but tan and gold seemed to be a winner.

Fortunately for us, Day 3 was very similar to Day 2. With this said, we especially lucked out as it wasn’t our best throwing day of throwing line, and still had a productive outing even though we lost a couple of nice fish. In true Louisiana fashion, the largest fish of the trip arrived on the last day. It appeared that we might have timed things well, as there were a plethora of bull redfish back on the flats ready to eat a fly. Although several fish were landed this day, we were able to land three very large fish, with one being a top-3 redfish for myself size wise. The largest fish of the trip came down the flat at full speed (initially seeming as if had been spooked by something further up the shoreline), but we hit it with a great cast and it ate on the spot. After a long fight, we were able to get the fish into the boat and quickly release for it to swim away strongly. As the bigger fish can do, these fish were a bit more selective with the fly, and we needed a lot of flash to entice them in some dirtier water. Big hooks with gold flash were the ticket.

As I have written before, I am beyond lucky to experience trips like this (especially with my Dad). Trying to make it a priority of mine this year to make no excuses when it comes to doing trips like this, and already counting down the months until our next trip back in the marsh.

Tight lines!

Joe

Bass, Redfish, Uncategorized

Georgia will be just Peachy

September 1, 2019 tcujsp303 Leave a comment

The curveballs of life. Some good, some bad, some undetermined until time has a chance to show you what opportunity awaits. As many already know, I recently relocated to Georgia from Utah, and the past year has seemed to fly by like crazy. Although leaving Utah was one of the most bittersweet events of my life so far, I definitely am loving Georgia and was very excited to jump at this new opportunity in life.

With this being said, one of the first things that popped into my mind before this move took place was “but what about the fishing..?” Upon first glance, I was viewing this as somewhat of a downgrade. To plug Utah really quick, other than Alaska, I would say that this is probably the second-best solely freshwater fly fishing state in the United States (Wisconsin/Minnesota could be in the conversation as well). I’m talking about the actual state itself…not in terms of proximity to other locations, in that the West is a tough place to state hop in a car. The variety of species and different bodies of water in Utah is pretty tough to beat.

With this being said, I’m finding that Georgia is definitely a dark horse fly-fishing state. As this post will discuss, the saltwater fly fishing opportunities in Savannah and other coastal towns is unbelievable, and the creeks/rivers and lakes also can be very productive. On of the biggest benefits of Georgia, however, is the proximity to other states – i.e. Florida, TN, AL. Whether it’s a 45-minute flight, or a 3-5 hour drive, you can be in some of the best saltwater fly fishing spots in the country. That one is benefit of the behemoth ATL airport.

I recently had the opportunity to fly-fish for redfish down in Savannah, and boy was I impressed. Not only at the sheer number of fish we saw, but the quality as well. Pushing the flats boat up in two feet of water to catch quality redfish all day was pretty amazing for a 3-hour drive, and was a great way to test out new fly patterns. It reminded me a bit of Louisiana, but also of the Florida Panhandle, in that the water was clear but the marshes were vast. Savannah is also a special place to get a drink and nice meal after a hot day on the water.

In addition to the saltwater, I have been having a blast with the local creek and pond fishing in the Atlanta metroplex. Although it took a vast amount of research to find these somewhat urban spots, the species and experiences have been great. Whether it has been catching wipers below major dams, or sight casting big redbreast sunfish with topwater flies, the amount of fishing opportunities close to the city is definitely overlooked. There are also a plethora of largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill in the local ponds, spotted bass in the larger lakes and rivers, and then even shoal bass in many of the creek systems. Georgia has been huge in terms of crossing new species off the list for me. Below are some of my solo-shots from recent outings.

Can’t wait to see what other fly opportunities present themselves in Georgia, and am beyond grateful to have a passion that follows me no matter where I live.

Tight lines!

Joe

Redfish, Uncategorized

Winter Time in Louisiana

August 31, 2019 tcujsp303 Leave a comment

Oh the winter time. In terms of fly fishing options, this season can keep anglers somewhat limited. Although the winter will require gloves, mad-bomber hats, and hopefully a nice hot toddy once you get off the water, this time of year can lead to some giants. Historically I have found that although the numbers of fish in the winter might not be as much in other seasons, this can be the best time of year to chase giants.

So this last winter, we headed back down to Louisiana to try and get on some beasts. With only a couple days to fish, this post is not going to be as long, but we made it happen.

To be transparent, the fishing was more difficult than it usually is down in LA. A massive cold front kept the fish in a funky mood, and many fish were extremely sensitive to boat movement. In LA, where the water is going to be dirty year round, many of the shots you get can be 10-15 feet from the boat. Needless to say, for this trip, we had to find our fish far out and make the shots count. In addition to this, the usual colors of black/purple/gold were all struggling, and we found ourselves having to resort to natural patterns (that made it even tougher for fish to see in the dirty water).

Needless to say, we still managed to get it done. We managed to get a few really nice reds in the boat, and the highlight of the trip came from the largest black drum I have ever caught on fly. The fish weighed 48-pounds and was an absolute brute. Unlike any other black drum I have caught, this fish fell victim to a chartreuse and tan redfish slider that was presented right on the nose. Usually these fish like bold, dark colors that they can go find.

Another trip to LA in the book, and another great father-son fishing trip. Like I said, with just a couple days to fish, this post is definitely a bit shorter, but good to get back on the blog grind again. Thinking next time we head down when it is a bit warmer to avoid some of the cold!

Tight lines,

Joe

Redfish, Uncategorized

Drum Roll Please…

January 21, 2018 tcujsp303 Leave a comment

And that’s a wrap. Another year of fly fishing, growing, and experiencing this sweet life in the books. Not only was this a big year in regards to fishing, but 2017 was possibly the best year of my life so far and I have much to be grateful for.

For the last trip of 2017, my family and I went back down to our home away from home when it comes to being on the beach and fishing: St. George Island, FL. The winter can be a difficult time to fish here due to the wind and colder weather, and in the past we have found it to be very hit or miss. This year not only did we have a plethora of rain and overcast skies present, but we also had to deal with the first major cold front of the winter. Although this made the fishing challenging during the week, we still made it happen, especially on the last day of giving it a go.

Winter in Florida is an ideal time to catch large speckled-trout on the flats. Not only will these fish school up in deep troughs by oyster bars, but large “gator” trout will go out on their own and begin to hunt the flats like redfish. Throughout the week, speckled trout were our most consistent option. With a variety of clouser minows and baitfish patterns in the fly box, we landed several trout in the 23-28 inch slot, and this provided constant action throughout the week.

As for the redfish, we found that not many were pushed in on the flats. Whether this was due to the cold front or the poorly timed tides, we were not seeing the number of fish we are accustomed to. Thus, on our last day of fishing, we decided to get in the flats boat and venture to the back country marsh to see if these fish were trying to find warmer areas to lay up in the sun. With a warm day presenting itself, bait was moving everywhere, and we were beginning to see redfish show up. Throwing a larger sized natural-colored slider, we boated about ten redfish and the fish were extremely eager to eat. Fast strips, fish coming on top of flies, as always it was an exhilarating sight to behold! One redfish in particular noticed the fly as soon as it hit the water and the take was as if it was hitting a topwater.

However, the highlight of the trip consisted of catching a species that has been on my fly fishing bucket list for quite some time: black drum. After catching a great number of redfish, we were pulling down a flat and noticed a big, broom tail flapping out of the water. Having seen black drum multiple times in these back marshes we knew it was a black drum and got into position. After a throw right in front of the fish’s head, we immediately saw the fish react and go tail up even more so. After a few slow strips, the fish turned 180 degrees, flared its gills, and the fly line went tight. Fish on!

Using only 12-pound test, I had to be extremely cautious with this fish in that it dogged like no other and is known for having large, sharp scales. After turning the fish and grabbing it boat side, we got a couple of great pictures and a quick weigh on the scale – 35 pounds. A true beast, especially for my first black drum on the fly ever!

After a couple of minutes of gathering the excitement and looking through the photos, we looked up ahead and saw another massive tail out of the water. Another large, black drum feeding on a shallow oyster bar. After a beautiful 60-foot throw to the fish, the fish seemed disinterested and started to slowly move away. We pulled up closer and closer until finally I basically hit the fish on the top of the head with my fly; this got his attention. He fully tailed on the fly and ate it immediately. After another 15-minute we got this fish in, weighing 34 pounds. Unreal. We just caught two 30+ pounders on the fly in less than half a hour.

I couldn’t have asked for a better fishing day to take in the New Year. A week of fly fishing and spending time with my family always makes me realize how thankful I should be for this life that surrounds me, and I cannot wait to see what 2018 has in store.

As always, tight lines and best wishes for the New Year.

Joe

Redfish, Uncategorized

Reds on Reds on Reds

April 29, 2017 tcujsp303 Leave a comment

Man, where is the time going?! Summer’s almost here, the snow in Utah is starting to melt, mother nature is a beautiful thing. To escape some of the cold this winter and early spring, I decided to plan two fishing trips to chase my favorite fish that swims on this planet : Redfish. Although there are many species that are near and dear to me, my love for saltwater fly fishing began with Redfish, and it was time to revisit my roots.

For Christmas, my family and I decided to visit Apalachicola, Florida to relax for the vacation and fish the water that I grew up fishing. Over the past couple of years, the water clarity and conditions in Northwest Florida have been terrific and have allowed great sight fishing opportunities for these fish. Although we only did a day or so of guided fishing on this trip, the wade fishing turned out to be the highlight of the trip, and had a handful of great sessions consisting of both blind-casting and sight fishing to tailing fish.

Due to the water conditions, the primary fly patterns consisted of natural colors and crustacean imitations. Whether these were crabs, shrimp, or glass minnows, it was interesting to catch redfish on some patterns that were somewhat non-traditional to our usual fly box. These also led to the occasional catch of a speckled trout in that these are their primary food sources as well (a surprise visit from a flounder was also a first for me).

Although the winter can be hit or miss when it comes to redfishing specifically, the overall outcome was extremely positive, and some very healthy fish were the result. There is a reason as to why this is my favorite place on earth.

But hang on a second…we are just getting started! After revisiting my old stomping grounds during the New Year, there was another red fishery that I bumped to the top of the priority list to get back to. That’s right, the redfish capital of the world. Louisiana.

Now the funny one with Louisiana is that although it seems as if I have fished the area multiple times, the truth is I had only been there twice previously. We have had two trips in the past also get cancelled (due to weather, and also one bad incident with a case of frost bite…not my proudest moment. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger though am I right?!). So, with one of my best buddies from college, we thought “why the heck not” and shot down to the bayou here at the end of April for a weekend that would turn out to be one for the memory books.

Upon arrival of Louisiana, a couple of things were evident. Although it was indeed warm and no strong weather fronts were on the horizon, the water was definitely dirty (chocolate-milk like as we say), and that sun was not going to be a guarantee. However, when you are in a place like Louisiana with hundreds of miles of marsh all around you, you can use the weather to your advantage with the right guide and mindset.

Luckily for us, fish were tailing and crawling all day along the banks of the marsh, and as long as the fly was right on their nose, the fish were eager to eat. This was a somewhat new experience for me in that I’m used to leading fish by a foot or two in traditional saltwater settings; being able to buggy whip big flies right in front of the face of huge redfish was an adrenaline rush at its finest. Although many fish were spooked due to this technique, it was a necessity to get fish to eat, or else they would not see the fly.

Although several large fish were caught during a couple of days of fishing, the biggest red of the trip was a 40/41 inches that was caught on a home-tied black and purple slider. This was the second biggest redfish of my life, and was one of the coolest eats and fights I have ever had. Back out of the water, moving slowly along the bank, the cast was a little too ahead of the fish so I had to wait on the strip, but it found the fly, chased it in, and hit right at the boat. After a 15-minute fight the fish was to the boat and the trip was off to an incredible start.

I can’t wait for the summer to begin and for more trips to come. I have made it a News Years resolution to stay on top of this sight, in that the passion keeps me going, and I can’t think of a better way to chronicle the adventures that keep me going. Tight lines.

Joe

Redfish

Labor Day Redfish

September 8, 2015 tcujsp303 Leave a comment

Four day weekends. Although this is one perk of still being a college student, there are many who unfortunately do not take advantage of these opportunities, and would rather spend a weekend with the mindset of “Netflix and chill” rather than waking up at 5am to go chase redfish.

However, for my best friend Jackson and I, Labor Day consisted of doing work to the best fish that swims in the world (in my opinion): redfish. Flying to Tallahassee, Florida on a late Thursday night flight, Jackson and I headed to St. George Island on Friday morning ready to meet up with our guide and personal friend Travis Huckeba (www.saltwatersolutionsflyfishing.com). With the sun shining, wind died down, and reds tailing, we knew that the day was going to be epic at the very least.

After a somewhat difficult morning of being unable to spot fish without light, once the sun came up at noon, there were reds everywhere. Floating up on the grass, tailing in the shallows, and even digging in the sand, it seemed like they were everywhere. Some flats consisted of redfish in schools of 20-40, all of them being in the 6-12 pound range (with the occasional pig). Throwing a large chartreuse and white deceiver turned out to be the move of the day, and several great redfish were landed throughout the day. With clear water, and light tippet, we were able to get these fish to the boat and make this weekend a trip for the ages (below pictures). The reds were eager to eat, but the light made them spooky, meaning long and light casts (except for one that was digging so far in the mud that Jackson dropped his fly in the grass and the red inhaled it).

However, the highlight of the trip was an event that Travis told us he has only seen one other time in his time of guiding. While poling down a redfish flat, a huge shadow and tail emerged next to a residential dock that we initially perceived as a huge jack or redfish. As we got closer, we realized that this in fact was neither a jack nor a red: but the silver king himself. A tarpon. With Jackson at the bow to end the day, we were able to position this book extremely close to the fish (probably 20 feet), and Jackson laid out a perfect cast: WHACK. Tarpon on, 130 pounder. After a 10 second show of two jumps and a big run, the tarpon was off, but the memory will last forever. Only having on a 9 weight and 30 pound tippet, it was inevitable that the fish would get off (surprisingly it only got off and didn’t break the line). This was Jackson’s first time jumping a tarpon, and for it to come at such an unique opportunity (and for it to be a beast) made it one of the best fishing moments I have ever witnessed. It is only right after getting my tarpon fix in Mexico for a week to see my lifelong friend hook a fish that we will never forget. Look at that! Fly fishing once again showing how it’s the time on the water that means everything. This event was not a coincidence, but a gift from the big man upstairs wanting to see a show for himself. Spending the last afternoon blind casting on the flats (unsuccessfully) ended the trip on the best note anyone could ask for (below).

Here’s to friendships that live on both on and off the water,

Joe

Redfish

Red(fish), White, and Blue

July 7, 2015 tcujsp303 Leave a comment

Fourth of July. Cold beer, hot dogs on the grill, setting off fireworks in the most unconventional ways possible, what more is there to love?

For this Fourth of July, one of my best friends from TCU (Triple) and I headed down to Seadrift, Texas to do some fishing for the weekend. With reports of speckled trout and redfish being above average, we headed down for three days with fly rods in hand.

Upon arriving Seadrift, we immediately noticed poor conditions. The water in the bay looked like chocolate milk with unnoticeable salinity, due to huge amounts of rain over the past month. Although these conditions were horrible to say the least, we kept our hopes up in that we would be fishing out of Port O’Connor for the next couple of days. And no matter what the fishing was going to do, we knew this trip was going to be a blast.

On Friday morning we headed out with one of the local fly fishing guides, and once again the conditions were extremely difficult: high wind, muddy water, a considerable number of boats on the water for the holiday weekend. Hoping to get some shots at redfish on the fly, I stood at the bow of the boat with my Sage Xi3 and Abel Super 8 reel in hand, while Triple skillfully casted a soft plastic in the back. It was not until 11:00 before Triple caught a huge +20 inch speckled trout did we have a fish in the boat.

At about 11:30, we finally began to see some big reds swimming around the flats: some being +30 inches easily. As we pushed into a deeper section of the flat, we noticed a huge section of nervous water with about 20 redfish tailing. After pulling our way towards the reds, I threw out about a 50 foot cast, and whack…fish on.

A beautiful 26 inch double-spot redfish (below) was landed, and Triple was able to double up with a fish on his spinning rod (below). The rest of the day turned on fire: over 15 reds landed and over 30 undersized speckled trout. Night fishing in the “chocolate milk” bay also produced two big flounder on soft plastics, and there’s no better way to end the day on that note with two cold Shiner Bocks in hand.

This story of overcoming seemingly tough conditions is going to be all too familiar to any serious fly fisherman, and there is no better feeling on the Fourh of July to overcome the obstacles, remain patient, and to catch the species of fish that will always remain #1 on my list. Although I have caught countless redfish on the fly, this one remains one of the most special in that I shared the memory with a lifelong friend, on the day in which America discovered freedom (allowing all of us to fly-fish).

Redfish, Uncategorized

St. George Island – 2014

May 30, 2014 tcujsp303 Leave a comment

After eight full days of fishing near Apalachicola, FL, an awesome trip has come to an end.

My buddy Jackson and I tore up the redfish and speckled trout all week long, and ran into some surprises on the way. With the weather being calm with light winds, the fly rods were out, and my Sage XI3 was ready to go.

The fish of the trip was a 10 lb. Tripletail that I sight fished up on the flats with the XI3. Searching for reds in the shallows, this fish was a huge surprise and once again taught me that casting to any unusual “dark spot” is a must. The fish took off, hit the surface multiple times, and after a 10 minute fight, the Tripletail got to the boat, and needless to say many fist pumps and yells followed.

In addition to the monster Tripletail, the fly fishing for redfish was excellent this week. Throwing two “secret flies” tied by our guides Travis Huckeba and David Heinke, the redfish were willing to eat the fly all week – to the point where we were able to catch 6 redfish blind casting in 2 hours on one of my favorite flats. Multiple ladyfish, spanish mackerel, blue runners, and jacks were also on fire off the surf near St. George Island. The “gummy” flies seemed to be the ticket out there!

The trip overall was the best “diverse” fishing I have ever had in the Apalchicola/St. George Island area since I began coming here almost ten years ago now. The pics below show some of the amazing fish, and really portray the diversity of species that this trip presented.

Joe Petrow - 10 lb. Tripletail — Joe Petrow – 10 lb. Tripletail

Redfish

Fly Fishing for Monster Reds in Louisiana

December 20, 2013 tcujsp303 Leave a comment

This past Christmas break, my dad and I traveled to Hopedale, LA to pursue giant redfish on the fly-rod. With awesome weather and forgiving wind, we were able to use the fly rod for three days of fishing with Captain Travis Huckeba. Catching countless numbers of reds on the fly the first two days, we wanted to spend our last day in search of a “mogan” red that would be turn out to be a fish of a lifetime.

After catching several fish over 30 inches in the morning of the third day, afternoon hit and we began to see huge bull reds swimming around in the flats. We turned down one of our favorite bends on the flat, and the glare of the sun was relentless. However, we were able to get a cast in front of “Ol’ Sandy” who was ready to fight us for half a hour on the fly-rod.

I saw the fish coming at 11 o’clock and immediately hit him with a perfect cast – but to no reaction of the fish. The fish kept coming closer and closer and finally paused about 15 feet from the boat. I casted – he saw it – he ate it – fish on.

Roughly half a hour later, this beauty was landed, leaving my legs shaking and my face smiling for days:

Joe Petrow with the Red of a Lifetime — Joe Petrow

Another pic of Joe Petrow with the monster red

Redfish, Uncategorized

Biggest Redfish Dedication

December 11, 2013 tcujsp303 Leave a comment

I know I have written about my love for Redfish in many of my posts, but I wanted to dedicate a quick post to the biggest redfish I have ever caught on the fly. Being 44″ and 31 pounds and caught in early December, this Louisiana red was nicknamed “Ol’ Sandy” by my personal friend and awesome guide Travis Huckeba.