Get an early start to avoid daytime heat, guide says
August heat and humidity makes many anglers reluctant to get on the water. To say its hot is a given. But is it fishable?
“Yes,” according to long time charter captain, Tim “Captain Hook” Ursin. “But you have to get started very early to escape the brutal heat, and you should plan on quitting early as well.
“You don’t want to bake in the midday furnace.”
But Ursin said you could also choose to fish later in the day, like a bit before dark.
“It is a bit cooler later, but darkness is approaching so you don’t have a long window,” he said. “But those fish do get active late in the evening.”
Ursin said the trout tend to run smaller as you get into August.
“The big fish have spawned and moved into deeper water,” he said. “Most of what you’ll find now will be school-sized trout, and the throwback ratio averages about 3:1. But you should find plenty of them, and that is the perfect eating size trout.
“Bay Eloi’s structures should produce plenty trout in August, and the rocks at the end of the MRGO will still produce some trout, but the action does get spotty.”
He said fishing against the rocks isn’t the best approach.
“Fish the channel side 15 to 30 feet off the rocks, and pull off your cork and fish a live shrimp with a sliding sinker or just a split-shot about 6 to 8 inches above the hook,” Ursin explained. “Or you can fish a sliding cork. It’s deeper, but the bottom is covered with rocks so bottom rigs do tend to hang up.
“I prefer to fish the rocks on those days with real good tidal movement because they’ve been the more productive days out there. It’s still hit-and-miss action but you’re more likely to catch them in a little deeper water.”
Hook said if the seas are calm enough you and try heading out to the normal deep-water structures in Breton Sound for bigger fish and faster action.
“The Dope Boat, 5 Wells, all the various rigs and structures in the Sound,” he said. “Fish live shrimp on the bottom, and I recommend stouter gear and braided line.”