Target jetties, beachfront and the short rigs for variety
There are a couple certainties living on the Gulf Coast during the summer: it is going to be hot and humid; the fish are going to bite; and we are going to have to always keep an eye out for hurricanes.
It is also a great opportunity to make some memories out on the water with your children that are off from school. It is important to remember on those trips when taking children out that the trip should be more about them and less about you.
It is important to focus on them and make sure that they have a great time, as we want them to enjoy the outdoors and want to come back on the next trip.
How you fish
Let the age and ability of the younger fishermen on the boat dictate how you fish that trip. Often times, this will mean throwing live or dead bait. It may also mean the child spends as much time playing with the bait in the livewell as they do fishing. That’s okay, too.
Throwing live or dead bait is easier and it will also help keep them excited. The variety of fish caught will be greater and keep them even more curious. I know I greatly enjoyed fishing dead shrimp off the dock on the Mermentau River as a child. Every cast would be a bite and I would get to catch everything from hardhead catfish, sheepshead, black drum, redfish, whiting, croaker, speckled trout and sand trout.
I attribute a large part of my love for fishing from those days as a kid when I was fortunate enough to sit on that dock and fish.
I frequent the jetties, beachfront and the short rigs more often during the summer than any other time of the year. This is in large part due to the more consistently calm weather pattern that the summer offers. I particularly enjoy running the beach and short rigs due to the variety of game fish that we have the opportunity of catching.
It is not uncommon to get onto Spanish mackerel, tripletail and ling. The gulf can make for some amazing memories for the young ones. The numbers of different species they will likely get to see are nearly endless, although they typically get the most excited over the sharks and dolphin.
Overlooked lure
An overlooked lure that can be rather deadly at the short rigs is a spoon. I prefer the Johnson Splinter spoons in ¼- to ½-ounce when out in the Gulf. It is a great way to get down deeper quicker at the short rigs and catch a mess of fish.
I prefer the silver spoon for trout and the gold for redfish. The shape of the Splinter spoon helps getting down quicker in strong currents. Definitely use a swivel to help prevent your line from twisting when fishing a spoon.
Be prepared with plenty of water and do not forget to use plenty of sunblock as well for both you and the young ones. I would recommend focusing a little less on what kind of fish you are actually catching and just make sure the kids have something to reel in, even if it’s an old nasty hardhead.
After all, kids are only kids for so long.
Capt. Adam Jaynes can be reached at (409) 988-3901 and on Facebook at Just Fish Guide Service.
