Figuring out where the trout are on the world’s longest continuous bridge over water is a daunting task. However, most folks who already jig fish the Causeway for trout already have their favorite stretches to fish. The way Dumas sees it, the spots you favor for jigging are the same spots you should troll during February.
“But when you’re trolling it’s pretty easy to eventually run across some fish, so it can go both ways,” Dumas said. “So if you don’t have any good poles, get out there and troll around until you find some groups of fish. Then when the jig fishing gets good, you can go back to those same spots and keep catching fish.”
Dumas has narrowed down his trolling technique to pinpoint accuracy not only in the size Trap he fishes and the kind of line he uses but also where he fishes and his boat speed.
“I keep my boat at 1.5 to 1.8 miles an hour,” Dumas said. “The main thing is to not go any faster than 1.8. I think if you go any faster than that, you’re kind of outrunning the fish and it brings your bait up off the bottom too much.
“I also only fish between the spans or on the west side of the southbound span,” Dumas continued. “I never fish the east side of the northbound span simply because I’ve never had any luck over there. I just stick to what works for me.”
This specificity also applies to what water temperature works best for trolling. Dumas prefers trolling the Causeway during February any time the water temperature is between 58 and 62 degrees.
“That’s why it’s no big deal if you don’t get out there at daylight,” Dumas said. “Let the sun heat up the water, and when it gets to that magic number, that’s when the fish are going to bite. There’s not much sense being there before they turn on.”
