# Wade fishing the grass on national seashore



## SamB (Oct 19, 2020)

Hello everyone,

This is my first post in the forum, so I'm excited to get some feedback from all of you. I have been wade fishing the grass along the national seashore(sound side) in gulf breeze for the past few months since I've moved back to the area. I usually throw shrimp and baitfish patterns both weighted and non, and have had some good luck with top-water gurglers and poppers. I have managed a few decent sized trout and had one take on what I assumed was a red but didn't set the hook well and came up empty handed. I was wondering if any of you have any pointers, tips, or techniques that have shown success? Open to anything, would just love to land that coveted redfish. Don't know if I'm not wading deep enough as I usually stay between the shore and about knee deep water. I usually go out at dawn or dusk. Would love to hear back. Thanks a bunch in advance. Tight lines!


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## lsucole (May 7, 2009)

SamB said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> This is my first post in the forum, so I'm excited to get some feedback from all of you. I have been wade fishing the grass along the national seashore(sound side) in gulf breeze for the past few months since I've moved back to the area. I usually throw shrimp and baitfish patterns both weighted and non, and have had some good luck with top-water gurglers and poppers. I have managed a few decent sized trout and had one take on what I assumed was a red but didn't set the hook well and came up empty handed. I was wondering if any of you have any pointers, tips, or techniques that have shown success? Open to anything, would just love to land that coveted redfish. Don't know if I'm not wading deep enough as I usually stay between the shore and about knee deep water. I usually go out at dawn or dusk. Would love to hear back. Thanks a bunch in advance. Tight lines!





SamB said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> This is my first post in the forum, so I'm excited to get some feedback from all of you. I have been wade fishing the grass along the national seashore(sound side) in gulf breeze for the past few months since I've moved back to the area. I usually throw shrimp and baitfish patterns both weighted and non, and have had some good luck with top-water gurglers and poppers. I have managed a few decent sized trout and had one take on what I assumed was a red but didn't set the hook well and came up empty handed. I was wondering if any of you have any pointers, tips, or techniques that have shown success? Open to anything, would just love to land that coveted redfish. Don't know if I'm not wading deep enough as I usually stay between the shore and about knee deep water. I usually go out at dawn or dusk. Would love to hear back. Thanks a bunch in advance. Tight lines!


Sam , welcome to the forum and the area . For reds , try to fish a rising tide but turn around ! In my experience , I have had better luck on reds by fishing from the edge of the water out to that knee deep area. It always amazes me to see people wade fishing as far out as possible. The shallow water red is there because they are actively feeding on a rising tide. Like you I love fishing topwaters and also spoon flies close to shore on a rising tide. On a falling tide is when I go with clousers OR fish that popper/gurgler with an unweighted streamer tied about 18" below the topwater. 
Good luck !


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## JoelG (Nov 12, 2020)

Isucole, I'm in much the same situation as SamB, including fishing the exact same location (among others) and even the same depth, with similar results. All of the books and websites agree that fishing is supposed to be great during a rising tide, but I don't understand how your recommendation for fishing during a rising tide will make much difference in most locations around here. When the tide rises on the east coast, there is a difference of several feet, often 5 ft or more, between low and high tide. I can see where that would inundate areas that were above water during low tide, exposing "new" area to fish. But here in Choctawhatchee Bay, Pensacola Bay, and the sound that joins them, the difference between high and low tide is only a few inches to half a foot. That doesn't inundate very much new area. Am I missing something very basic here? I'd appreciate any explanation you or anyone can offer to help me understand.


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## kingfish501 (Oct 7, 2007)

JoelG said:


> Isucole, I'm in much the same situation as SamB, including fishing the exact same location (among others) and even the same depth, with similar results. All of the books and websites agree that fishing is supposed to be great during a rising tide, but I don't understand how your recommendation for fishing during a rising tide will make much difference in most locations around here. When the tide rises on the east coast, there is a difference of several feet, often 5 ft or more, between low and high tide. I can see where that would inundate areas that were above water during low tide, exposing "new" area to fish. But here in Choctawhatchee Bay, Pensacola Bay, and the sound that joins them, the difference between high and low tide is only a few inches to half a foot. That doesn't inundate very much new area. Am I missing something very basic here? I'd appreciate any explanation you or anyone can offer to help me understand.


You are missing quite a bit. The tide is 1.0 to 1.2 difference...and that tidal flow is pushing bait.
On the grass flats, you'll see sandy holes in the grass. Trout like laying in those holes waiting on bait to be swept over.


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## JoelG (Nov 12, 2020)

KingFish501, maybe I am missing quite a bit. I grew up on the east coast, and I understand the water is always rising and falling and moving everything in it. And I understand that fish like those sandy holes to ambush whatever goes over the top. But that still doesn't address my question of why the recommendation to fish on a rising tide. TideCharts.Com says that just east of the National Seashore (Tiger Point), the water rose about half a foot today with the tide, and tomorrow it'll rise about a foot with the tide. I don't mean to sound argumentative.


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## kingfish501 (Oct 7, 2007)

JoelG said:


> KingFish501, maybe I am missing quite a bit. I grew up on the east coast, and I understand the water is always rising and falling and moving everything in it. And I understand that fish like those sandy holes to ambush whatever goes over the top. But that still doesn't address my question of why the recommendation to fish on a rising tide. TideCharts.Com says that just east of the National Seashore (Tiger Point), the water rose about half a foot today with the tide, and tomorrow it'll rise about a foot with the tide. I don't mean to sound argumentative.


Works for the same reason it works on the east coast with the 5 foot tides...our fish feed the same way east coast fish feed...waiting on current to move bait. Ours are native, so these tides are what they know.

I personally fish just after high tide, as soon as the current starts moving bait OUT, instead of when it is moving bait in. Personal preference.

Personally, I think anytime the current is strong is the time to fish. Not just on the grass...but even off the pier. You can have perfect conditions, ...wind, bait fish around, clean water, etc...but if there is no current, there will be no bite.


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## JoelG (Nov 12, 2020)

KingFish501, Yep, completely agree that the best fishing is when the water is moving. But I fish whenever I can get away and get out on the water; I figure that practicing my cast on the water while blind casting during slack tide is better than being at work.


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