Rain didn't dampen fishing efforts

It has been 12 years since I last went five days without going fishing. Turns out, when you are recovering from open heart surgery, going fishing is not at the top of your list. This week, a series of planned and unplanned events conspired to put the 12-year streak in jeopardy. If I did not fish on Sunday, the streak would be broken. So, I planned to fish on Sunday, regardless of the conditions. As you know, the weather on Sunday was awful. High winds, heavy rain and lightning had me rethinking my plan. But, after calling my brother and my son, we decided to go.

We launched the skiff in a torrential downpour. Runoff from all the rain made the water clarity extremely poor. Idling away from the boat landing, we knew finding clear water would dramatically increase our chances of catching fish. Clear water was hard to find. The river and creeks were all muddy. So, we ran to a shallow area with a shell bottom and lots of sparse marsh grass. The water clarity was better but not great. With limited options, we decided to try it. While I positioned the skiff with the trolling motor, David and Elliott selected Z-Man TRD lures that would be more visible in the off-color water. Before I could even pick up my rod, they both cast to marsh grass and both hooked up. Despite the weather conditions, the bite was on.

For the next three hours, we fished the shell bottom and sparse marsh grass pattern with great success. The rain never abated. However, since the fish were already wet, they did not seem to mind. The streak is still intact. Hopefully, I can keep it going for another 12 years.

Contact Captain Greg Peralta at captgregp@gmail.com or call (843) 224-0099.