More often than not, the average angler fishes when time is available, not necessarily when the tide is at the best level.
According to guide Jason Dail, the southern migration of eelgrass has given anglers a place to target trout and redfish that’s not as tide-dependent as traditional structure, points and ledges. But without moving water to concentrate fish and a growing habitat of the submerged vegetation, finding those fish can be tricky.
What’s Dail’s solution? He takes the offensive and goes on the hunt.
“The eelgrass is good to cast at or troll on,” said Dail. “I like to troll three or four rods with lures to locate trout. Then pull the lines in and cast live bait to them.”
Dail, who likes to mix up his spread, trolls Rapala X-Raps, Yo-Zuri shrimp, and curlytail grubs on ¼-ounce jigheads.
“I troll the lures anywhere from 50 to 100 feet or so behind the boat and anywhere from 3.5 to 5.5 knots,” he said. “You want the baits to have good action, but you don’t want to go too fast.”
Eelgrass, which only grows in less than 4 feet of water, is commonly found in the ICW, where Dail prefers to troll.
“I like to be right on the edge of the continuity break between the grass and the ledge of the waterway,” he said.
Although this technique is productive in slack water, it is not limited to it.
“If I have moving water, I prefer to troll with the tide,” said Dail, who trolls faster to give his baits enough action with the current. “It’s even better on an incoming tide.”
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