I headed out today around noon to try some paddle-fishing with my friend Conrad. Bought 5 dozen live shrimp and got ready to start the day.

We headed to spot number 1, the wind was blowly fairly hard so we couldn't cast into the hole. We moved nearer to a channel. Conrad sort of separated and after a little while he brings in a keeper 20+ inch redfish to go home for the fish dinner. I continue to catch ladyfish after ladyfish.

After a little while Conrad catches a 15 inch underslot redfish, but that changed my mind. I moved over there and he showed me what he was doing to catch the fish. After a little while longer doing that and just a few ladies, I "catch" a little sheepshead. Actually the little fish swam into the line and got tangled in it and wasn't even hooked. Then I catch my first slot sheepshead of the day and add that to the icebox. Conrad lost his stick anchor that exact moment so I went chasing after that with a sheepshead in the boat. The wind picks up a little more so we move to spot number 2.

This time Conrad and I separate a good bit away. While I catch even more ladyfish, Conrad catches two 16 inch redfish in 15 minutes-so once again, I go after him. When I get there I catch a few more ladies, and a 17 inch redfish. Conrad catches the first and only trout of the day, 16 inches so it too goes with the redfish and sheepshead. Shortly after that, I caught another slot sheepshead which goes in for dinner. We have only a few shrimp left and decided to move to spot 1 again.

Here we go and catch an 11 inch sheepshead and a 17.5 inch redfish along with several more ladyfish. The smallest fish all day was caught there also: a 4 inch sheepshead. We're out of shrimp so it's time to go home for the fish fry! This was the best trip all year so far.

Important(and informational) tips: The redfish seemed to like it when you cast right up against the mangroves and let the tide carry the bait past a feeder creek. At the second spot they prefered the bait jigged very slowly but with a very big motion. They always struck on the rise. The trout was caught reeling in to cast again by an island. The sheepshead liked it right up against the mangroves, jigged quickly up and down, then letting it sit.

Also, if you know a special way to fillet sheepshead to get the most meat, please look at my "Filleting Sheepshead" post in the Angler's Forum.