"In terms of fishing for reds, I live for sight-fishing this species," Privette said. "I like to get in the grass as soon as the water will let me on the rising tide. The biggest problem for many when sight-fishing for redfish is to rush as far back on the flat on a flood tide as quickly as possible. What I discovered is that by going in as far as I could, I'd be passing by many fish. Now I slowly move in, watching the area very closely. Instead of rushing past the fish, I usually see them working their way back, feeding as they go.

"The reds don't rush all the way back to the back, they work their way in while feeding," he said. "Many times, I'll see one fish a distance off, but by watching, I'll often pick out more fish between me and that fish. Instead of rushing to the first one I see, I often will now have two or three extra opportunities. I generally still end up in the back of the flat as the water gets near the highest level, but the difference is I usually have been catching fish all the way back there. The same process is true on the reverse as the water begins to drop."

SPOTTED SEATROUT
The word on the spotted seatrout is that fishing is good throughout the year, but right now through the summer is an ideal time for live-bait fishing. Several guides will quickly discuss how fishing live bait under a popping cork will produce limits of fish.

Most fishermen seem to prefer moving water when fishing for trout, with both rising and dropping tides being productive. According to one trout fisherman, Tommy Tanner, either a dropping or rising tide will produce action. But like all fishermen, he does have a preference.

"I prefer a falling tide for trout fishing," Tanner said. "But using the right techniques you can catch spotted seatrout on a rising or falling tide and you can catch them when the tide is nearing high or when it's getting very low."

Tanner said the dropping tide seems to bunch the fish up as the water continues to fall. He will begin fishing as the water is coming out of the grass. If the fish bite for a while, and then the action slows, he will move. He said there are usually some obvious places he can look for them. One is a nearby deeper hole of water. Another is to move farther down the creek toward deeper water or into the next larger creek.

Techniques will vary, but one of the top ways to catch spotted seatrout is to cast a lure, such as a jighead with a DOA shrimp, toward the shoreline and work it along the bottom with the current. Another prime technique is to drift live bait around the same structures, with live shrimp being a favored choice.

"Other good live-bait choices include finger mullet and mudminnows," he said. "Properly presented, trout have a hard time passing up any live bait offering."

Trolling is another tool trout fishermen employ to find and catch trout.