Fishermen Should Read The Water
Learning to read the water is very important to the would be successful fisherman. When You read a book, you read the individual pages, when you are reading the water, you are observing everything around you. You should pay attention to the weather conditions like wind, tidal movement, surface and water temperature. All of these factors can help make a decision on how to fish, whether that is boat fishing, kayak, fly fishing or using your fishing reels..
Once out on the water, it is time to do more "reading". Pay close attention to the early morning activity around you, especially the bait fish. If you are on the bay, there likely will be schools of mullet jumping around, and small shrimp popping out of the water but you must be looking closely to spot them.When you see the bait fish fleeing an area, try casting in that direction. Usually this means a predator is chasing them, so that is a good place to start. Look down into the water for smaller creatures like crabs that may also be running away from larger game fish.
It is a good idea to pay attention to where the birds are feeding. I especially watch for the blue heron, pelicans, and gulls. They are always on spot for the fish. Follow them. If you know what to look for you can learn to read the wildlife activity on the water just like a living book. It will tell you where to find fish and what they are feeding on.
In addition to wildlife activity on the water, what is beneath the surface matters as well. Look for different structure where you are fishing, such as drains. In between islands and sand bars there will be gaps where water flows through. These are high-traffic areas for baitfish, and where there are bait fish predators are nearby. I like to sit near the sides of these areas and cast into them, even more so a period of a lot of tidal movement.
When you get into this drain area, you might try starting off with a top water lure first. These fishing lures are good for recon since fish nearby will usually strike at it, thus giving you a quick indication of fish in the area. When you see a strike, switch to a soft plastic fishing lure giving yourself the advantage over that big speckled trout. Using a weedless lure, I will try about 3 casts into each section before moving somewhere else.
One of my favorite fishing lures is a Brown Lure Devil Eye or Sea Devil. There are tons of colors to choose from, and we each have our own favorite. My favorite is the Little Pinky (pink with silver hologram). It has been a proven color for me in clear to muddy water for over a year. This method of fishing works well, and I use it when fishing for fun, or in tournaments.
It takes time to learn this technique, but the edge you get is well worth it. The next time you get on the water look for wildlife movement, tidal changes, and pay attention to weather and structure. I am betting this will help you to catch more fish the next time you are out there.