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Seeing red in northeast Florida backwaters
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Capt. Tommy Derringer of Inshore Adventures Fishing Charters shows off a redfish he caught on a FishBites scent-release bait in a coastal flat near Palm Coast, Fla. (Photo by John N. Felsher)
For years, Capt. Tommy Derringer of Inshore Adventures explored the marshes and flats between Palm Coast and St. Augustine, Fla. Now a guide specializing in catching redfish in extremely shallow water, he powered down in a wide flat about 100 yards from redfish attacking baitfish in water less than 18 inches deep.
“We are near Pellicer Creek,” Derringer explained. “This whole area has a real backcountry feel, but we’re not far from the Atlantic Ocean. The area only has about a 1- to 2-foot tide, but a six-inch depth variation could mean the difference between being stranded and getting out just in time.”
OUTSTANDING FLORIDA WATER
Designated as an Outstanding Florida Water, Pellicer Creek begins in southern St. Johns County and runs east through marshes and tidal flats between St. Johns and Flagler counties. It hits the Matanzas River system through the Intracoastal Waterway south of Matanzas Inlet.
“Pellicer Creek is a fantastic place to catch redfish all year long,” agreed Capt. Chris Herrera of Palm Coast Fishing. “A maze of creeks leads to a bunch of small flats that are all loaded with redfish. It has great flow coming in from the ocean into the back estuaries. Besides redfish, we catch flounder, trout and an occasional snook. The area is not very heavily pressured because it takes a very shallow draft boat or a kayak to get back there.”
As quietly as possible, Derringer poled closer to the schooling fish while Dr. William Carr of FishBites and I prepared our rods. The captain advised us to rig our lines with 3-inch white FishBites Xtreme Scent Release Paddle Tail baits on 1/8-ounce jigheads.
FISH BITE FISHBITES
“I almost exclusively use FishBites instead of soft plastics,” Derringer said. “It outfishes everything else I’ve tried. Compared to similar baits, the FishBites Paddle Tails have more action. It’s like fishing with a piece of cut bait that looks alive. Sometimes, I just stop the retrieve and let it sit on the bottom. The scent alone attracts fish and they pick it up.”
Almost immediately, redfish sucked up our FishBites while others tried to steal from their brethren. These waters typically don’t produce many giant spot-tails, but the area holds countless reds in the 5- to 7-pound range with some breaking 10 pounds. Occasionally, someone lands a fish exceeding 13 pounds.
As the sun warmed the waters, fish moved into deeper creeks. Holes along some creek bends drop to six or eight feet deep. Anglers also find deep water in the Intracoastal Waterway.
For booking trips, contact Derringer at 904-377-3734 or www.inshoreadventures.net. For Herrera, call 386-437-2545 or visit palmcoastfishing.com. For information on FishBites, see www.fishbites.com.
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