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John's Journal... Entry 110, Day 4

Reds and Specks by Starlight

Night Fishing For the Family

EDITOR'S NOTE: This week, Captain Jamie Melton of Foley, Alabama, will teach us why he believes the back bays in any coastal area are best by starlight and why you can catch more speckled trout, redfish and flounder after dark.

Question: Do you have many families fishing at night?

Answer: Yes we do, and I'm glad to see them fishing together. One of the things my customers have learned is that spending quality time with your family is difficult -- especially at the beach. Young people generally have their own priorities when they go to the beach, and mom and dad usually have a different plan. However, they all seem to agree that they can spend time together at night catching fish and enjoying one another. My customers tell me that family time is special, and their youngsters seem to always remember the nights the family has fished together at the beach. I'll make some trips where I'll have two dads and four youngsters on board. One dad will take his two children and go to one end of the boat, while the other dad will take his youngsters and move to the opposite end of the boat. I'll stand in the middle and bait hooks and use the dip net to land the speckled trout and redfish that my party catches.

Question: How many fish do you expect to catch each night when you go fishing, and what do you consider an average night?

Answer: I'm happy if we catch 12- to 15-speckled trout each night. If we catch 20 or more fish, I'll think we've had a very successful night -- and we catch 20-speckled trout quite often. Too, if you count the undersized fish that we catch and release, we may catch 30- or 40-speckled trout in one night.

Question: What time do your trips usually start?

Answer: The tide and the seriousness of the fishermen dictate the beginning and the end of nighttime fishing trips. If an angler really wants to catch a trophy-sized speckled trout, then we'll wait for an incoming tide. Most often that tide will start to come in around midnight and come in strong until daylight. So my fishing trips often start around 11:30 p.m. and usually end just before first light. If my party doesn't really care about a trophy fish and just want to catch large numbers of fish and keep their rods bent all night long, I'll start fishing between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. and fish for 4 or 5 hours.

For more information, contact Captain Jamie Melton at 309 East Verbena, Foley, AL 36535, or (251) 955-5713.

TOMORROW: MELTON'S BEST CATCHES

 

 

 

 

Check back each day this week for more about Redfish ...

Day 1 - Inshore Fishing with Captain Jamie Melton
Day 2 - Melton's Best Night of Fishing
Day 3 - Fishing Artificial Lures at Night
Day 4 - Night Fishing for the Family
Day 5 - Melton's Best Catches


John's Journal