Thread: Yak fishing early spring

I have a Hobie Compass lightly rigged for fishing and had great fun my first few trips last summer launching to the bay in front of Morgantown. I’ll be down in next weekend and a few more trips between then and late late April. Wondering if specks moving out of the rivers yet, and would I do better fishing in the bay from Morgantown hitting the creeks there, or launching in front of Kiva Dunes (bay side) to hit a few miles of docks? Do I need to be in the Bon Secour? Hate to ask so many questions but I’m wanting to get to know different area to take my kids and wife when I get another yak this spring. Hopefully I can contribute to our knowledge with some reports afterwards!

My son and I have had some luck mid-March in Little Lagoon with specks and white trout in the deep areas mid-lagoon. Plan on a lot of paddling which can be tough in the March wind. However, if you get into a school of white trout, you may get a bite nearly every cast. Take several packages of 3" new penny Gulp shrimp with a chartreuse tail on a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce red head jig. Fish the bottom slowly. Paddling upwind and drifting/trolling using a 3-4-inch rattling crank baits will increase your chances for catching specks. The water is only 2-3 feet deep in many places even in the middle of the lagoon. Don't waste your time there unless you want to catch croakers that time of the year. Look for 8-12 feet depths. You can launch on the north side of the lagoon from a ramp a couple miles west off Ft. Morgan road and paddle towards the pass.

Originally Posted by hunterdoc

Wondering if specks moving out of the rivers yet, ...

Specks were on the Bayou St John Reef (Perdido Bay) last week, so I'd say they are moving out of the rivers to some extent. My experience in Mobile/Bon Secour is that the speck fishing around docks is slow when the water is muddy. Bon Secour is less muddy than the main Bay right now, so I'd head that way or to the mouth of the river, if not to Perdido.