# Bill Sargent Article - Redfish Head for Shallows



## tom_in_orl (Dec 9, 2006)

Repost from inshore-fishing.com. I have met Troy and heard him speak at a FWC meeting. He know his stuff.

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Mild winter may be factor in unusual behavior

BY BILL SARGENT
FLORIDA TODAY

MOSQUITO LAGOON - After 20 years of guiding on Mosquito Lagoon Troy Perez thought he had seen everything when it came to redfish.

The 43-year-old charter captain from Mims has led his clients to thousands of catches. What's more, Perez has tagged over 2,000 of the lagoon's redfish in one man's effort to determine movements of the lagoon's unique population of resident fish.

Last Sunday during a charter with a couple Orlando anglers Perez was flabbergasted by the huge numbers of slot-size redfish schooling in shallow backwaters.

"In all my years I haven't seen that many redfish schooling in shallow water, ever," Perez said, emphatically.

"I bet we saw a thousand fish around us when we first came in and then they broke up into 200 fish schools. They were as far as we could see, all of them in about a foot of water," said Perez.

The clients, Frank Purcell and Peter Martinez, couldn't have picked a more opportune time to make their first saltwater fishing trip.

"I've done lots of bass fishing all my life," said the 45-year-old Purcell, "and after this trip with Troy I don't think I'm ever going back to bass fishing. It was the most incredible thing I've ever seen."

Purcell and Martinez, who admittedly were not the best pinpoint casters being out of their freshwater environment, caught and released 31 reds that day.

Last Monday John Turse of Melbourne chartered Perez and Turse released 25 redfish by himself.

Perez said he first started seeing larger than usual numbers of smaller redfish in the shallows, mostly along the east shore of the lagoon, in December. But then he and his wife Christine Perez spent a couple weeks fishing at Venice, La.

"I figured they'd be gone when I got back. They weren't. There was just more of them," Perez laughed. "It must have something to do with the mild winter we're having," Perez theorized. "Nothing else different is going on."

Perez and other Mosquito Lagoon guides over the years have witnessed huge schools of redfish, sometimes described as 1,000 in one area. But they've always been the larger redfish, much larger than the 18-to-27-inch slot, and they've almost always been confined to the deeper open-water sections of the lagoon where the depths are 4 to 5 feet.

"I'm sure the reds are going to stay (in the shallows)," Perez said. "I think it would take a severe weather change all of a sudden to change things."

Understandably Perez didn't want to specify the exact locations of the schools but he did say it involved a lot of poling to get his boat into the shallow backwaters.

"They're pretty much everywhere along that east side but more seem to be in a couple different spots," Perez said. "They're not hard to find. They're where people do a lot of fishing, but keep in mind they're far up into shallow water."

Currently, water levels are low in the lagoon and that is a factor to consider for those going looking for the redfish. Deep-draft boats won't work.

Also, when anglers are inside the no-motor zones in the Tiger Shoal area along the east shore, they must use push poles. The use of outboards is not allowed.

One of the largest reds caught by Purcell came while Perez was poling out of the primary fishing area and into deep water. The fish measured 28 inches.

Few of the reds are over 30 inches.

"This time of the year always is good for slot fishing but not this good," Perez said, referring to the 18-to-27-inch fish. Under normal winter conditions the smaller reds move up into the shallows during the afternoon warm-ups.

Perez never has been one to use just certain baits or special colors.

"If the fish are aggressive it doesn't matter," he said. "I'll grab whatever brand of gold spoon is laying on my console and it'll work," he said. "Sometimes we'll throw Gulp shrimp or plastic-jerk baits. They all work."

Spoons, in 1/4- or 1/2-ounce sizes on light-test spinning gear cast easier during windy conditions, which have been all too common this winter.

"The wind doesn't stop them from eating," Perez said. "One day it was blowing northeast at 25 and we caught fish. The next day it switched strong from the east, and we caught fish."

One key is making sure the fish sees the bait.

"If you get a bait in front of their noses they'll grab it," Perez said. "If it's off to the side a little, let it lay and maybe they've move to it."

Purcell said he already has booked Perez for another trip.

"I like it because it's all visual fishing," Purcell said. "What's more it's just great being out there. Mosquito Lagoon is such a beautiful place."


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## Guest (Jan 27, 2007)

*Re: Bill Sargent Article - Redfish Head for Shallo*

Yeah, I have read this on www.floridafishingweekly.com, I have been receive this newspaper everyweek from it.

I have seen schools of reds at the goon'. It's awesome to watch them crusing around the shallow grass flats. 

Troy Perez is very resoureful charter guide. I recommend anyone book with him for schools of redfish and awesome fishing action. I'm warning you, he is booked advance in few weeks to months. I have went with him about 6 years ago. Awesome experience


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## Ron_W. (Dec 14, 2006)

*Re: Bill Sargent Article - Redfish Head for Shallo*

I wonder about a few things in this report. How shallow is shallow? The boat I have seen Troy fish from must draft 10 to 12 inches, thats not shallow to me. I can go as shallow as 6" and for the past month there have been very few fish in less than 10" of water. I have poled many shallow areas and found most schools in 1 to 2 feet of water but nothing like the numbers he reports. I'm not saying he's not on a bunch of fish but the article tends to suggest that there are massive schools of reds in very shallow water. My observations say most water less than 10" is barren.

I generaly hate to see public reports of fish located in a certian area. You can bet that in the Titusville/Misquito lagoon area any location named in articles or internet reports on the major forums will attract many boats. Most of the boaters will be inexperienced and if fish are present they will soon stop biteing or move completely due to the pressure and boat traffic. While you can get a general idea of the fishes behavior pattern from published reports I would determine what type of water depth and location is attracting the fish and how the weather patterns are effecting there movements to help me chose my locations. I avoid the reported hot spots and the Googan fest and spooky fish that result. Less boats = more fish.

I love the low water levels of winter, it keeps most of the big boat joy riders off the flats and lets the fish settle down. 6 to 8" of water is ideal.


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## litlblusrn4bigred (Jan 8, 2007)

*Re: Bill Sargent Article - Redfish Head for Shallo*

I was out yesterday and seen 500-1000 red fish schooled up on the west side of the lagoon perpendicular with the haulover canal. I have never seen anything like it. I hooked up with 10 fish in 45 minutes and caught my biggest to date at 27.5 inches, just under regulation. I wish I had a pic but, didnt have the digital with me and cant download from my phone. They were all around me. I had to leave to go get my kid other wise im sure I would have kept on catching. That has been the best day so far for me on the lagoon...I had a blast. 

FISH ON BABY!!


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