What can a fisherman do to catch more poundage of fluke than grass?
One of the most frustrating aspects of fluke fishing in the backwaters can be the presence of seaweed. A variety of grasses and algae in the water can range from a nuisance to flat-out ruining the fishing. Seagrasses and seaweed, however, are an important part of the ecosystem in the estuaries. They provide cover for both larval and juvenile fish along with other creatures such as crabs, shrimp and shellfish, to name a few. Rest assured, skinny waters without the presence of grass, no matter how much we may curse dirty lines, would cause a significant disruption in the ecosystem that would affect every level of the food chain.
Sea lettuce probably ranks the highest in terms of prevalence. When dense, it can get so entangled on the terminal presentation that it weighs more than some of the fish. Eel grass and bubbleweed can intermix and do the same when conditions are unfavorable. “Snotgrass” is gooey, sticky and difficult to remove. It seemingly adheres to just about everything that goes in the water when it’s around in high quantities. And trust me, that’s just a sampling of the organic growth that can hurt fishing when an abundance arrives. What can a fisherman do to catch more fluke and less grass?
Tides
Experienced anglers have a keen sense of which tides are best to keep their gear clear. Typically, captains that fish an hour before and an hour after high tide will find the least amount of clingy seaweed. Slack high tide is also a perfect time to fish. When the seaweed “drops out,” anglers are best to hit their prime spots in order to capitalize on the intermission. As the ebb tide continues to flush, all forms of seaweed usually begin to miraculously reappear. Low tide is often the worst window to deal with grass; albeit, the slack low stillness can offer a brief respite to drifting boats.
Location
Anglers might have some luck changing the waters they are fishing in hopes of finding relief. There are times when some channels are loaded with grass, while others a few miles away might only contain moderate amounts, allowing anglers to fish with greater ease. When the weed is bad, anglers will do better to stay in the main channel because the edges and flats adjacent are usually in worse shape. When a spot without grass is located, anglers should use their best live baits or most aggressive jigging techniques to capitalize on the opportunity that may not last the whole tide. The clear stretch of water should get pounded accordingly based on other areas being compromised with grass. Furthermore, I’ve made long runs to get away from seaweed in the past. Case in point, there’s a river mouth about 10 miles from me that usually has cleaner water when the weed is horrific in my area. I can only surmise why, but I hypothesize the slightest river water influence in parts per thousand could deter some of the plant growth on the nursery floor. I’ll take it nonetheless! Also, when back bay creeks get ugly on the bottom, I’ll give the inlet a try. There’s often less growth in deeper water, so it’s worth a shot.
Tactics
Anglers should lighten up and get rid of any unnecessary terminal tackle. Line to line knots are better than swivels and the lightest jigs or bucktails possible work well. Seaweed hangs on anything it can so less is best as long as the line remains straight up and down. Excess line and scope lead to more grass. Using trolling motors or bump trolling can change how the lines present and sometimes escape the plague thus experimentation with drift speed and working up current may help.
As mentioned, the snot grass can get wicked and make for a real chore. The blooms seem to occur after several days of rain when polluted runoff from the streets flood the estuaries and bays. Stagnant waters gather up even more disgusting snot hence fishing waters with many entries and exits help with any algal slime. Cool, fast moving, oxygenated water always fairs better than slowly moving or stagnant waterways.
On The Move
Every flat, bay, channel, creek, river or sound function differently so those that are most mobile have the premium advantage. If one finds intolerable seaweed at one of their favorite spots, they might want to consider driving to an entirely different waterway. There have been many times I’ve fished in bays 20 miles from one another in back to back outings. One spot was weeded out and another was clean. Go figure. Regardless, those that are most mobile have the ability to leave the lettuce. Anglers that are resourceful have the advantage in beating the weed.
