Tips and Advice

Red Tide Fishing

Fishing beneath the bloom can be extremely productive

Timothy Kusherets

When the saltwater is dirty brown most fishermen assume that some kind of toxic spill has taken place and abandon estuary fishing all together. Algae-bloom, also known as Red Tide, is created when algae becomes prolific enough to blossom in the uppermost recesses of surface currents. Red Tide is toxic to humans but not to the shell-fish that it infects, however, fishing can be done even in the presence of it. As the bloom reaches the surface of water it dies and becomes toxic by the time the decaying material reaches the ocean floor, but the depth of the decay is almost never deeper than 6 feet. Fish know to avoid the entire depth of the decaying flora and to most fishermen that means no fish because they don't jump; that is not the case. Fish will not penetrate the bloom but they are still in the area, provided the depth is great enough to allow them to. Fishing beneath the bloom can be extremely productive. Baits and fluttering lures, not to mention jigs, can be very productive. The pressure that most fishermen exert in the estuarine environment completely disappears when the fish stop jumping; which makes it optimal for the intrepid fisherman willing to get out there when no else dares. Get the bait and lures about a foot of the seafloor before either jigging the lures or holding the bait. In no time at all fish of a myriad of sorts will be tugging at the line. Anglers should be prepared for bottom fish as well as salmon and sharks. In some cases the bites will be so often that the leader should be either braided line or steel cable to deter line-abrasion; or you will lose fish. When routinely hooking into rockfish at deeper levels, take care to reel in slower than normal so the swim-bladder of some fish don't protrude out of the mouths. Contrary to popular beliefs, pricking the swim bladder of those fish released is a death sentence. Bulging eyes are indicators that the catch has been brought up to quickly. If it is legal to do so; anglers with the true sportsman disposition will keep the catch. Putting back a dead fish is not sportsman-like at all. Fish caught during a red tide are just as tasty and non-toxic as with any other fish at any other time. It's a great time to fish and in most cases you'll be the only one out on the water. Good fishing.

If you want to see shoals of fish, try angling beneath the depth of a red tide.
Usually, the algae formations are about six feet, but we like to hold just a little deeper than that.

© Timothy Kusherets 2004/07