Adjusting Your Approach When Inshore Fishing Gets Tough
- By: Pat Ogletree
- on
Ever had one of those days on the water where the fish just aren’t biting? Maybe your favorite lure isn’t producing, or unexpected challenges—like pesky puffers—throw a wrench in your plans. It happens to the best of us, but making the right adjustments can turn things around.
On a recent trip, I ran into this exact scenario. Some of my go-to soft plastics were getting destroyed, and I had to pivot. That’s when I decided to switch to a hard lure—the Flea Flicker—and focus on finding the right spots and retrieval techniques.
In the video, I walk through:
- How windblown points held the key to finding fish.
- The retrieval pattern that worked best that day.
- A simple tip every kayak angler needs to know for safety.
The Flea Flicker ended up being the star of the day, helping me land trout, snook, and even a redfish. But the real lesson wasn’t just about the lure—it was about reading the conditions and adjusting your approach to match what the fish want.
🎣 Watch the video below to see how I made the adjustment👇
If you’ve ever struggled with days where the fish don’t seem to cooperate, this video will give you some ideas to try. And if you’re looking to improve your overall inshore fishing game, check out our free online Fishing School. It’s a step-by-step guide designed to help you catch more fish and enjoy every trip.
Tight lines!
Pat
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Pat,
Great content and info. I have had the same problems with soft plastics on certain trips with puffers. The switch to hard baits was the answer.
Regarding you seeing several Reds up near shore, what was the approx. depth difference on the side of your cast away from shore where you seemed to be hooking up with more trout? On a recent trip I had, I used a technique from a post you and also Wader Dave had to fan cast not only the trees or shore, but also parallel and out farther. I was using the Skinny Lipper. I had better success with trout on the outside. If you are visually seeing Reds in shallow water, are you usually casting in those areas first as you work to avoid spooking those fish? It looked like you were almost seeing them on accident.
Thanks for a great Post.
In the area I was fishing, the reds were in less than 18 inches of water and the trout were in 2-3 foot. The biggest trout was up shallow with the reds, which is common. When ever I see fish in an area I will slow down and fish it more thoroughly. My typical method of fishing is to keep moving until I find some fish and then slow down. If I’m noticing the fish are holding a certain distance from the shore, I’ll concentrate my casts there.
Good lesson, just got my flea flicker, gonna give it a try tomorrow out in Merritt.
Thank you!
Let us know how it goes!
The Flea Flicker was a huge success after I found the fish. I spent about 2 hours of solid fish catching!! Posted a report on it because I wore myself out! Mostly trout, but also snook, ladyfish and a puffer to end the day.
That’s awesome! Great way to build confidence in a lure!
Great tutorial Pat & the Fishing School is fantastic, with knowledge at ALL levels !! Thanks for all of your efforts !!
Thanks George!