This week, guest host Capt. Tanner Deas (Dauphin Island Fishing Charters) runs solo and checks in with Capt. Richard Rutland (Cold Blooded Fishing) for an inshore Delta breakdown, plus an onshore surf-and-canal report with Tony Emmons (South Alabama Surf Fishing). The show wraps with a fly-fishing deep dive from Sam Sumlin (Community Fly Supply), who’s been putting big trout in the boat on sinking lines and “dredging” tactics. The show is presented by Angelo DePaola – The Coastal Connection with eXp Realty.
Conditions Recap
A sharp cold snap (two nights down around the 30s) pushed fish tighter to stable water and deeper holding areas—especially in the Delta and deeper stretches of the tidal rivers. Recent local rain added a light “brown tint” and reduced visibility, but it was not a full-on freshwater blowout. Expect fish to slide deeper right after a front, then creep back onto shallow bars, flats, and edges as daytime highs rebound into the 70s. Offshore opportunities have been limited by weather windows, so the focus this week is on what’s been producing consistently: Mobile-Tensaw Delta trout, tidal-river trout and reds, and a surprisingly fun December surf bite when you stay mobile and fish beach structure.
Inshore Report – Capt. Richard Rutland (Mobile-Tensaw Delta & Tidal Rivers)
Rutland called this one of the best Delta years he’s seen in a long time, with speckled trout stacked in impressive numbers and quality. Right after the cold shot, he’s finding trout glued to the bottom and concentrating in deeper sections—then expecting them to spread back toward shallower areas as the warming trend returns.
Key pattern: Use your “traditional” bottom machine (not LiveScope/side scan) to locate fishy stretches, then set up a controlled drift. He prefers drifting with the current over spot-locking directly on top of fish—keeping the presentation natural and covering water efficiently.
Jighead weights: After the front, heavier heads help keep contact. In roughly 16–22 feet, he leans toward 3/8 oz; in 12–16 feet, a 1/4 oz often shines. Watch the sonar: if fish are hovering a few feet up, adjust weight and sink rate accordingly.
Lures & colors (presentation > color right now): Pure Flats Slick Lures were a consistent bite, including Slick Jr and Little Slick profiles. On the “natural” side, a green-back / pearl-belly grub (including the Down South Lures Supermodel) produced. Other productive looks mentioned: Arkansas Shiner, Croaker, and louder/brighter options like Swamp Thing.
Don’t sleep on topwater: With highs warming back up, Rutland expects more fish to slide shallow again and start sniffing the surface— especially on warmer afternoons when the tide and conditions line up.
Quick insight on rain & “freshwater fear”: He noted the difference between local runoff flushing small tidal rivers versus major upstate rain events driving big spikes in the Delta system. The Delta often stays “safer” when the rain is mostly local, and conditions can rebound quickly after a couple tide cycles.
Onshore Report – Tony Emmons (Surf, Beaches & Canals)
Emmons says December has been noticeably better than last year, with consistent chances at whiting, redfish, and even a surprise flounder—but only if you stay aggressive about finding the right water. His advice is simple: fish the window, and keep moving (he’ll change beaches from Fort Morgan and beyond if he has to).
Beach structure is everything: He’s targeting “soft structure” like washouts, deeper holes, and points on sandbars—especially the end corners of the first/second sandbar where ghost shrimp/sand fleas wash into a rip and concentrate feeding fish.
Whiting setup: A single-drop rig with a Frisky Fin rattle rig (purple has been a standout) has been “dynamite” when fished tight to structure. He also used a simple Carolina rig with a 1 oz egg weight to mop up whiting on a sandbar point.
Bait: Emmons leans heavily on fresh dead shrimp (often as effective as live on the beach). He’ll fish it peeled or unpeeled, and will sometimes add extra “pop” by tipping baits with Fishbites (pink/green was mentioned) when conditions call for it.
Reds & flounder note: He connected with bull reds and a slot red on bait during a quick post-shop window—proof that when conditions allow, a short session on the right beach structure can still pay off in a big way.
Canal sheepshead option (for slower surf windows): On a land-based canal bite, he used a size 2 Owner Gorilla Light hook, a split shot, and fiddler crabs around pilings/structure, putting together a 15–16 fish day for clients who wanted to branch out.
Fly Fishing Report – Sam Sumlin (Community Fly Supply)
Sumlin has been mixing in non-traditional fly tactics when sight-fishing conditions don’t cooperate (wind/clouds/dirty water). The big story: quality trout on sinking lines over deeper structure, with multiple fish in the 20–26 inch class and bonus species like pompano.
Confidence fly: The Gravity Minnow (a finger-mullet profile tied through Space Coast Flies), paired with weighted eyes and a sink line to stay in the zone.
How he’s getting it done: He described throwing a Type 6 sinking line (about 6 inches/second sink rate in ideal conditions), using a countdown to hit the right depth, and fishing a strip–strip–pause cadence—very similar to conventional twitch/pause presentations. As tide slowed, longer pauses became the key adjustment.
Experimenting when it’s hot: He also threw a larger, articulated “jerkbait/glidebait style” fly to hunt a true giant, and noted that when the bite is on, it’s the perfect time to test profiles without overthinking it.
Where sinking lines help: Beyond deep structure, he uses slower-sinking or sink-tip lines for beach troughs, deeper flats (when reds/drum are glued down), and dock lights. Dock lights were highlighted as a great place to learn: fish are there to feed, casts can be short, and you can re-cast quickly without reeling in long presentations like conventional tackle.
What Did You Learn?
Rutland’s report reinforces a simple winter truth: right after a front, fish gravitate to stability—often meaning deeper, saltier water—and your electronics and drift setup can matter more than lure color. On the beach, Emmons’ reminder is equally simple: structure and mobility catch fish, especially in the “off-season.” And Sumlin’s fly segment shows that when you match depth and cadence, fly gear can mirror conventional success—right down to big trout and surprise pompano.
