The Sisk Avenue Fly Fishers

As featured in the January 2025 edition of the Marsh & Bayou Magazine. Learn more at marshandbayououtfitters.com.

All great fishing trips start with a visit with the guide’s grandparents, right?  The leftovers aren’t going to get dropped off by a stork, and the trash won’t take itself out.   It is Friday evening, the day after Thanksgiving, and the Egg Bowl is on.  Might as well stop by.

My friend Jack and I said our goodbyes to the family and departed to finish preparing for the coming days of fishing.  We have gone through this routine quite a few times over the past decade or so, mostly during our shared time at Ole Miss.

Jack and I lived in the same neighborhood in middle school, and our friend Alex moved in around the corner a couple of years after I had.  Honestly, it’s a surprise neither of them had crossed paths with my grandparents before now.

This year Alex came before Thanksgiving, but Jack was free the weekend following. In our years of fly fishing adventures together, we’ve found ourselves in all kinds of conditions, from sopping wet campsites on the banks of the White river in Arkansas to bone-shaking, GPS-dismembering Mississippi Sound and Lake Borgne crossings.  Luckily this year the script flipped for the favorable, and the gales of November gave us a break both weekends.  

An unseasonable warm snap came through for Alex.  With a low pressure system moving in, and clean water conditions, it was a perfect setup for sight fishing on fly and light tackle.  On our first run across a slicked out Sound, I saw a strange buoy, or something.  The yellow sickle shape of a single Jack Crevalle’s tail broke the water, destroying the image of an endless, unbreakable horizon.  Peculiar.

The good news is, we only broke off two jacks the next day, and one fly rod.  Also, too, Alex and his fishing partner Brooks each landed the biggest fish of their lives.

Jack heard all about the jacks, and began to pack his bags.  This trip, though, was to be all about bull reds.  

Conditions shifted in a hurry this November.  The fronts would become dastardly, and air and water temperatures often dropped significantly, as did the water levels.  We had low, dirty water for day one of Jack’s visit out to the Biloxi marsh.  A stiff east wind made for a wet morning boat ride, and demanded a unique approach.  Flats fishing was out of the question – most of my usual ponds only held inches of water, and were severely windblown – not to mention cold from a chilly night before.  We targeted deep water, with protection from the wind.  Rivers that interconnect bayous, and small corridors at the inlets and outlets of ponds became our target environment for the morning.

 We poled along the edge of a river several feet off the bank, so we could keep an eye on both the depths of the river and the shallow leeward flat as well.  Baitfish scattered across the shallow point ahead, where a small creek connected to the larger river.  As the skiff reached the commotion, a huge redfish floated out of the depths of the intersection and made a swipe at a mullet.  Jack quickly slapped the fly in front of the fish, with just a foot or two of fly line out his rod tip.  The fish saw the fly dance across his face, amd luckily did not see the skiff just beyond it. It was one of the best eats of the entire season, right at Jack’s feet, and then the fight was on.  The next day Jack poled me to a redfish.

I was really impressed with my friends angling.  These guys were dialed – skilled, and composed, when the opportunities came.  We have spent a lot of time floating rivers, walking banks, and poling the marsh together.  At times the ideology, “we might catch a huge one,” has gotten us into a bind.  Luckily, these humbling lessons almost always come with a good story, and a new respect for some wild place.  ‘Til next time.

Sight Fishing Tactics for Our Bays & Bayous

As featured in the December 2024 issue of Marsh & Bayou Magazine. Check out marshandbayououtfitters.com for more.

Sight fishing for upper- and over-slot fish in Louisiana and Mississippi coastal marshes is a truly unique fishing approach and not always the most sought out.  Opportunities can be limited, and its rewards don’t necessarily result in more fish in the livewell.  It can’t be rushed, or forced.  When the conditions grant opportunities  and it all comes into place, all an angler can do is be prepared to take advantage.  Just don’t let the fish hear your knees knocking together, or your hand shaking – buck fever isn’t just found in the woods this time of year.

My charter’s primary focus is sight fishing in the fall, winter and early spring months for redfish, sheepshead and black drum.  These fish spend the cold months of the year in shallow water, following bait like shrimp and mullet up into shallow ponds, bayous and bays in search of water warmed by the sun.  Calm, sunny days in the marsh yield some of the best saltwater sight fishing opportunities in the country, but even the best conditions don’t necessitate success.  Here’s some notes from my days on the flats that might help to find success.

Conditions

Some of my favorite fishing conditions are light wind, big tide swings or low tides, clear water and full sunshine, with low or falling pressure.  Most of my fishing happens in water between one and three feet deep.  Being able to see the bottom means seeing everything throughout the column, and that is oftentimes imperative.  Redfish are particularly good at hiding themselves in 20 inches of water, when visibility goes 12 inches deep.

Approach

One’s mental approach to sight fishing is important to finding success.  It is a rare opportunity to become immersed in the environment, when the calmness of the marsh comes to life all around the boat.  Stingrays and turtles cruise past, mullet shimmer in the shallows and shrimp pop along the bank.  It’s magical.  Observation and focus is key:  slowing down and eliminating “noise” allows anglers to be a ready to capitalize on close-quarters interactions with fish.

Solo anglers can definitely have success sight fishing, but a good teammate goes a long way.  Two sets of eyes can cover more area, and boat positioning is a full time job.  The odds of success increase with a partner to push pole or run the trolling motor and look for faraway targets, while the angler focuses on up close encounters.  My friends and I play “baseball” – getting a hit or three strikes means a new angler takes to the casting platform.

Finding Good Fishing Water

There are miles of shoreline in the marsh and it can be overwhelming to know where to start.  I fish in ponds and shallow bays with a few key characteristics, the most important one being safe access.  Running aground or getting stuck on a falling tide can happen in a hurry, so understand your boat’s capabilities.  Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box – some folks take a pirogue or a paddle board approach when the big boat can’t get to where the fish are.  Redfish make it their mission to get really, really shallow sometimes – more on that below.

Effective sight fishing means finding areas where the fish want to be, but they can still be seen.  When bull red fishing, I look for areas of shallow water in close proximity to deep water.  This could be a pond stemming from a deep creek, or the shoreline of a quarter-mile across bay with good depth.  Sight fishing with the sun at your back will help to minimize glare and maximize visibility.  Fishing leeward banks with minimal surface disturbance helps every detail to stand out, and tailing or belly crawling fish are often found here.  Occasionally I find aggressive fish cruising windward banks in search of bait, but it’s much tougher to see.

Reading the Fish

Once a fish has been found, the angling can begin. Reading the fish refers to analyzing its position, direction, speed, distance from the boat and its body language.  These are critical factors and each fish is different.  Sometimes it has to happen fast, too!  Especially in stained water, some fish can’t be seen until the boat is just a few rod lengths away.  Be decisive and communicate with your angling partner to take the best approach to feed each fish.  I think of fish behavior like a Rolodex:  every fish’s unique behavior can be presented to differently, and uncovering nuances or watching fish do something new is an absolute treat.  Whether it’s belly crawling in inches of water, tailing on a calm bank eating crabs, or “floating” high in the water column, every fish is unique.  

 

Presenting the bait or the fly is the last step to successful sight fishing.  The fish in the marsh are particularly gracious and willing to eat just about anything they can find- so show them a meal!  I advise folks to “lead” the fish:  cast out in front of a fish’s path and beyond it, then retrieve so that the bait crosses in front of the fish’s face.  In dirty or deeper water, the bait can land closer to the fish.  Presenting to fish takes anticipation and understanding that fish’s body language.

 

 

Tackle and Rigging 

I keep tackle pretty simple.  In a foot of water, less is oftentimes more.  Sight fishing effectively means the angler shows the fish the bait, rather than the fish having to go find it, so there’s no need for anything too flashy.  A soft plastic shrimp or minnow up to 4” long on a 1/8 oz jighead covers most applications.  Flies are typically weighted shrimp, mullet or crab flies from 3-5” long.  I throw natural colors in clean water conditions, and darker and bigger flies in dirty water.  Mostly it is important to fish a bait with confidence, and show it to the fish.  A 30lb fluorocarbon leader section works well – lighter can be helpful in clean water or for spooky fish, but it’s a risky endeavor with the abundance of overslot fish in the marsh. 

 

Sight fishing can be a lifelong pursuit or a passing chance to capitalize on a unique element of the fishery.  For anglers looking for a new challenge it is intensely gratifying to stalk a big fish in shallow water, and our home waters are full of those opportunities.  Good luck out there!

Bull Red Fly Fishing Seasons on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

Folks often ask when the best time is to come to Mississippi to fly fish for redfish.  I am reluctant to tell them, “pretty much from October to March,” because surely it can’t all be that good, right?  I am inclined to think so.  There’s something for everyone.  I’ve often felt the need to elaborate on the fishing seasons on the Mississippi gulf coast, so here goes.

October kicks off my fishing season on the coast, often with a bang.  This time of year, post-spawn groups of bull redfish return to the Biloxi marsh in droves.  They are on the hunt for baitfish, shrimp and crabs in the shallow flats and bayou edges.  The weather is hot and high pressure is common.  Fish crawl on low pressure days and occasionally school up.  The weather this time of year is generally really comfortable, and shots at quality fish are ample.  

November is like October, but a little cooler.  It’s awesome.  Big redfish continue to tail and crawl up shallow.  The weather tends to be more of a factor, particularly on some bumpy mornings crossing the Mississippi sound.  The journey is almost always worth it though, with November being a prime month to target fish in the 40 inch range, and shots at even bigger ones in play almost every day.  It seems like we get most chances at slams in November and December.

December and January are awesome, when the weather permits.  This is my favorite time of year to chase true giant redfish.  That said, it’s pretty volatile from a weather standpoint.  Sometimes days-long weather fronts move through and derail a trip.  Big fish come with big waves, right?  The upside is tremendous, with schools of fish moving in bays and on beaches. 

Bull reds get happy even on the nastiest days.  A brief weather window is all it takes for a once in a lifetime opportunity to present itself.  Floating fish and tailing behavior is crazy this time of year, sometimes when you least expect it.  This is where fishing those cold front days pays off and exceptional fish are caught against the odds. Then, too, are the times we can just blow the lid off the thing. A calm, warm day in the midwinter is one of the best opportunities you can get all year long.  

February is a unique time of year and it’s typically a time of change in our fisheries.  The winter begins to lift its grip and fish get really happy.  Similarly there are still a bunch of huge fish around in February.  If your midseason dates got cancelled for weather, February or March is a great time to rebook.  The weather is often more comfortable and shots are even more plentiful.  Springtime in the marsh typically means clean water and happy upper slot redfish.  Still there are some bulls around as well, but the abundance of opportunity is what makes March shine.  Sheepshead are particularly active this time of year as well.  This is an awesome time to get on the water especially for beginning saltwater anglers, for the consistent conditions and ample shots.

Beyond into the late spring and summer, the water warms and dirties up significantly.  The big fish head back to deeper, cooler water and start thinking about the spawn.  As for me, I turn my attention north to trout fishing out at Teton Valley Lodge, and I try to sneak in some extracurricular adventures in the meantime.  Thanks for reading about the fishing seasons on the Mississippi gulf coast, and I hope this helps you decide when to chase redfish. Get in touch with me some time to start planning your trip!  

Sight fishing bull redfish: what do they look like?

Part of what makes sight fishing bull redfish so exciting is that each shot is unique and every fish has its own personality. Redfish are abundant across the southeast and their behavior varies with every fishery. Here in the Biloxi marsh and Mississippi barrier islands we are blessed with some of the biggest and happiest fish in the country. These fish can be found in water sometimes just ankle deep and in schools by the thousands. Here’s what to look (and listen) for when you’re on the bow.

Surface activity

Seeing a redfish break the surface is one of the most exciting situations in the saltwater fly fishing. 

Tailing is common in the Biloxi marsh in the early and late season when water temps are mild. This is when a redfish feeds on food on a mud flat, causing their tail to tip up above the surface of the water. Redfish tails look like a dorito shape, slender and crisp.  black drum and sheephead tails are like pieces of bread, squared off with rounded corners.

Redfish pushing a wake is a common sight as well. Its usually a V shaped wave, occasionally with a pair of shoulders breaking the surface. Note that the fish is ahead of the V wave, “the push.”

A crawling redfish is swimming in water shallower than his body’s vertical height, so the tail or dorsal or shoulders (or all the above) is breaking the surface. These fish are happy but they run hot, they can get spooky if a fly lands too close too loudly.

Listen for a fish to bust shrimp or mullet into the bank or on the surface too.

A seven or eight weight fly rod is my preference for tailing and crawling fish. I’ll add an extra 2ft of  fluorocarbon leader for these Big tailing redfish in shallow water and downsize the fly a few sizes. 

Floaters

A high swimming, happy Biloxi marsh redfish is one of my favorite findings  in the natural world. Floating redfish refers to slow swimming fish, high in the water column. They may tail at times too. A floating fish is a happy, happy fish, often found in deeper (3-5ft) of water on contour edges, letting the tide set their drift across the marsh.  These fish will be paler and/or brighter than the color of the bottom. I won’t comment on barrier island floaters. Where there’s one, there’s hopefully more.

Low hangers

Whew. For every floater there’s a half dozen low hangers. These big fish are sulking low in the column, often moving slowly or holding still on a bank feature or out off a bank, in the wind sometimes. Low hangers often aren’t spotted until they are within just a few feet of the boat. Be ready and try to get the fly into the fish’s path with just a cast or two- this will vary depending on if the fish has already begun to spook and swim fast, or not. These fish are probably singles or paired up, there can at times be a lot of them grouped together in one area or pond though.

Cruisers or crawlers

These are most of our fish, pretty standard behaviors. Just fish getting from A to B. In some  light better than others these fish will reveal themselves. Look for a torpedo shape with a stripe on top- the contrast of the dorsal and pectoral fins is usually lighter and helpful for picking up the fish’s movement and direction. These fish can be alone or in groups of a few fish.

Thanks for reading! Give us a call today to learn more.

Tips and FAQ for First Time Saltwater Fly Anglers

“I am a die hard trout fisherman but I’ve never fished the salt. Do I have what it takes to catch a bull redfish on fly in Mississippi?”

I hear this question or some version of it dozens of times a year. My path in guiding has converged with the path of lots of freshwater fly anglers, most often trout anglers, who are looking for a new tug. Showing anglers something new outside their prior angling experience and comfort zone is one of my favorite parts of guiding.

Now, to answer the question: yeah, probably.

Some of the skills you gain trout fishing will give you a big leg up on the front of the skiff, but there is more to the story. The big adjustments to make are speed, casting bigger rods and bigger flies at short distances, and identifying fish.

Speed: the fish has the whole ocean to explore – he may not stick around long. Be ready to get the fly in front of the fish, before it leaves your casting range.

Identifying and delivering the fly to a huge redfish is a thrill unlike any other. It makes my heart pound and my knees shake on the back of the boat, too. It’s electric. In the moment, try to stand up tall and make a fly cast. Deliver to your target and make your fly’s path intersect the redfish’s path. The rest will fall into place!

Here’s some other things to consider as you’re getting ready to take the plunge into saltwater sight fishing with a fly rod.

How many shots can I hope to get in a day?

Consider this: the White River in Arkansas averages about 10,000 trout in a single mile long section. That’s a lot of fish checking out your fly! In the marsh, there might not be a single redfish in a one acre pond. There might not be a redfish in the next one you pole through, either!


A good day of redfishing in the marsh you can hope to get 15 or 30 or 100 or so shots at fish. “Shots” means seeing a fish, in casting range, with time to get the fly in front of him. Some days, rarely, it is fewer. Some days you only see fish 20 pounds or heavier.


Consider that for some tropical saltwater species, a good WEEK of fishing might mean 10 shots. Fly fishing in Mississippi is an opportunity to get some training reps in stateside, before breaking the bank on a permit or tarpon trip.


Bring a good attitude and your eagle eyes. Be ready to spot any telltale sign of a fish: a push of water on the surface, a tail that pops out of the water, crashing birds on a baitball, or even a mysterious fishy shadow a few rod lengths in front of the skiff. More on that later.


I have to be able to cast far to catch fish in the salt, right?

We catch a ton of fish between 15 and 30 feet away from the boat. You do not have to be able to cast 60+ feet to have success catching redfish on fly. Being fast is more important than a perfect cast: get the fly in the fish’s “zone”, hopefully out in front of him, and more often than not that redfish will take care of the rest.


It’s breezy! Casting with different wind conditions can make things challenging. Using a double or single haul technique to maintain line speed is very helpful. This is critical in a close shot situation, where any overhead movement like excessive false casts is alarming to fish that might be only a few feet away. Always let the fly rod do the work, load the rod, and show the fish the fly.


Bonus points: practice with a similar size fly rod outfit, leader and weighted fly. Vary distance and try to minimize time with the fly rod overhead- that means fewer false casts and lower rod angles. They think the rod tip is a bird. Minimize shifting your weight from one foot to the other while casting.


Is it warm there? Everyone wears flip flops to catch bonefish in the Bahamas.

Yes Mississippi is in the south. Yes it is still cold in the winter here. So, no, it is not always warm, especially through midseason (dead winter) of late December, January and early February. There is nothing worse than being cold and wet on the boat – pack according to the forecast, and let me know in advance if you need to borrow some rain gear. Gore-Tex rain gear is worth the money if you continue to find yourself in elements like this. My Grundens rain suit has held up extremely well. I always rinse salty gear with fresh water at the end of the day.


Layers and sun protection go a long way. I like a wicking base layer, fleece sweatshirt, down jacket under my Grundens Gore-Tex bibs and jacket on the coldest days. A fleece buff is worth its weight in gold. Bring the gear you need to be comfy in the worst possible conditions. Hopefully it never has to come out of the storage hatches.


Bonus points: it’s cloudy sometimes too, plus the sun is low in wintertime. Low light polarized lenses in a yellow or pink allow for glare reduction, without filtering out too much light from the sun.


Wrapping Up

Saltwater sight fishing with a fly rod is an awesome challenge for any angler looking to try something new and test their skills. The Mississippi gulf coast redfish fishery presents an opportunity rich proving ground, whether you’re looking for your first saltwater fish on fly, a 40 inch bull, or a pre-Belize tune up hunting for sheepshead. A background in freshwater fly fishing is helpful but doesn’t guarantee results. Capitalize on your opportunities and learn from every shot and success will come!

Packing Essentials for Fly Fishing Mississippi

The excitement of preparing and packing for a trip can be one of the most fun or the most stressful parts of the trip! Here’s some things that are super handy to have for your day sight fishing for redfish on fly, that might not already be on the packing list. The Mississippi Sound and the Biloxi marsh are a one of a kind environment, and an amazing resource. It’s best to meet the day head on and prepared for what we’ll encounter on the skiff!

Polarized Sunglasses – Low Light Lenses

These lenses block the glare but let more light in than regular polarized shades. In winter the UV index doesn’t get very high, and fishing on cloudy days and low light mornings and evenings are prevalent conditions. Smiths or Costas in yellow or pink glass lenses have changed the game for my clients and me.

Boat Snacks

My sandwiches are famous from the gulf coast of Mississippi to Alaska, but my expertise ends there. There’s plenty of room for sports drinks, chips, protein bars, adult beverages or whatever else you want to bring for your day in the marsh. I’ll have waters and probably some La Croix and Gatorade too. 

Sun protection

Buff up and keep that brimmed hat on. Warm buffs are great on the cold days of the mid winter. Chapstick is cool too.

Goretex

They say that every boat is a compromise, and my Maverick HPX-T is no exception – but Gore Tex takes up some of the slack. To float in 5 inches of water, you have to be ready to get some sea spray on the morning boat ride. I live in my Grundens goretex bibs and jacket from October til March.  Being warm and dry is an important element of the “fun” equation, and it leads into my next point…

Laser focus/eagle vision

Always be ready for the next opportunity. It happens fast, juuuuuust as you’re starting to doze off… And redfish are a social creature. After one shot, be ready for another in quick succession. Stack that fly line back up and get your eyes ready to find the next player.

I will provide all the essential tackle and more- check out specifics at the “trip info” page on my website. If you’re on the fence about packing something or leaving it at home, send me an email any time too.

Thanks for reading!

Capt. Jacob Commer