Entry 211-4
New Hot Inshore Saltwater Lures and How to Fish Them
Part 4: Boat Or No Boat
Editor’s Note: Captain Scott Simpson of Long Beach, Mississippi, is a speckled trout and redfish guide along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This week he’ll tell us how he’s catching specks and reds on Strike King’s saltwater lures. You may be surprised at some of the lures he uses to catch speckled trout over 5 pounds as he guides out of Long Beach Harbor near Biloxi, Mississippi.
Question: How long do your trips last when you’re fishing for specks and reds?
Simpson: We do 4-hour trips, 6-hour trips and 8-hour trips. Oftentimes, the wade fishermen will want to fish 8 hours, but my average trip is 6 hours.
Question: How do you decide whether to wade fish or fish from the boat?
Simpson: I do a pre-trip interview with my customers before we go fishing. I try to find out what my anglers’ fishing skill levels are, and how often they go fishing. If I have a bass fisherman, many times he’ll want to wade fish. But if I have intermediate-level fishermen or unskilled fishermen, I usually recommend that they stay in the boat. Then I can be closer to them and help them cast, hook and land. 
An advanced fisherman can pretty well tend to himself and won’t need as much help to be successful. Too, he can read the water, know where to cast, how to cast and how to land his fish without much help from me.
I believe we have a better chance of catching fish if we can get out on the beach, walk down the beach and fish the troughs than if we have to stay in the boat and are limited to only be able to fish where the boat can float. Most people who get out of the boat really enjoy walking the beach, finding and catching the fish. Since we can catch as many fish from the boat as we do out of the boat, where we fish really depends on what the fishermen want to do on that day.
Question: Would you rather fish in or out of the boat?
Simpson: For my own personal fishing, I prefer getting out of the boat and wade fishing. I’m 6’4”, and I like to wade fish if possible.
Question: What type wading shoes do you wear when you’re fishing out of the boat?
Simpson: I wear a Neoprene wade-fishing bootie that zips up on the side. I carry a stringer, a landing net and a small Plano tackle box for my lures.
To learn more about inshore fishing with Captain Scott Simpson in Biloxi, Mississippi, call (228) 669-6204 or visit Impulsive Charters.
Contents:
- Part 1: Speckled Trout and the Glass Minnow
- Part 2: Put the Zulu on Your Trout
- Part 3: The Magic of the Redfish
- Part 4: Boat Or No Boat
- Part 5: Life Doesn’t Get Better Than This
