This month we talk with Captain Jason Yost, who specializes in light tackle and fly fishing in southeast Virginia’s saltwater and marsh systems.
Q: When you’re on the hunt for speckled trout and redfish, what are the top three factors you look for in a spot?
A: The first thing I would look for would be bait. The second thing I look for is some kind of current and preferably an outgoing tide as opposed to an incoming — as long as there’s water moving. The third things I look for are water temperature, the sky conditions, and the water depth all combined. If I’m looking for reds, I like to be around oysters, grass, or marsh.
Q: What’s your favorite light tackle lure for redfish and speckled trout?
A: My favorite lure for reds and specs would be a jig head with plastic. I use a lot of Zman and Slick lures, on heads anywhere from the 1/8th ounce up to a 1/2 ounce. My go-to colors seem to be purple demon, new penny, and white. For reds I also like Buggs Baits. They make an amazing jig that the reds absolutely destroy.
When fly fishing I use a lot of critter flies for reds. They are simple crustacean-looking flies that I make with little eyes, a lot of black and purple, or natural colors. For the specs I use a lot more Deceiver flies or baitfish patterns. For those the colors include pink/white, orange/white, and purple/yellow.
Q: You fish from a boat that’s very specialized. Tell us a little bit about it and why you choose it.
A: After a lot of research and consideration I chose a flats boat. It was a hard decision at first because we have a lot of big water around here, but we also have a lot of places that I fish off of the beaten path. I run a 17’ Mitzi Skiff, a solid rig built in North Carolina. It has a 60 horse Suzuki and a polling platform and I have a 23’ carbon-fiber push pole. I can get as shallow as a few inches, with two anglers in addition to myself on the boat, which comes in very handy when I’m fishing for reds. It’s the perfect skiff for sight fishing, has a large casting deck, and is comfortable. This type of boat does not make a lot of disturbance in the water and is very stealthy.
Q: You sometimes target tarpon and that’s sort of the “Holy Grail” of fish for a lot of Chesapeake anglers—people see them, but can’t get them to eat. Give us your top tips for getting a tarpon on the line
A: These first seem to only eat when they’re ready to eat... Live bait and fresh bait are a definite go-to for fishing for them, but they’ll also eat a fly that’s properly presented. I typically throw tarpon bunnies or tarpon toads that I tie, with a lot of black and purple. For live bait and fresh bait, I use float rigs and a weighted bottom rig very similar to a Hatteras-style red drum rig.
Q: You take lots of different people fishing so we’re betting you see plenty of mistakes. What’s the worst mistake you see anglers make on a regular basis?
A: I see anglers setting hooks too soon, and horsing fish too much which leads to pulling the fish off or breaking the line. With fly fishing I mainly see bad casts or too many false casts, and also strip-setting the hook too hard or holding on for too long after setting the hook, which can break the leader.
Q: Open mic time: what do you want to tell everyone out there that we haven’t covered?
A: I’d love to get some better conservations going out there for the fish. I don’t mind keeping fish but be realistic about how much you need. A lot of fish end up freezer-burned and thrown out, and the last two winters have been hard on the fish. Handling fish poorly is something I see done, too. Use good judgment when picking them up, make sure the surface is wet, and properly release them. As for tarpon, leave them in the water, fight them as quickly as possible, and leave their scales alone… and don’t report the catch, lol!
Thank you, Captain Jason!
If you’re interested in a trip visit Custom Tides Guide Service, email [email protected], or give Captain Jason a text or call at (757) 650-2291.