re: Shell Beach/Hopedale Fishing Conditions

I went to hopedale kayak fishing yesterday (Sunday). It was a very slow day without much tide movement for the most part. I kayak so my range is a little limited. I fished the dam for like 2.5hrs and only caught a 37.5" black drum. I then moved to the marsh itself for like 2 hours and caught 2 trout 12",15". I then decided to head back cuz I had things to do that afternoon, but on my way back my plans fell through. So I stopped and fished the drop-off at the canal intersection inform of hopedale marina. I I noticed the tide picked up real hard and the water was real twisted above that hole. Threw some live and dead shrimp on bottom and caught some nice fish over the next 3 hours. 4 black drum : 38", 20", 19", 18". A 25" redfish. Two trout 15", 13". Two 20" sailcats, and a shitton of decent sized hardheads to give me a fight on light tackle. As soon as the water stopped moving the bite died instantly.

Most people fishing the brackish marsh struggled, they had to go out to the saltwater marsh closer to the coast. The people I talked to that went farther out sloted out on trout, all 15"+ fish, or got damn close. Not many people were catching reds.