Redfish feed on various sources and can be found living in various environments, so knowing when and where to fish for them can make all the difference in ensuring an effective trip.
Redfish fishes are drawn to structures like oyster beds, jetties, mangrove shorelines and grass flats which offer protection while offering ample baitfish populations.
Fishing Techniques
Redfish can be caught using various techniques and baits. Live bait is an ideal option, with spring being an optimal time for this technique (mullets, pogies, pilchards).
Artificial baits work extremely well when fishing for redfish, particularly jigs. For optimal success in different fishing environments, use appropriate tackle such as shallow flats requiring smaller jigheads while oyster beds or structures covered with razor-sharp barnacles require heavier ones.
Redfishing requires finding structures such as docks, jetties and grass flats; redfish are known to hang out near these spots in order to protect themselves from predators while providing cover where redfish ambush their prey. When temperatures heat up during summertime, redfish will move deeper water near structures to escape the hot sun – this makes an excellent opportunity to target redfish with topwater lures like diving stick baits or popping frogs.
Bait
Redfish are opportunistic feeders that will strike on almost any bait, though small crabs and shrimp tend to be their favorites. Redfish also thrive around structure such as mangroves, grass flats, oyster beds, jetties, piers or any natural ambush spots for optimal chances of capture.
Soft plastic lures like the Berkley Gulp! Shad are excellent baits for taking a more deliberate approach. Anglers can twitch and hop their plastics to mimic wounded prey while simultaneously using a steady retrieve to catch fish’s attention.
Popping corks are an ideal way to target redfish in the middle of the water column. Their sound mimics that of school of bait fish, while adding shrimp-tipped jigs as tasty treats cannot escape their notice – this two-pronged approach has proven itself time and again among experienced inshore anglers. For quicker action try employing shaky-head jigs which can either be fished continuously or intermittently with “stop and go” techniques.
Lures
Redfish is one of the easiest-to-access inshore saltwater game fishes in America, ranging from Laguna Madre in Texas all the way around Florida’s two coasts to Virginia and beyond. Redfish frequent diverse habitats including rocky jetties, deep wrecks and shallow grass flats where they feed on shrimp, killifish and crabs that have been washed into shallow waters by dropping tides; thus reacting well to lures that mimic these animals.
Berkeley Gulp shrimp or swimming mullets rigged on 1/8 or 1/4 ounce jig heads are among the most productive redfish lures, and can be swum in water as shallow as six inches with great success. Furthermore, oyster bars can be excellent locations where redfish search for sustenance below the surface.
Topwater lures are immensely popular with redfish anglers, especially during twilight periods of the day. Large paddletails such as the 3.5-inch Slam Shady and 5-inch Bomber work well during these times; additionally they’re particularly effective on bridge pilings where schools of redfish congregate all year long – they can be worked along their sides or up and down their faces to catch redfish.
Tackle
Redfish can be caught using different kinds of gear depending on their environment and conditions; lightweight tackle can be ideal for open grass or mud flat fishing while more durable gear should be utilized when targeting structures like pilings.
Redfish are prolific feeders, willing to strike at baits of nearly every size or color in clear waters. Topwater lures tend to work particularly well due to the fish’s propensity for burrowing their heads beneath the surface to create a “V”-shaped wake behind them.
Bait fishing is one of the primary methods for catching Redfish, while shrimp and pinfish are popular choices among anglers. A standard natural bait setup includes a jig head with either live or cut bait hook placed two feet beneath a popping cork; this piques their interest while swimming along with current. Cast towards structure while working the rig either past it or away from it to maximize effectiveness.https://www.youtube.com/embed/GMAROlUsAEY