General Redfish Info?

[jacob2000]

I live near Sabine Lake and the Orange, TX area, and I would like to know more about how to catch redfish. Any tips or somewhere I can go to gain some basic knowledge?

[gulfcaptain]

I caught a lot of them when I worked out of Cameron LA.  Summer they loved spook style topwaters as did the trout.  Anywhere up and down where you can find some riprap along the Sabine ship channel you should be able to catch them from shore.  From a boat I'd look in the lake and around oyster reefs and harder bottom areas, the Sabine Jetties would be a good as well..  4" grubs, swimbaits, Norton Lures Sand Eel Jr worked really well for me with a 1/4oz round lead head and also caught a lot of flounder on them as well just slowly working it down the banks. 

[kikstand454]

In general, inshore redfish are the same as bass fishing. Bull reds are totally different.

Inshore redfishing, find creek mouths, oysterbars, backwaters.

Spook ( or favorite topwater. ..)

1/2oz gold spoon

Jighead with swimbait or gulp shrimp

Popping cork with Doa shrimp or gulp.

Those will catch a majority if the reds, a majority of the time.

I like to switch it up and throw twitch baits ( catch 2000, 17mr etc) spinner baits, buzzbaits and I especially like throwing squarebill crankbaits around oyster bars.

They can also be caught fairly well on soft plastic trick worms c-rigged or shakey head.

I love bass fishing. ......but man. ...I really love redfishing. Oh. ... and they're mighty fine on the grill as well.

[SirSnookalot]

^^^^^^^^

Just about identical to catching snook

[jacob2000]

So my grandpa got me some gulp shrimp and saltwater jigs for christmas, so what kind of retrieve/presentation works best for redfish?

[everythingthatswims]

So my grandpa got me some gulp shrimp and saltwater jigs for christmas, so what kind of retrieve/presentation works best for redfish?

Pretend you are fishing a shakey head

[Catch 22]

SH  yep,^^^^

[jacob2000]

Ok so I'm not familiar with the shaky head, but I just watched a video on shaky head worm fishing on BassResource.com. So its a drag along the bottom and shake it when you hit a structure? 

[Catt]

Berkley Gulp Shrimp-New Penny- quaility 1/4-3/8 oz lead head. I work it like a Texas Rig

Rat-L-Trap-chrome blue back

Johnson Sprite Spoon

Areas: any kind of rock, shell, or concrete; mouths of bayous; old jetties

[Catch 22]

Reds are super fun ,but not the most difficult to catch imo. My best method is to touch bottom lift and stroke about two feet enough to make those paddle tails shake a bit,touch or get close to bottom again,ect Some time dragging will work.Sometime a steady retrieve will interest them.

I`ll caught them with spinner baits when they are tailing.

Check some Utube vids for more ideas.

C22

[jacob2000]

What are your preferred rod and reel specs( i.e. bait caster, 7 foot medium heavy rod)

[Catch 22]

• I use med heavy bass tackle spin reel/w20# braid & 20# leader.I`m talking pups up to 30".

If you go after the big girls ,of course you must up grade the size of your rigs.

C22

[jacob2000]

Would y'all ever use a bait caster for reds?

[atcoha]

I like using spinning gear for the reds...Most of the time we are fishing off bridges or passes.

4500 series and up for the bulls, I use 20-30# braid, and a stout 7' rod. You can get away with a 3500 series, with the smaller slot size reds, it is a ton of fun!

When I am inshore fishing in my kayak or wading the bay shores, pretty much use 3500 series and my mojo inshore rod, I save the bigger gear when I am targeting the big ones.

Live shrimp on a popping cork, gulp shrimp on cork..If I am using live shrimp, I tear off the tail, and put it on a jig head, or gulp shrimp on jighead.

I like using live shrimp, but you will go through them quick with all the pinfish and other undesirables. 

Throwing artificial can be a lot of fun and rewarding. doa shrimp, doa cal, mirrolure plastics and matrix shad on jighead are great. You can bump them off the bottom, bump through grass, stroke'em, twitch twitch reel. Try different retrieves, just like bass, they can be finicky. They are fun to catch, once you hook a few, you will be hooked. Now is a good time to catch the reds, might even be some big ones still in close where you are, the slot size reds will be around all year.

Good luck and have fun!

[atcoha]

Would y'all ever use a bait caster for reds?

you can no problem. My buddy uses one all the time, even lands the big bulls. Just make sure you use one that has the big spool for line capacity or you are asking for trouble. Reds run for days, and laugh at weak drags.

[atcoha]

Here's one from fall of 2013...

39" using mullet head

[SirSnookalot]

Just like bass fishing the rod and reel should match the conditions.  Fishing off a jettie or sea wall I like a 7'-7'6 MH rod with a 4000 reel, off a beach or boat I'd be fishing a tad lighter.  The little extra beef in the rod serves 2 purposes, lifting or springing a fish up and keeping it out of the pylons, which would be similar to pulling a bass out of heavy cover.

Up and down the Atlantic seaboard spinning gear is most popular, many Gulf fishermen prefer b/c.

[FSUFish]

Baitcasting tackle will work just fine. Anythinf you use for bass really. I use 7-7'6'' medium and ML spinning tackle.

 

My most effective techniques have been:

 

gold spoons run through flooded marsh grass

heddon one knockers drifting the open flats

bouncing a paddletail assassin on oyster bars

 

and the best redfish bait: cut mullet under a popping cork

[atcoha]

Baitcasting tackle will work just fine. Anythinf you use for bass really. I use 7-7'6'' medium and ML spinning tackle.

 

My most effective techniques have been:

 

gold spoons run through flooded marsh grass

heddon one knockers drifting the open flats

bouncing a paddletail assassin on oyster bars

 

and the best redfish bait: cut mullet under a popping cork

x2...one more thing, in the fall, they absolutely love white trout.

[kikstand454]

I use bass gear exclusively out of the kayak.

7'mh/f rod, shimano cu200 greenies, 15# yozuri ultrasoft.

The only technique that I think requires something different is using a popping cork. I use a 7'6" mh spinning rod and. 3000 reel with 30# braid. The extra length and no stretch of the braid makes working and setting the hook on the cork- ESP on a long cast- a breeze.

[kikstand454]

Caught this " just inside the slot" red yesterday.... 26 3/4".

Bantum curado cu200

Field and stream inferno 7'mh/f

15# yz ultrasoft

Bone spook Jr.

[jacob2000]

How do you locate reds during the different seasons?

[Sea NaCl]

How do you locate reds during the different seasons?

Over here on the Atlantic coast I'm sure it's a different scenario BUT there may be some similarities. In late spring the reds move up onto flats and feed on glass minnows+mullet and continue doing so this until mid fall. Through the winter and early spring they move into deeper water offshore. The best way to get an idea of how the seasons affect your saltwater fishing is to ask some guys in the local shops. They will almost always have good info. Good luck!

[jacob2000]

Over here on the Atlantic coast I'm sure it's a different scenario BUT there may be some similarities. In late spring the reds move up onto flats and feed on glass minnows+mullet and continue doing so this until mid fall. Through the winter and early spring they move into deeper water offshore. The best way to get an idea of how the seasons affect your saltwater fishing is to ask some guys in the local shops. They will almost always have good info. Good luck!

Thanks Sea Salt

[gardnerjigman]

This thread has me so pumped for the Hilton Head trip in 3 weeks!!!