Complete Redfish Fishing Guide

Redfish rank among the most sought-after species along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. Their willingness to eat, strong runs, and excellent flavor make them a favorite for anglers of all skill levels. This guide covers everything from gear selection to advanced techniques that consistently put fish in the boat.

Understanding Redfish Behavior

Redfish are opportunistic feeders that adapt to various coastal environments. They patrol shallow flats, cruise along oyster bars, and hold in deeper channels depending on conditions. Knowing their habits helps you predict where they’ll be on any given day.

Water temperature drives much of their movement. In summer, reds feed aggressively in early morning and late evening, seeking shade during midday heat. Fall brings some of the best fishing as schools form along beaches before spawning runs. Winter pushes fish into deeper, warmer water, though they’ll still feed on sunny afternoons in protected bays.

Tides influence redfish location more than almost any other factor. They move onto flats with incoming water, hunting crabs and shrimp pushed in by the flow. As water drops, they fall back into potholes, channels, and along grass edges. Learn your local tide patterns and fish accordingly.

Essential Gear for Redfish

Rods and Reels

A medium to medium-heavy spinning rod in the 7-foot range handles most inshore redfish situations. Look for fast action tips that load quickly for accurate casts but with enough backbone to turn fish away from structure.

Pair this with a 3000-4000 size spinning reel loaded with 20-30 pound braided line. Braid provides sensitivity for detecting subtle bites and cuts through grass better than monofilament. Add a 2-3 foot fluorocarbon leader in 20-25 pound test for abrasion resistance around oysters and dock pilings.

Baitcasting gear works well for anglers comfortable with it, especially when throwing heavier lures or punching baits into thick cover. Many experienced redfish anglers prefer low-profile reels in the 150-200 size class.

Terminal Tackle

Circle hooks have become standard for live bait fishing. Sizes 3/0 to 5/0 cover most situations. They hook fish in the corner of the mouth almost every time, making release easier and reducing mortality.

Jigheads from 1/8 to 1/2 ounce match various soft plastics. Use lighter heads in shallow water where stealth matters. Heavier heads reach bottom faster in current or deeper spots.

Popping corks rig live shrimp or soft plastics at adjustable depths. The noise attracts redfish from distance, and the suspended bait looks natural. Weighted versions cast farther on windy days.

Top Redfish Baits and Lures

Live Bait

Live shrimp catch redfish year-round. Hook them through the horn (the spike on top of the head) for longer life when drifting or under a cork. Thread them onto jigheads for bouncing along bottom.

Finger mullet work exceptionally in fall when schools of juvenile mullet flood coastal waters. Free-line them near structure or use a light split shot for deeper presentations. Cut mullet also produces, especially for bigger fish.

Blue crabs and fiddler crabs match the natural diet of redfish perfectly. Remove claws from blue crabs before hooking through the corner of the shell. Fiddler crabs fish well on small hooks around dock pilings and oyster reefs.

Artificial Lures

Gold and copper spoons remain the classic redfish lure for good reason. They flash and wobble like injured baitfish, triggering strikes from fish that might ignore other presentations. The Johnson Silver Minnow and similar weedless designs work over grass without constant fouling.

Soft plastic paddle tails imitate shrimp and small fish. Colors like new penny, root beer, and natural shrimp patterns perform consistently. Rig them on jigheads matched to water depth and current speed.

Topwater plugs provide explosive surface strikes, especially during low-light periods. Walk-the-dog style baits like the Heddon Super Spook and Rapala Skitter Walk pull fish from surprising distances. The visual nature of topwater fishing hooks most anglers as much as the fish.

Prime Redfish Locations

Oyster Bars

Oyster bars concentrate baitfish and crustaceans that redfish feed on heavily. Fish the edges during moving water, casting tight to the shells and working lures parallel to the structure. On lower tides, look for deeper cuts and drains where reds stage waiting for the flood.

Be careful wading near oysters – their edges cut through waders and boots easily. Felt-soled wading boots grip better than rubber on shell bottoms.

Grass Flats

Healthy seagrass beds support the entire food chain that redfish depend on. Shrimp, crabs, and baitfish all hide in the grass, drawing predators. Look for potholes – sandy depressions scattered through the grass where reds cruise hunting prey.

Tailing redfish on shallow flats create a sight-fishing opportunity that nothing else matches. Their forked tails wave above the surface as they root along the bottom. Cast ahead of the fish and let your bait sink naturally into their path.

Docks and Piers

Shaded structure holds redfish during summer heat. The pilings attract barnacles and small crabs that draw fish. Cast tight to the structure – redfish often hold within inches of the wood.

Dawn and dusk produce best around docks when reduced light encourages fish to feed more openly. Night fishing under lighted docks can be exceptional, with fish cruising the shadow lines picking off baitfish.

Marsh Drains

Every outgoing tide flushes shrimp, crabs, and baitfish from the marsh through drain points. Redfish learn these ambush spots and return repeatedly. Find a productive drain and fish it through multiple tide cycles before moving.

Position yourself so you cast into the current flow. Redfish typically face into the current waiting for food to wash to them.

Seasonal Patterns

Spring

Rising water temperatures push redfish onto flats earlier in the day. They feed heavily after winter, rebuilding energy reserves. Target areas where dark bottom absorbs heat – fish gather there first as waters warm.

Shrimp runs begin and redfish gorge on the abundant prey. Match the hatch with small soft plastics and live shrimp under corks.

Summer

Beat the heat by fishing dawn and dusk windows. Midday finds fish deep, holding in channels and around structure with current flow. Night fishing picks up as temperatures moderate after sunset.

Summer brings young-of-year mullet into the bays. Finger-sized artificials and live mullet produce some of the best catches of the year.

Fall

Many anglers consider fall the prime redfish season. Schools form as fish prepare for spawning runs to passes and inlets. These schools can number in the hundreds, creating feeding frenzies on bait schools.

Look for birds working over breaking fish. The combination of surface activity and easy casting access makes fall the most exciting time to target reds.

Winter

Cold fronts push fish into deeper, more stable water. Redfish metabolism slows but they still feed, especially on warm sunny afternoons. Target dark-bottomed areas that absorb and hold heat.

Slow your presentation dramatically. Winter redfish rarely chase fast-moving baits. Dead-sticking soft plastics on bottom often outproduces more active retrieves.

Advanced Techniques

Sight Fishing

Polarized sunglasses are essential for spotting fish before they spot you. Copper and amber lenses work best in varied light conditions typical of flats fishing.

Approach slowly and quietly. Redfish spook easily in skinny water. Push poles, trolling motors on low settings, and wading all work better than running an outboard anywhere near your target zone.

Present baits ahead of moving fish. Cast too close and you’ll spook them. Too far and they won’t see it. Lead a cruising redfish by 5-10 feet depending on water clarity.

Working Structure

Fish tight to structure – not near it, but against it. Redfish hold close to cover and often ignore baits landing more than a foot away. Accuracy matters more than distance.

Let your bait sink and settle before retrieving. Redfish often strike during the pause rather than the movement. Count down to different depths systematically until you find fish.

Reading Water

Moving water usually means feeding fish. Look for current seams where fast water meets slow – bait collects there and predators know it.

Color changes indicate depth transitions. Fish the edges where shallow meets deep, especially on tide changes when fish move between zones.

Nervous water – a rippled patch in otherwise calm conditions – often betrays a school of feeding fish pushing bait to the surface. Approach carefully and cast beyond the disturbance.

Conservation Considerations

Redfish populations crashed in the 1980s from commercial overharvest. Strict regulations brought them back, making this one of fisheries management’s great success stories. Responsible anglers continue that legacy.

Handle fish carefully when releasing. Support their weight horizontally, keep them in water when possible, and revive tired fish before letting go. Circle hooks and crimped barbs speed release and improve survival.

Respect slot limits designed to protect spawning fish. The big bulls you release today contribute countless offspring to future generations of fishing.

Putting It Together

Successful redfish anglers combine knowledge of fish behavior with appropriate gear and techniques. Start with the basics – learn your local waters, understand tides, and practice accurate casting. Build from there as you gain experience.

Every trip teaches something new. Pay attention to what works and what doesn’t. Over time, you’ll develop instincts that put you on fish consistently. The redfish waiting in your home waters reward those who take time to learn their habits.