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Do you want to catch more Redfish? Redfish will go after almost any bait, which is why it is popular with anglers. If you want to learn how to catch Redfish, we share redfish fishing tips to help you catch more redfish while you are fishing this exciting gamefish.
Table of Contents
How To Catch Redfish
1. Trolling
Trolling for redfish is a popular fishing method used by many anglers. Gold spoons have been found to be very productive when trolling for redfish, especially on freshwater lakes. Redfish respond to the vibration of the spoon and the flickering light it sends out as it spins. Redfish just can’t resist a weedless gold spoon at varying depths.
2. Sight Fishing
Sight fishing is another fishing method that is ideal for catching redfish. Redfish like to be in shallow water and this combination is perfect for sight fishing. When sight fishing, you want to pay close attention to the weather as a bright and still day is ideal for sight fishing.
3. Jigging
When jigging for redfish, have the boat about 15-20 feet from the rocks and jig about a foot from the bottom. Metal jigs and shrimps can work well when jigging for redfish. Use a braided line just in case you hook up a large fish.
Redfish Tackle Setup
A standard 7-foot medium or medium-heavy spinning or casting rod, paired with a 3000 to 4000 size reel with a 10-pound braided line with a 20-pound leader.
Redfish Fishing Tips
1. Very large redfish are found around jetties all year, fish jetties and you will have buckets full of redfish. Remember this as one of the best redfish fishing tips.
2. Redfish start popping up around jetties in late summer and early fall. Their numbers only increase through fall and into early winter during annual spawning runs. This time is one of the best times to fish for redfish.
3. When fishing for redfish near jetties, use your depth finder to identify drop-offs.
4. Live baits like mullet, croakers, and mud minnows are great for fishing for redfish. Many anglers use live bait as they work well for redfish and other fish. This is one of the best redfish fishing tips.
5. When you can’t see the redfish along the jetties due to the waves and currents, cast smaller redfish early in the morning along the rocks.
6. Redfish like structures like rocks, docks, jetties, deep channels, estuaries, and oyster beds. They use the structure as cover from predators and also use it to ambush their prey like mullets, crabs, and shrimps.
7. During winter, redfish are in full survival mode. It wants to avoid predators as well as find areas with mild temperatures. They will move to shallow flats and look for creeks with muddy bottoms that hold heat.
8. In the spring, when the days are warm, redfish will be more active and want to feed as mullets and shrimps will flood the waters. Redfish will move around more comfortably and feed aggressively as their predators will be preoccupied with bigger prey. This is the time for popping corks and topwater lures.
9. During the summer, you have to pay attention to detail as redfish will move to deeper water during July and August around docks and jetties to escape the heat. These are the areas to fish for redfish if you are fishing on a really hot day in July and August.
10. During Fall, redfish’s main goal is to eat as much as it can to put on weight in anticipation of winter. They will move into the shallows to feast on shrimps. Armed with this information, you can target them in the shallows. You want to use live bait like crabs and shrimp. In winter, you want to use mullet and menhaden as live bait.
11. When fishing for redfish in skinny rivers and creeks, you can use artificial baits like topwater jigs, popping corks, and rattling plugs.
12. The color of the lure you choose should depend on the fishing environment. Notwithstanding, you want to have a collection of yellow, green, white, and other bright colors. Always scent your lures with oils as redfish hunt using their sense of smell.
13. Redfish survive in waters of different depths, clarity, and salinity. This implies that there is more than one way to bait your line. Always try to keep your bait close to the ground as they are bottom feeders.
14. In very clear waters, you want to cast in front of your target instead of on top of it. Even though they strike a lot of bait, they can also be very suspicious of things.
15. Redfish bury their heads in the ground while their tails slice through the water. This creates a “V”-shaped wake on the water tops. When you spot it, cast your lure about 3 feet ahead of it.
16. When your target advances to your bait, twitch it slightly. That action will make your lure appear as if it is naturally reacting to the presence of a predator as a real bait fish will do. Twitching, hopping and “stop-and-going” your bait will gain the attention of Redfish and get them fired up.
17. Redfish eats Ladyfish and don’t be surprised that it can eat a whole 3-pound ladyfish. Therefore, if you can locate areas with ladyfish, even the big ones, you will have located a possible food source for Redfish.
18. If you see small birds feeding on shrimps, that is a sign that redfish will come to that area also to feed on shrimps.
19. Even though casting jigs into the waters works, you can be more successful using a popping cork with a good shrimp-imitating jig in brown or off-white. It works well when the cork is popping, shaking, and rattling across the surface during the retrieve.
20. Redfish will not hit a lure retrieved in a straight during cold fronts. They prefer artificial lures or baits that wobble. In this situation, you have to manipulate a lure or bait like a jig-and-minnow, mullet, or mud minnow on a jig.
21. Very large redfish will move into inlets and passes lined by rock jetties during the fall.
22. Use side-scan sonar to locate redfish. It locates bait, individual redfish, oyster bars, channels, and little humps.
How To Catch Redfish From Shore
When fishing redfish from the shore, study the shore to find any structure. Look for troughs, deep holes, points, jetties, shore breaks, and sand bars that redfish can move through. Redfish will be moving through troughs in search of baitfish. Rock pilings and jetties will also have redfish. They will be looking for crabs near large rock pilings and jetties.
Place baits or lures in different areas on the shore to increase your chances of finding redfish. Put bait in the first trough, on the backside of the shore breaks, at the edges of sand bars, and on top of the sand bar. Casting is one of the fishing methods often used to catch redfish from shore.
How To Catch Redfish In Florida
When fishing for redfish in Florida, look at structures like piers, docks, beaches, oyster bars, mangroves, and grass flats. They will be near structures looking for baitfish. Redfish are usually found in shallow waters near mangrove shorelines or grass flats.
Fish for redfish in these areas to increase your chances of landing them. Baits and lures are used when fishing for redfish. Baitcasting is the popular fishing method used by anglers when fishing for redfish in Florida.
How To Catch Redfish In Galveston
Redfish can be found in estuaries, shallow bays, jetties, and bayous. They are usually in these areas looking for baitfish. You can use live, dead, or artificial bait when fishing for redfish. Live shrimp, crabs, and mullet are some of the bait that can be used when fishing for redfish. Spoons, jigheads, and plastic worms also work for catching redfish.
Sight casting, fly fishing, surf angling, and wading are some of the fishing methods anglers used when fishing for redfish.
Best Live Bait For Redfish
1. Shrimp
Shrimp works well to attract and catch redfish as it likes shrimps.
2. Pilchards
Pilchards are also good bait for redfish that anglers use when fishing for redfish and other fish.
3. Crabs
Most anglers use crabs when fishing and it works well for redfish.
4. Mud Minnows
Minnows are one of the best baits to use for redfish as a school of minnows is irresistible for many fish like redfish.
5. Mullet
Mullet is also a good bait that anglers use to attract and catch redfish.
6. Pinfish
Pinfish is a very good bait that is used for catching redfish.
7. Grunts
Grunts are effective when fishing for redfish.
8. Pigfish
Pigfish is also used by anglers when fishing for redfish.
9. Atlantic Croaker
Atlantic croaker works well for attracting redfish and is used by anglers to lure and catch redfish.
10. Ladyfish
Ladyfish is a good bait for attracting and catching redfish.
11. Ballyhoo
Ballyhoo is one of the best baits for redfish and beginners should remember this as one of the best redfish fishing tips to remember.
The Bottom Line
Redfish is an exciting and challenging gamefish that anglers like to target. They eat almost anything and are found all over the United States. In this article, we shared redfish fishing tips to help you catch more redfish and become a more successful angler.
This article on pike fishing tips will help you be a more successful angler for pike fish. Similarly, this article on how to catch flounder will help you catch more flounders.
