How do you fish for reds??

[Hit-n-Miss]

We will be fishing this weekend from a boat set up to get in and fish the grass line and creeks (Hewes with poling platform and trolling motor) What lures work best for you and are easy to work. I can’t walk the dog to save my life. Even though I’ve been fishing the gulf for thirty years I’ve only caught one keeper red. Sad I know. Thanks for any help that can be given.


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[Redbelly]

Gold spoon....chunk and reel it in steady....I like the old Capt Mike's that I think are called Aqua dream? They have them at Kevins.

Also the gold spinner baits for reds. I make my own.

Also I have had great luck with a jig head and a 4" gulp, usually glow. On high tide fish right up in the grass. Don't ignore an oyster bar!

[Blue spinner]

we use Redfish Magic spinnerbait and Gold spoon

[dombern34]

I believe you can honestly catch a Red off anything. as long as you present it in the right way and the conditions are right, they'll eat. can't go wrong with a Gold Spoon or a top water. if you can't "walk the Dog" getting a popping style bait. I would grab a Gold Spoon (aqua dream) cast it around and hopefully gain some confidence in it and keep grinding. good Luck!

[Redbelly]

We will be fishing this weekend from a boat set up to get in and fish the grass line and creeks (Hewes with poling platform and trolling motor) What lures work best for you and are easy to work. I can’t walk the dog to save my life. Even though I’ve been fishing the gulf for thirty years I’ve only caught one keeper red. Sad I know. Thanks for any help that can be given.


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Are you tying a loop to your topwater plug? This makes walking the dog easy.

[silverking]

Capt. Mikes or Aqua Dream 3/8-ounce weedless spoons with single hook. Gold/pink for tannin-stained water, chartreuse, gold or silver for clear. I modify all by adding a ball-bearing swivel (35# test) to the original split ring and then tie the leader direct to the swivel using an improved clinch knot. Helps with the action and eliminates line twist considerably. Slow retrieve so the spoon is barely above the bottom. Check the weed guard often to make sure it's bent beyond the hook point.

Have caught reds on a variety of baits, including topwater, suspending, jerk baits and jigs, but when I was guiding and targeting redfish a CM or Aqua Dream spoon was always on the line.

Good tip from RB on the loop knot for the topwater too. I use a Lefty Kreh mono loop knot on every lure that doesn't have a split ring.

[Hit-n-Miss]

Good stuff guys thanks. I have most of these items in my tackle box. I’ve just never been able to maneuver in close with my boat. This should be fun. On the spinner. . Just chunk and wind?


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[dudewheresmyplug]

Another thing you will need to consider is tides, and when those tides occur. The tides that I have had the most success on are high tides that occur in the morning and late afternoon, when the fish are feeding more activley.

[big bend gyrene]

Have had quite a few double digit days using nothing more than a 1/2 oz gold colored Johnson silver minnow.

Hit-n-miss, on the lone keeper red note I'm not sure the style of fishing you usually do but I'll gladly share that over 90% of the reds I've caught were off of oyster bars and hard bottom areas adjacent to oyster bars. I've caught very few while drift fishing the flats out of Econfina. They really seem to congregate around oyster / hard bottom on the east side of the bay. When targeting reds I won't motor right up to these areas, instead shutting off my engine a 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile away from a target oyster bar and then silently drifting or poling towards the spot. I then will usually let my anchor down quietly as I can when I'm at the farthest casting distance from the hard bottom / oyster edge area and use the gold minnow spoon to see if any are home.

Second favorite method is to simply put a live shrimp under a cajun thunder and cast it upstream above an oyster bar edge so the current pulls the shrimp alongside the length of the bar. This method works really well as long as there aren't too many sail cats in the area. Often will result in really nice sized trout as well.

[Scout-Fisher]

I second the aqua dream gold spoon, slow retrieve just above the bottom and bumping an oyster bar. The redfish magic spinner bait is another go to lure for reds. I like to change out the blade to a larger gold willow leaf style blade.

[countrycorners]

Another thing you will need to consider is tides, and when those tides occur. The tides that I have had the most success on are high tides that occur in the morning and late afternoon, when the fish are feeding more activley.

Me too!: I think time of day is most important & obvious.
Go fishin when the fish are feeding and you can catch 'em with an old safety pin!

[dudewheresmyplug]

Have had quite a few double digit days using nothing more than a 1/2 oz gold colored Johnson silver minnow.

Hit-n-miss, on the lone keeper red note I'm not sure the style of fishing you usually do but I'll gladly share that over 90% of the reds I've caught were off of oyster bars and hard bottom areas adjacent to oyster bars. I've caught very few while drift fishing the flats out of Econfina. They really seem to congregate around oyster / hard bottom on the east side of the bay. When targeting reds I won't motor right up to these areas, instead shutting off my engine a 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile away from a target oyster bar and then silently drifting or poling towards the spot. I then will usually let my anchor down quietly as I can when I'm at the farthest casting distance from the hard bottom / oyster edge area and use the gold minnow spoon to see if any are home.

Second favorite method is to simply put a live shrimp under a cajun thunder and cast it upstream above an oyster bar edge so the current pulls the shrimp alongside the length of the bar. This method works really well as long as there aren't too many sail cats in the area. Often will result in really nice sized trout as well.

You are spot on with this!!! Can't tell you how many times I have seen somebody drift over a spot reds are holding and catch only one, when they could have anchored up on the edge and caught multiple. If I catch a red powerpole immidiately goes down so I can make sure there aren't more fish holding in that spot.

[Hit-n-Miss]

I will admit to never targeting them specifically. I drift fish. Hopefully that will change now that we have access to a boat equipped to fish on close.


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[AugustusMccrae]

on the aqua dream, do y'all use 3/8 oz?

[onefishtwofish]

I actually have caught more on a gold Johnson spoon than the Aqua Dreams, but you need to see what they want. The Johnson requires a little faster retrieve.

I actually most prefer to catch them on jig head and a shad style bait (Gulp, Zman, many others). It feels like going back to my worm fishing days for bass. Something about that BUMP...........hook set, that just is so satisfying! But I like a jig that faces down for a high rise and fall when working the bait. Most hits are on the fall. Long casts are the ticket and seeing if they are along the grass. Some days we catch more 20-30 feet off the grass. The more hard bottom, shells the better. Target sharp points, with water flow. Edges of bars with a deeper drop and water flow.

A sub surface plug is also pretty sporty, especially when lots of bait fish are around. I admit I get bored pretty quick with a top water and no hits. Always have. I can fish a jig all day, but find myself switching from top water unless I get a blow up or two pretty fast.

We always start with as many different baits as we have people fishing and adjust if we see a pattern.