A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
Hey guys -- give me some advice for when you see redfish tailing but can't get them to bite. We tried everything we had rigged Sunday morning at a new spot we've found in St. Andrew Bay. But they wouldn't cooperate.
What we had rigged was a popping cork with a live shrimp under it, a gold spoon and a topwater Super Spook-type lure with a rattle, green and silver. I'm not sure what brand it is. But similar lures worked before. So did the cork and shrimp, but not so much the spoon.
My theory is I needed a smaller lure that didn't make such a racket. I would have tried a jig head and grub to quietly get down to where the reds were. But by the time I got it rigged, they would have been gone. They were there for maybe three minutes max.
Your theory is spot on. You usually need something light and quiet. Sometimes you can get away with the spoon with a low angle cast, but generally you need a light jighead/soft plastic or a soft jerkbait.
I kept finding reds chasing baitfish and made great casts. I kept getting their attention. They would break off the baitfish and start swirling and bumping my lures, but never taking it. Follow ups with spoons never did anything either. The fish were right where I expected them, and active, but I couldnt find either the right lure or the right presentation. They were mostly pretty decent looking fish too.
Hmmm. Maybe some of you guys could tell us which styles and colors of plastics you like for this time of year and cooler/less clear water. I've been trying Gulp! molting shrimp lately. The trash fish sure do like it.
Try a chartreuse gulp mullet on a light jig head. They are a little cheaper than shrimp and there are more in the bag. Use these for sight fishing those stubborn reds. Other than that the trash fish will keep the tails bit off.
I've been doing really well with the Super Spook lately but have had great success with the CAL series Grey with silver cloud paddle tails on a 1/8 Red DOA jig head. I also like to dip it in some smelly jelly too.
