A redfish’s diet consists mostly of smaller fish, shrimp, clams, worms, and crabs. They’re primarily bottom feeders, but can be aggressive and feed much higher in the water column if the opportunity arises. Using these natural baits are the most consistent and successful way to fish for redfish in the surf.
What is the best bait for redfish?
10 Best Redfish Baits & Lures Right Now
- 1) Shrimp. …
- 2) Crab. …
- 3) Weedless Spoon. …
- 4) Skimmer Jig. …
- 5) Soft-Plastic Jig. …
- 6) Soft Plastic Swimbait. …
- 7) Soft Plastic Jerkbait. …
- 8) Plastic Shrimp.
What is the best time of day to catch redfish?
The best time of day to catch redfish is in the morning before the sun heats up the shallows and in the afternoon off in deeper water features like jetties, wrecks, and bridges. Redfish funnel back into deeper water in the afternoon because it is both cooler and holds more bait than the shallows.
What is the best tide to fish for redfish?
The best tide for redfish fishing is the incoming low tide. The redfish are the first fish to move onto the flats when the tide changes from dead low to incoming. Redfish like to have first choice for the shrimp, crabs, snails and fish that got trapped in pot holes and small tidal creek channels.
Do redfish feed at night?
Speckled trout and redfish come to the lights because their food (minnows, crabs, and shrimp) come to lights. A friend and veteran Alabama Gulf Coast angler, Robert Dobson of Foley, gives us some good night fishing tips for when we want to get in a little after-dark fishing. “I use artificials at night,” Dobson says.
What size hook is best for redfish?
The best all around hook size for catching keeper size redfish is a 1/0 circle or j hook. A 1/0 hook size is stout enough to bring in a slot sized redfish without straightening out but is small enough to catch the smaller redfish too.
Do redfish eat croaker?
I’ll let the bobber and the bait drift through the area I want to fish.” Whether you free-line croakers, fish with a bobber or use a weight, most trout and redfish experts consider croakers one of the best big live baits they can put on their hooks to take monster trout and gorilla-sized reds.
What is the biggest redfish ever caught?
On this day in 1984, the All-Tackle world record red drum was caught in the waters off Hatteras Island by fisherman David Deuel. The massive 42.69 kg (94 lb. 2 oz) red drum was caught from shore, just as every other All-Tackle submission for redfish.
Is redfish good to eat?
It can be perfectly safe for you to eat redfish, as long as you make sure it’s properly cooked through and you don’t eat more than the recommended guidelines suggest. Redfish can be a tasty alternative to several other species of fish and can be an easy one to catch if you’re fishing in the right spots.
How do you spot a redfish?
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
- Broad V-Wakes. ➞A guide I fished with once likened a redfish to a fire extinguisher being pulled underwater. …
- Tails. ➞There’s no surer sign of a redfish than a gold tail with a black spot waving in the air. …
- Moving Grass. …
- Wispy V-Wakes. …
- Big, Sudden Splashes. …
- Diving Birds.
Is mullet a good fish to eat?
Though most are edible, few are as tasty as the black mullet caught in the Gulf of Mexico — which are a longtime staple of the North Florida diet. … North Florida mullet are especially prized because of their taste. Mullet, the only fish with a gizzard, feed on detritus in the water, filtering out most impurities.
Can you keep redfish in Florida right now?
Redfish Season: Open all year unless otherwise posted at the state website below. Recreational fishermen may keep only one Redfish over 30 inches in total length.
What’s the best bait for mullet?
The Best Baits for Mullet Fishing
- Bread Flakes. A simple flake of white bread is considered one of the most successful types of bait for attracting mullet fish. …
- Maggots. …
- Mackerel Flesh. …
- Algae.
What kind of lures do redfish like?
Best Lures for Redfish
- Rapala Saltwater Skitter Walk (Topwater)
- Shimano Suspending Waxwing (Subsurface Wobbler)
- Sebile Splasher (Topwater)
- MirrOlure 17MR-18 (Suspending Jerkbait)
- Halco Hamma 105 (Topwater)
- Yo-Zuri Crystal 3-D Minnow Jointed (Floating Jerkbait)
- LiveTarget Mullet Twitchbait (Floating Jerkbait)
Do you need a leader for redfish?
Having a good leader line with strong knots is absolutely essential for inshore anglers who want to land big snook, redfish, trout, tarpon, etc. However, many inshore anglers simply have never been taught how to make their own leaders, or in many cases, they were taught an inferior way to tie leaders.
What size hooks for inshore redfish?
The Best Fishing Hooks For Redfish. The best fishing hooks for redfish are size 1/0 circle hooks. Circle hooks are perfect for use because they are easy to remove and, therefore, have a very low mortality rate. If you have never used a circle hook before, you may find using one to be a bit of a challenge.
Can you catch red drum at night?
For nighttime redfish fishing, use an eight weight, weight forward, floating line, or WFF line. It is not advisable to use any weight higher than nine, especially since redfish spook easily and the impact against the surface with a weightier line may scare them off.
Is fishing better on rising or falling tide?
An incoming tide, or rising tide, is considered one of the best fishing tide times. Water that enters an estuary area from the ocean can have a lower temperature, contain more oxygen, and have better clarity than the water that exists in the estuary during low tide or slack water periods.
Where do redfish go during low tide?
EBB AND FLOW: As tides fall, redfish pull out of inshore marshes and creeks. They will hold on low-tide aprons near creek mouths, around oyster bars and near other structure such as pilings. Stalking redfish in shallow water is arguably the most exciting (and sometimes most effective) way of catching them.
Is it bad to fish at low tide?
Low tide will not be a good time to fish because there will be less fish around to catch. Stagnant water, as well as lower levels of water, can be enough to pus the fish away for a while. They will also not want to eat if there is little movement.