Bizarre Redfish Bite

With Capt. Michael Sharky Marquez

The Texas Coast is a wonderful place for all types of anglers. From fishing the shallows for big trout in the bay, to deep-sea trips far into the gulf, Texas provides opportunities to catch a fish of a lifetime for any angler. One of my personal favorite fish to target is the large Bull Reds in Galveston, Texas. A Bull Red is a redfish that exceeds a length of 28” and is known for being one of the hardest fighting fish to catch inshore. Targeting and catching Bull Red’s is the perfect combination for a memory-making trip that you will never forget.

Bull Reds feed hard in September & October and spawn in late summer to fall. The water conditions at this time are perfect to support big schools of mullet as well as blue crabs. Whether you are fishing from the beach, a pier, or on a boat, mullet and crabs are one of their favorite snacks. Bull Reds are big for a reason. They have spent years successfully navigating throughout the waters and have seen it all. They have avoided being caught for a long time and have become more intelligent throughout their journey. So how do you get one of these big Bull Reds to bite your bait?

From the boat, the Galveston Jetty system is our first and favorite choice. We fish the drop-offs where the schools of mullet and crabs are swimming through. On half of our rods, we throw out fresh cut and live mullet; with the other half we use fresh blue crabs. Their feeding patterns throughout the day dictate which they prefer; lively mullet, or the easy meal of the strong scented cut mullet or crab. This method keeps you prepared for anything. Once we cast our bait out, we set the drags low and turn our clickers on. This will allow the fish to pick up the bait and run with it without feeling any tension. A key factor in catching one of these fish is to wait several seconds after the line starts screaming, allowing the fish to fully eat the bait. The action begins with raising your drag, setting the hook, and hollering, “It’s a MONSTA baby!”

These fish can put up a solid fight from `5 to 30, depending on the size of the gear you are using. The key is to have fun and enjoy every minute of it.

Ready to catch a Bull Red of a lifetime? Visit our website to book your trip today!

Capt. Michael ‘Sharky’ Marquez | www.outcastfishincharters.com
Out Cast Fishin Charters is proudly sponsored by MonstaFishin Apparel – www.monstafishin.com