Go Find Some Fall Reds on the Fly

Photo courtesy of Capt. Michael Bruner

Redfish spawn in fall. What this means for anglers is spawning-sized reds, the bull reds, will be moving in from offshore across much of their range in preparation for the spawn. Large aggregations of big redfish, hungry from expending energy, become easy targets. The dirty water often associated with the weather of fall can make visibility difficult in many areas, and anglers chucking cut bait from beaches, piers and jetties find an advantage in their stinking offerings.

But what about the purists… the fly fishers, who find joy in placing themselves at a disadvantage with self-imposed limitations? Well, fall also brings some of the best action of the year for redfish on the fly. The trick is to choose the location wisely.

Here are a few options:

South Carolina Lowcountry: The marshes of the Lowcountry between Charleston, S.C. and Savannah, Ga. offer some of the best fly fishing for redfish on the east coast. Although the big bulls actually move out in fall, the best sight fishing of the year occurs when water temperatures begin to drop. Cool water means clear water here, and young redfish can be found in schools of 20 to 30 fish tailing on the mud flats and in tidal creeks. In less than 3 feet of water, these fish are skittish, and stealth is important. Bring your 8-weight to battle fish from 5 to 10 pounds. If you’re lucky, you’ll find them crushing big shrimp along a grass line, so pack a box of shrimp patterns. But be sure to bring your baitfish patterns, too, because mullet and menhaden will also be on the menu.

Florida Panhandle: From Steinhatchee to Pensacola, oversized redfish in the thousands push in from offshore each fall to school up in preparation for the spawn. At the same time, menhaden and mullet will be making their way out of the estuaries into the bays in search of deeper, warmer water. The result is a whole lot of big fish gorging on plentiful baitfish around the passes. The reds can show up in pods of 10 or 20 or schooling by the hundreds. Bring your 10-weight rod to battle 20-pound reds as well as a box full of baitfish patterns and spoonflies. A sinking line might be in order as well.

Louisiana: With the cooling waters, bull redfish pile into the Louisiana estuaries each year. If tangling with 20 to 40-plus pound reds on a fly rod sounds like fun, this might be the best season and the best place on the planet to do it. Anglers from around the world eagerly await Louisiana’s fall invasion of enormous reds, so if you haven’t already booked your charter, you’re probably out of luck. Clean water means the opportunity is there to sight fish for bull reds that are grubbing up crabs in the marshes. Bring your 10-weight and a box of crab patterns.

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