By: Eric Henson
I always like to call this month’s article “The Hunt for RED October”. There are a couple of reasons why. First, it is generally one of the best months to fish for them and second, they are one of my favorite inshore fish to target. Redfish are the ultimate fish! I’ve caught them everywhere from super fresh water to pure saltwater. I’ve seen them feeding in water so shallow that their bodies are halfway out of the water and also in the deep ocean waters. The way their mouths are located almost on the bottom of their face with huge crushers in their throats helps them take down their main diet of crustaceans, but don’t be surprised if you see them slurping a decent size fish off the top of the water.
This time of year, huge schools of bull redfish are here and on the prowl for their next meal. The majority of these fish will be over slot but are very fun to target. Some of the newer schools that are coming in from offshore will be a washed out lighter grey color and the schools that have been here for a little bit will be a beautiful bronze color. When you see a large school of these fish coming at you, it will literally turn the water a bronze reddish color. A lot of the bigger fish in the upper 30’s – upper 40’s will be a little beat up looking from spawning. Be careful to release them because these are our big breeders.
Right now, I am targeting them on the grass flats. The baits that I like to use to target these schooling fish: First thing in the morning throw a top-water plug like Yo-Zuri’s 3DB Pencil. Then as the sun comes up, start throwing soft plastics like the Monster 3X shrimp or the X-Tail. Trust me these fish can feel you and see you coming from pretty far away and once they know you are there, fishing for them can become very frustrating. So make sure and take a stealthy approach! Of course, live bait is good as well. Some days these fish will be feeding like Piranhas, eating anything you throw in front of them and some days they can be quite finicky. None the less it is an amazing site to see a school of reds the size of a football field coming at you.
Until next time… Tight lines and Tight knots out there!!!