Fall doesn’t seem like it’s coming with this record-breaking heat. However, the redfish are staging themselves for the coming winter season. What that means to us inshore anglers is that they are going to be gorging themselves this month and fattening up for the cold weather. Just like bears and many other animals, they will focus on foraging this month, and eat hard and a lot when you catch them at the right time.
This is our favorite time of year to target big reds. They will be schooling in many of the skinny water locations we frequent. For artificial lures, focus on ones that resemble small crustaceans and bait fish. Also, using a paddle tail on a weighted jig head will definitely give you awesome results. Smaller topwater lures will be very effective for reaction strikes when casting into the mangroves, where they like to take advantage of the warm, sandy bottom water. You can also target the deeper troughs that cut through the skinny water. The troughs act as highways for the migrating fish looking for warm water and food.
If you are in an area that has sea grass, these areas hold warmth from the sun and redfish love these areas, especially the sandy bottom potholes that are within the grassy areas. If you are blind casting, utilize these locations, because they will be plentiful feeding grounds.
Sometimes, it takes a little guidance in order to be confident when hunting reds. They tend to be privy of our presence, especially in high pressure areas. It is imperative to try and sneak up on these fish in order to present your lure–provoking the fish to eat. I offer guided fishing adventures, as well as, private fishing classes (including fly fishing). Contact me to book your trip now!