by Captain Terry Fisher
This is it! Those looking for opportunities to catch redfish (big redfish); now is the time! The bigger redfish (‘Bull Reds’ 34” and bigger) are everywhere (inshore) in Lee County waters fattening up for their migration back to gulf waters. ‘Bull Reds’ spend the cooler months in about 40’ of water leaving behind the smaller redfish to winter in the shallows, back country, creeks and rivers that flow into Pine Island Sound. The ‘Bull Reds’ will not return to spawn and eat again until late next summer or early fall. They won’t be here much later than mid-November, so now is the time for a ‘Redfish of a lifetime’. Regardless of the moratorium on harvesting these fish, they are fun and worth the experience. October offers high tides for access to areas that hold these fish.
These big fish are hungry and will eat artificial presentations, as well as live and dead baits. I use artificial presentations from a variety of manufacturers, such as Mirr-O-Lure, Bomber or Rapala for top water, twitch baits and crank baits. I like Gulp and Zman for soft plastics, scented or unscented. Gold spoons are very effective. Most anglers have favorites, but the truth of the matter is, they all work. I prefer to use live or cut presentations such as, large shrimp, cut pinfish, or ladyfish, at the bottom and on a weighted jig head. I also like to free-line live pilchards.
The strategies to find and catch these fish rarely change. On high tides they will congregate in schools and will move into shallows around, in and under mangrove roots offering protection and providing oyster clusters holding supplies of food. On low tides, look for them just off of the mangroves in deeper water. It will not take long to figure out if the fish are in the area, as they will be more aggressive this month (more so than any other month of the year).
I OFFER THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIES FOR CATCHING ‘BULL REDFISH’:
1) Work the top half of the incoming and outgoing tides. Fish the higher monthly tides on both sides of a new or full moon cycle;
2) Be very quiet when moving into a spot you choose to fish, as these bigger fish spook easily (they did not get big by being lucky). Do not hesitate to change locations after 15 minutes or so, in and effort to locate fish. If they’re not biting, they are probably NOT there;
3) Fish the point(s) of spoil islands and oyster reefs. Fish edges of and under the mangroves for better results;
4) Fish southerly wind directions when possible, as the water levels will be higher than those from north or easterly directions. This allows both the fish and angler access to more remote, less pressured locations;
5) Utilize both artificial, live, and cut-bait presentations that are mentioned above;
6) Do not hesitate to re-visit previous stops (spots) at different stages of the incoming or outgoing tides, as these fish will be on the move;
7) Do not arrive at your locations too late during a new or full moon phase that produces higher and stronger tides, as these fish will position themselves too far back into mangroves for one to get an effective presentation in front of them. A presentation even 3 feet away from where they are may be 3 feet too far! (If and when this happens, one will have no choice but to wait until the water starts to move out). On the other hand, do not arrive too late to fish the top half of the outgoing tide. If the water level has fallen too low, the fish will have already moved to another location with deeper water.
8) Use light spinning gear (3500 to 4000 series reels) with matching rod strength. Use a quality 15 to 20 lb. line test with at least a 30lb. fluorocarbon leader to reduce chance of a cut or break-off from a mangrove/oyster cluster while hooking or fighting the fish. Check you leader and line often for damage. Change leader when necessary or you may be sorry! Size of hooks should be 1/0 to 4/0 in size. Hopefully this article with tips on catching Redfish will assist every angler to be successful catching this awesome fighting species.
This is Captain Terry Fisher of Fish Face Charters. Charter information may be obtained by calling me direct at 239-357-6829 or email fishfacecharters@yahoo.com. Other information may be obtained by visiting my website at www.fishfacecharters.com. I am also available as ‘Captain for Hire’ (by the hour) on your vessel to assist with safety, navigation, fishing techniques and locations to ensure that you ‘catch your fish of a lifetime’!