How to catch redfish, red drum fishing tips and tricks

Article by: Capt. Rick Bennett

How to catch redfish

Redfish, red drum, puppy drum, channel bass are all names for what we around southeast N.C. call, simply, “reds”. Known for their strong fighting ability as well as their awesome table fare, reds are one of the premier inshore fishes. You can catch them from the surf, piers, and boats. Let’s look at the how and possibly some of the best ways to target reds.

From piers you are somewhat limited to the fish coming to you, but at certain times during the year, that will happen, such as the fall months. Fresh live bait will attract reds from piers, as will fresh cut bait. The best cut baits are oily, such as chunks of bluefish, spots, pop eye mullet, finger mullet or large menhaden. Reds do NOT require live bait, just fresh. Most of the time fishing a Carolina rig near the pier and in the surf wash is most productive. I would recommend a 7’ to 8’ medium to medium heavy rod with a sensitive tip and a 4000 to 6000 series reel. I recommend twenty pound braid line when fishing for reds.

From the surf you are able to find sloughs and cuts through sandbars. These are likely hideouts for reds waiting for their prey to cruise by with the tide. For those of you wondering what a slough or a bar cut through look like, walk the beach at low tide. You will see a slough as a deep stretch where waves crash on the sandbar into the slough. Even at low tide these may be 4-8 feet deep right up to the beach. Like sloughs, cuts through sand bars are also readily visible at low tide, with some white water often on each side of the cut. Bait for surf fishermen is the same as for pier fishermen, with freshness being the key. For surf fishermen, I recommend (in southeastern N.C.) a 7’ to 8’ medium to medium heavy rod with a 5000 t0 6000 series reel and twenty pound test braid line.

Fishing on boats inshore offers a variety of ways to “attack” the reds. Reds feed primarily on crustaceans, shrimp and small fish. They love to hang around heavy structure while waiting to ambush passing prey. Structure is not always something you see. A dock in the waterway or up a creek is obviously potential structure for attracting reds. Rock jetties offer the same. Some not so obvious structures would be a deep channel cutting through two small islands in a creek, a submerged oyster bar, or a simple marsh bank. Falling tides seem to work best for fishermen working these areas. Reds react well to fishing both with bait and artificials. If bait fishing a Carolina rig is the norm with either live bait or a chunk of bait on the hook end. The best live baits are menhaden and finger mullet. Dead baits that work well are oily, such as bluefish, spots and pop eye mullet. A one inch chunk is sufficient to attract reds. If you prefer artificials, reds love topwater baits such as Mirrolure She Dogs and Skitter Walks. Popular colors are bone and black/orange. Soft plastics work well too. Z-Man jigs and plastic baits are currently very popular. Tackle for inshore boating should be a medium heavy rod 6’6” to 7 feet. A 4000 series reel is heavy enough with 20 pound braid.

The above information should be helpful and improve any fisherman’s approach to catching reds. Please remember the daily creel limits of only one red between 18” and 27” per person. Safely release any small or over the slot limit reds. I call it CPR: catch, photo and release.

This is the first installment of a series of articles to cover a variety of inshore and near shore fishing topics and techniques. Check back often for future articles: Flounder will be next!

Good Fishing!

Capt. Rick Bennett, Ret.
www.rod-man.com
rodman@rod-man.com

Capt. Rick Bennett

A lifetime fisherman, Capt. Rick Bennett, better known as the Rod-Man,has retired from the day to day activities as a charter boat captain but does offer “ON YOUR BOAT” Guided Fishing Trips. Capt. Rick will show you the when, the where and the how. From rod and reel selection to terminal tackle to bait, Capt. Rick has the know how.