Fishing in Florida is a dream for many. Almost every type of fish lives in its diverse waters, including pelagic fish, bottom feeders, and a wide range of inshore species. And while we’re talking about inshore favourites, one fish sticks out above the others. That’s correct, we’re talking about Florida red fish! This species is regarded as the greatest inshore game fish, and with good reason.
Florida Redfish, often known as Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), is a popular game fish located along the Gulf of Mexico and the southeast coast of the United States. The Redfish, known for its strong fighting behaviour and excellent taste, is a popular target for both enthusiasts and professional anglers.
Tips for Hunting Florida Redfish
1. The Ideal Time to Fish
- Season: Redfish can be caught all year, although the best months for fishing are spring and fall since they become more active and feed actively.
- Hour of Day: Early in the morning and late afternoon are ideal times for redfish fishing because they feed more often.
2. Fishing Locations
- Inshore fishing: Inshore fishing for redfish is best done in shallow flats, coastal areas, and mangrove shorelines. Search for regions with grass beds, oyster bars, and submerged objects.
- Nearshore Fishing: Jetties, reefs, and coastal areas near inlets are good places to catch larger, mature redfish.
3. Methods for Fishing
- Live Bait Fishing: Fishing with live bait, such as shrimp, mullet, or pinfish, is particularly effective. Cast the bait near the structure or into groups of baitfish after hooking it via the tail or nose.
- Synthetic Lures: Soft plastics, spoons, and topwater plugs are popular options. Customize the lure colour to the surrounding baitfish and work it with a slow, consistent return.
- Fly Fishing: For the daring fisherman, fly fishing with baitfish or shrimp designs can be fascinating. Cast with an 8-10-weight rod near places to feed or structures.
4. Tackle & Gear
- Rod and Reel: An average to heavy-action spinning or baitcasting fishing rod, combined with a reel capable of handling a distance of 200 yards of 20-30 lb braided line, is excellent.
- Leader and Hooks: Utilize a fluorocarbon lead of 20-30 lb test and circular hooks sized 2/0 to 4/0 for live bait. Use weedless hooks or jig heads to create plastic lures.
Tips for Hunting Florida Redfish
1. Identity and Physical Qualities
- Appearance: Redfish are distinguished by their copper-bronze hue, which decreases to a lighter shade on the abdomen. They feature a conspicuous black spot, or ocellus, near the bottom of their tail, though some fish may have more than one.
- Size: Redfish can reach 60 inches in length and weigh more than 90 pounds, although the average size taken by fishermen ranges from 18 to 27 inches in length and 2 to 8 pounds.
- Duration: Redfish may remain alive for over forty years in nature.
2. Environment and The distribution
- Range: Redfish can be seen from the Atlantic coast of Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico, with plenty of them in Florida waters.
- Habitat: They live in a variety of settings, including estuaries, bays, lagoons, and coast marshes. Young redfish prefer waters that are shallow with grassland or muddy bottoms, whereas adults are found in deeper seas and near features such as oyster bars and jetties.
3. Behavior and Diet
- Eating Habits: Redfish are selective eaters that eat crustaceans (crabs and shrimp), tiny fish, and snails. They frequently graze on the bottom, using their excellent sense of smell to find food.
- Spawning: Spawning season in coastal waters lasts from the end of summer to early October. Female redfish can lay millions of eggs per mating season, which turn into larvae within 24 to 36 hours.
Influence of Tides on the Movements of Redfish
Knowing redfish migration during various phases of the tide is essential for locating and catching them. During low tides, fish will gather in deeper regions. There is simply little water on the flats for them to stand up and feed. Deep holes and flats may retain a large number of redfish in a limited space. This is likewise true for troughs and downturns. Redfish typically stage near flats in somewhat deeper water.
As the tide starts to overflow or rise, redfish are going to migrate up onto the flat. Many anglers say now is the optimum time to capture redfish since they are hungry, active, and just starting to feed. As the record-breaking high tide methods, the flats will overflow with water, scattering redfish. While they are feeding, they can be hard to find.
Fishing For Redfish Using Live Bait
While a lot of fishermen use lures to catch redfish, live bait is also quite effective. The best live bait overall is a shrimp. Redfish, and all other saltwater game seafood, enjoy eating shrimp whenever feasible. Live shrimp are also readily accessible at nearly every coastal bait shop. They are relatively easy to keep healthy. Crabs are also utilized as bait in some cases.
Live bait fish are also effective at fooling redfish. The sort of bait fish utilized is heavily influenced by the fishing area and available forage. Pinfish and grunt are quite popular across much of their area.
