How Big Do Redfish Get?
The answer is 94 pounds and 2 ounces. The largest redfish ever recorded was caught in the waters around Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. That redfish weighed an amazing 94 pounds and 2 ounces.
The Florida state record for largest redfish was 52 pounds and 5 ounces. That monster redfish was caught in the waters off of Cocoa, Florida. I like to believe that there is a 100 lb. redfish still out there somewhere.
Both of the record redfish mentioned above were caught using the same baits. DEAD ONES! If you want to catch big redfish, then a dead bait on the bottom is the way to do it.
Watch the video below to learn more.
The answer is 94 pounds and 2 ounces. The largest redfish ever recorded was caught in the waters around Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. That redfish weighed an amazing 94 pounds and 2 ounces.
The Florida state record for largest redfish was 52 pounds and 5 ounces. That monster redfish was caught in the waters off of Cocoa, Florida. I like to believe that there is a 100 lb. redfish still out there somewhere.
Both of the record redfish mentioned above were caught using the same baits. DEAD ONES! If you want to catch big redfish, then a dead bait on the bottom is the way to do it.
Watch the video below to learn more.
How to catch big record sized redfish:
I am a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN on the Treasure Coast of Florida and I have been fishing the grass flats and oyster bars for big redfish for more than 40 years. I will teach you what I know about catching big redfish in the article below.
As I mentioned above big redfish love fresh dead bait on the bottom. The best baits that I have found are ladyfish and mullet but a bluefish also works pretty well too. In fact, the Mosquito Lagoon redfish in the picture above was caught on a dead bluefish fished on the bottom.
My buddy found a deep canal with a decent amount of current and sank a 12 inch piece of bluefish to the bottom with about a 2 ounce sinker. He had to wait about an hour to catch that big bruiser but it was definitely worth the wait.
Make sure to use the heads of the mullet and the ladyfish. Predators like big redfish, snook and tarpon seem to prefer the heads. They will also take the rest of the fish too but the big ones like the heads the best.
Make sure when you are preparing your fresh dead baits that you cut the pieces large enough so that the catfish cannot eat them. For whatever reason, a catfish will find the baits first most of the time.
That is why you have to cut your baits too large for a catfish but just the right size for a big redfish. I usually cut mine to about 7 or 8 inches. That is usually too big for the catfish to swallow.
Make sure to use just enough weight to keep your bait on the bottom. The big redfish will be close to the bottom. They especially like the deeper channels so you need enough weight to keep your bait from dragging along the bottom.
Find yourself a nice deep channel with some current flow for best results. You want to give your dead bait some time to attract the big redfish to it. Redfish have an extraordinary sense of smell. They have 4 nostrils to help them locate food in the often dark and murky environments in which they live.
I like to cut little slits in the sides of my dead baits. This allows even more odor molecules out into the water. The more stink that your bait makes, the better the chances that a big redfish will find it.
Learn more about catching big redfish here.
Make sure to use a circle hook when fishing for big redfish with dead bait. You want the redfish to hook itself instead of you trying to set the hook. The circle hook will hook a redfish in the corner of the mouth just right 9 out of 10 times.
I like to put my rod in the rod holder so that I am not tempted to try and set the hook myself. This leads to more hook ups and it makes sure that the redfish does not swallow the hook. Circle hooks are a very efficient tool for fishing dead baits.
Big redfish are the breeders and are not legal to harvest in every state so you don't want to kill them for no reason. Circle hooks will increase your hook up ratios anyways.
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Conclusion:
Big redfish are one of the most sought after game species in the United States. They are caught regularly from North Carolina; all the way around Florida; and all the way over to Texas.
There is something magical about sight casting for a big redfish as it tails in the shallows. It is one of those amazing experiences that inshore fishing can give to you.
I hope that this article answers the question, "How big do redfish get?" I hope that it also answers the question, "How do you catch a big redfish?" Thanks for reading it.
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