Red Fishing with Lures Tips and Techniques
The Best Lures for Catching Redfish are:
Redfish are excellent fish to target with lures. They are usually ready to eat just about anything that you can present to them. The key is getting their attention because they usually have their heads down as they root around in the oysters, mud, grass, sand..... looking for something to eat.
Redfish can be found just about everywhere in the Southern part of the United States. From Texas to Florida to North Carolina they can be found in the estuaries, inlets, oyster bars, mud flats and beaches.
They make an excellent dinner entre and they are amazing fighters too. This makes them one of the most popular fish for inshore fishermen all over the South.
I am a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the oyster bars and mangroves all over Florida for more than 40 years.
In the article below, I will teach you what I know about catching redfish with lures and the best tips and techniques to maximize your catch.
* I am not sponsored by any of the lure companies or lure brands that I recommend to fishermen. I mention those lures because those are the ones that I use and I like them.
Let's get started.
Watch the video below and catch more redfish with top water lures.
The Best Lures for Catching Redfish are:
- Berkeley GULP 3" Shrimp
- DOA CAL 3" Shad with Paddle Tail
- Gold Spoons
- Zara Spook/MirroLure Top Dog
- DOA Bait Buster
Redfish are excellent fish to target with lures. They are usually ready to eat just about anything that you can present to them. The key is getting their attention because they usually have their heads down as they root around in the oysters, mud, grass, sand..... looking for something to eat.
Redfish can be found just about everywhere in the Southern part of the United States. From Texas to Florida to North Carolina they can be found in the estuaries, inlets, oyster bars, mud flats and beaches.
They make an excellent dinner entre and they are amazing fighters too. This makes them one of the most popular fish for inshore fishermen all over the South.
I am a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the oyster bars and mangroves all over Florida for more than 40 years.
In the article below, I will teach you what I know about catching redfish with lures and the best tips and techniques to maximize your catch.
* I am not sponsored by any of the lure companies or lure brands that I recommend to fishermen. I mention those lures because those are the ones that I use and I like them.
Let's get started.
Watch the video below and catch more redfish with top water lures.
Red Fishing with Lures Around Docks
One of the best places to find redfish is around docks. Docks attract all kinds of marine life that redfish like to eat. The dock pilings will often be covered with barnacles, oysters, sponges, marine plants and all sorts of things that make great hiding places for crabs, shrimp and small fish.
Guess who likes to eat crabs, shrimp and small fish. If you guessed Mr. Redfish, then you are correct. The great thing about fishing the docks is they attract lots of other fun fish species like flounder, snook, spotted sea trout, black drum and many other fish worth catching.
BERKELEY GULP SHRIMP- My number one lure choice for catching redfish around docks is the Berkeley Gulp 3" shrimp. My favorite colors are white, new penny and molting. I usually couple that lure with a 1/8 ounce red jig head. If the water is deep or if the current is strong, then I might move up to a 1/4 ounce jig head.
The best way to fish this lure is to cast it under the docks and let it sink to the bottom. Then bounce it on the bottom back to you slowly and repeat. I think that many anglers fish their jigs too quickly. You have to give the redfish a chance to notice your lures.
Berkeley Gulp Shrimps are soooooooooo stinkyyyyyyyyy that you can dead stick them under a dock and still catch redfish. Dead stick means that you can cast your lure and just let it sit on the bottom without moving it.
The odor of the lures alone will attract the redfish. In essence, you are fishing the lure just like you would fish with a dead bait or a cut bait. This technique works because a redfish has an extremely evolved olfactory system. In other words, if there are redfish in the area, they will smell your Gulp Shrimp if you give them enough time.
GOLD SPOONS- Gold spoons have been the gold standard of redfish anglers for decades. This simple lure catches the heck out of redfish anywhere redfish are. There are long time redfish anglers who only use gold spoons to target reds.
You will want to get a weed less gold spoon because you need to fish them in the bottom part of the water column. They work the best when they are bounced on the bottom or when they are presented just off of the bottom.
Cast your gold spoon under the docks and bounce it slowly on the bottom back to you. The spoons do not have any scent to attract the redfish but they can see the flash and feel the low frequency vibrations as the lure moves through the water.
DOA CAL 3" SHAD with PADDLE TAIL- The DOA CAL catches just about every fish that swims and it is very easy to fish with. This lure is one that I have tied on to one of my rods all of the time.
I like them because they are excellent search baits to use to find out where the feeding fish are. They also catch snook, flounder, redfish, spotted sea trout, tarpon and just about everything else too.
My favorite colors are white, glow and a natural color combination. A natural color combination would be something like silver belly and sides with a black back. I will couple this lure with a 1/8 ounce red jig head.
The best technique to catch redfish around docks is to cast it under the docks and let it sink to the bottom. Then slowly bounce it on the bottom back to you. You can also swim it slowly just off of the bottom as you retrieve it.
PRO TIP- Redfish spend most of their lives looking down with their heads "literally" in the sand. To get their attention you will have to keep your lure on the bottom or within a foot or so off of the bottom.
ZARA SPOOK- My favorite top water lures for redfish are a Zara Spook or something similar like a MirroLure Top Dog. These are walk-the-dog types of top water lures that are great for fishing for redfish in water less than 2 feet deep.
Go to our Zara Spook page to learn more.
I like to cast the lure parallel to the dock and work it back slowly. The reds will often be lurking behind a dock piling and rush out to get the lure. Your job is to keep them from grabbing it and wrapping your line around a piling.
Redfish are not very good at eating top water lures. They will miss your offering most of the time. As you retrieve your lure and the redfish misses it, stop reeling and give the lure a twitch or two. Often the redfish will keep trying to eat it if you stop reeling and keep it in its strike zone.
When the finger mullet schools are in very shallow water, you can bet that the redfish are there feeding on them. This is the time to pitch your fake finger mullet lures at them. It can be a top water lure, suspending lure or a soft plastic lure. The only criteria is that it must look like a finger mullet to work well.
Go to our MirroLure page to learn more.
Top water lures work best in the early morning, right before sunset and on very cloudy days. I like to use top water lures during the first hour of light and the last hour of light when I am fishing. The rest of the time I use jigs and other lures.
DOA BAIT BUSTER- When you are fishing around the schools of finger mullet the DOA Bait Buster is a hard lure to beat. It is just about the closest thing to having a real finger mullet that you can get.
They come in different weights and are labeled shallow, deep and medium running. A great place to throw the shallow running one is water that is 3 feet or less when the finger mullet schools are moving through an area.
It doesn't matter if it is around docks, oysters, grass flats...… whatever. This is a great choice for imitating a finger mullet.
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Red Fishing with Lures by Oyster Bars
Oysters and redfish go together like peanut butter and jelly; like college football and chicken wings; like bowling and beer...….. You get the idea. Redfish like to hang out around oysters.
Oyster bars are a haven for crabs, shrimp and small fish. That makes them a magnet for predators like redfish who like to eat those creatures. If you ever turn over a clump of oysters you will find that there is a little mud crab or two under each one of them.
One of my favorite redfish fishing spots is an oyster rich tidal creek. To me that is the best place to catch tons of redfish. Those ecosystems are a mixture of mud flats, oysters, sand bars and spartina and other aquatic plants. All of those tidal creek features are like a grocery store for redfish depending upon the tide.
During the higher parts of the tide the redfish will hunt in the spartina grass for shrimp, crabs, fish and snails. When the tide is lower the redfish have to hunt in the oysters and mud flats. I prefer the lower parts of the tide for catching redfish. It concentrates the fish into small areas.
BERKELEY 3" SHRIMP- My favorite lure for this environment is once again the Berkeley Gulp Shrimp. The best techniques that I have found for maximizing the redfish is to have the Gulp under a popping cork or bounce it on the bottom with the current.
The popping cork technique is for water depths that are 4 feet or less. If you can figure out how deep the water is, then I like to use the a Gulp under a popping cork for skinny water. This is a great way to get a distracted redfish's attention. The key to this technique is keeping the lure within a foot or so of the bottom.
You will want to give the set up a couple of sharp rod twitches to attract the reds to your lure as you retrieve it. Once your lure goes down you will set the hook right away so the reds don't swallow the hook.
Go to our GULP lures page to learn more.
The other technique using the Gulp Shrimp is for deeper water. When the water depth is more than 3 or 4 feet deep I will discard the popping cork and bounce the jig off of the bottom with the current.
The key to this technique is casting your jig up current and slowly bouncing it back to you at approximately the same speed as the current is moving.
The great news about using this technique for redfish is that you will also catch black drum, flounders and spotted sea trout too. I don't know about you but I am not sad when I cast for a redfish and catch a flounder or drum instead.
DOA CAL 3" SHAD- The DOA CAL is another great choice for fishing this ecosystem. My favorite colors are white, glow and something natural coupled with a 1/8 ounce jig head. If the water is really murky, then I will use a dark color like root beer.
This lure is a great search bait to figure out where the feeding fish are. The best technique for redfish is bouncing this lure off of the bottom with the current. I also like to swim this lure within a foot or so of the bottom with the current.
This lure will also catch the flounder, black drum and speckled trout that are in the area too.
Watch the video below and catch more redfish with a popping cork and Gulp shrimp combo.
Red Fishing with Lures on Mud Flats
Mud flats are another great place to fish for redfish. Redfish are the first predatory fish to hit the mud flats as the tide goes from dead low to incoming. I have seen them belly swim across the mud with half their bodies out of the water.
They try to be the first fish to get at the marine worms, shrimp, crabs and small fish that are trapped in the shallow pools of water caused by the low tide. These fish are extremely spooky so you have to be very stealthy to catch them.
The key to fishing this scenario is to be on the mud flats waiting for the fish to come to you. I look for a mud flat with a channel through it where I can sit and wait for the redfish to be funneled right to me by the incoming tide.
PRO TIP- You have to be on the flats before the reds show up and you only have an hour or so before the water is so high that the reds can disperse throughout the area without being seen. The first 60 to 90 minutes at the bottom of the tide is the sweet spot for this type of red fishing.
BERKELEY GULP SHRIMP- Yes once again my go to lure is the Gulp Shrimp. That lure is hard to beat for catching redfish. They are a very smell oriented predator. They have 4 nostrils.
The mud flats are a great place to sight fish for reds. The key to sight fishing for reds in water that is only 12 inches deep is to get your bait 4 or 5 feet in front of them without spooking them.
You might have to wiggle your lure a little bit to get them to notice it but usually they will smell it. The Gulp shrimp is so stinky that you can dead stick it on the mud flats. The only bait that I think works better than a Gulp shrimp in this scenario is a live shrimp with a split shot.
DOA CAL 3" SHAD- My number two pick would be the DOA CAL for this scenario. The DOA CAL lacks the odor to attract the reds but it makes up for it with its paddle tail. That tail sends out plenty of those low frequency vibrations that redfish think is a struggling fish.
You will fish this lure almost the same way as the Gulp Shrimp by bouncing it on the mud in front of a hungry redfish. BUT you can also swim this lure slowly just off of the bottom to great effect.
Red Fishing with Lures on Grass Flats
Grass flats are another great place to catch some reds. Redfish spend their days on the grass flats rooting around in the grass for shrimp, crabs and small fish. When the schools of finger mullet are around they will be slamming them in the shallows. Once again, it is all about getting their attention without spooking them.
DOA BAIT BUSTER- When the finger mullet schools are running in the shallow grass flats the bait buster is hard to beat. I think that it is the best imitation finger mullet on the market. I like the natural looking color combinations the best.
It is a soft rubbery lure so the fish tend to hold onto it longer than they would if it was a hard plastic one. I usually pitch this lure to the outside of the mullet schools and work it as slowly as I can keeping it just out of the grass.
This lure works great when the mullet schools are in 3 feet or water or less. That is when the redfish will be crushing the schools on the flats. Just make sure to have the shallow runner bait buster tied on. That one is made just for super shallow fishing conditions.
DOA CAL 3" SHAD- The DOA CAL is another great choice for the grass flats. I especially like to toss this lure when I am fishing flats that are 4 or 5 feet deep. This lure is a great one to swim just above the sea grass.
This technique will also yield a fair share of flounders and speckled sea trout too. That's not a bad fishing day if you catch redfish, flounders and sea trout.
My favorite color for clean water grass flat fishing is white. My favorite colors for murky water are something darker like root beer coupled with a 1/8 ounce jig head.
When you are fishing the deeper grass flats that are 4 to 6 feet deep make sure to focus your efforts on the sandy pot holes. Every grass flat that I have ever seen is full of sandy spots. Those sandy spots are great places for predatory fish to ambush the prey items that they like to eat.
You will want to bounce your DOA CAL through the middle and sides of every sandy pot hole that you come across. Snook, flounder, sea trout and redfish all like to use those pot holes for ambush points.
The key to fishing the pot holes is to have your lure come from up current. Most of the time the predators will be waiting for their prey to be brought to them by the tide. This means that most of the time they will be facing into the tide. If your lure comes up from behind them, then they might get spooked.
GOLD SPOONS- Weed less gold spoons also work great in this scenario. You will fish it the same way that you fish the DOA CALs.
Swim this lure just above the grass beds as slowly as you can. The flash of the metal will get the redfish's attention. Especially if there are lots of bait fish in the area.
You will also want to target the sandy pot holes with this lure. Cast up current and bounce it through every part of every sandy pot hole that you find on the grass flats. Flounder, snook and sea trout also love this lure.
Grass flats are another great place to catch some reds. Redfish spend their days on the grass flats rooting around in the grass for shrimp, crabs and small fish. When the schools of finger mullet are around they will be slamming them in the shallows. Once again, it is all about getting their attention without spooking them.
DOA BAIT BUSTER- When the finger mullet schools are running in the shallow grass flats the bait buster is hard to beat. I think that it is the best imitation finger mullet on the market. I like the natural looking color combinations the best.
It is a soft rubbery lure so the fish tend to hold onto it longer than they would if it was a hard plastic one. I usually pitch this lure to the outside of the mullet schools and work it as slowly as I can keeping it just out of the grass.
This lure works great when the mullet schools are in 3 feet or water or less. That is when the redfish will be crushing the schools on the flats. Just make sure to have the shallow runner bait buster tied on. That one is made just for super shallow fishing conditions.
DOA CAL 3" SHAD- The DOA CAL is another great choice for the grass flats. I especially like to toss this lure when I am fishing flats that are 4 or 5 feet deep. This lure is a great one to swim just above the sea grass.
This technique will also yield a fair share of flounders and speckled sea trout too. That's not a bad fishing day if you catch redfish, flounders and sea trout.
My favorite color for clean water grass flat fishing is white. My favorite colors for murky water are something darker like root beer coupled with a 1/8 ounce jig head.
When you are fishing the deeper grass flats that are 4 to 6 feet deep make sure to focus your efforts on the sandy pot holes. Every grass flat that I have ever seen is full of sandy spots. Those sandy spots are great places for predatory fish to ambush the prey items that they like to eat.
You will want to bounce your DOA CAL through the middle and sides of every sandy pot hole that you come across. Snook, flounder, sea trout and redfish all like to use those pot holes for ambush points.
The key to fishing the pot holes is to have your lure come from up current. Most of the time the predators will be waiting for their prey to be brought to them by the tide. This means that most of the time they will be facing into the tide. If your lure comes up from behind them, then they might get spooked.
GOLD SPOONS- Weed less gold spoons also work great in this scenario. You will fish it the same way that you fish the DOA CALs.
Swim this lure just above the grass beds as slowly as you can. The flash of the metal will get the redfish's attention. Especially if there are lots of bait fish in the area.
You will also want to target the sandy pot holes with this lure. Cast up current and bounce it through every part of every sandy pot hole that you find on the grass flats. Flounder, snook and sea trout also love this lure.
Red Fishing with Lures in the Mangroves
The roots of the Red Mangrove Tree are another great place to catch redfish during the higher parts of the tide. The roots of the mangrove tree is an ecosystem within a larger ecosystem. Those tangles of roots have oyster and barnacles living on them.
Small shrimp, crabs and small fish live and hide among them. Larger predators like redfish, snook and flounder love to hunt amongst them during the high water times of the day.
The problem with fishing around the roots of the mangrove trees you getting your lures hung up on the roots and branches. To effectively fish the mangrove roots you will need to get your lure within a foot or so of the roots.
The redfish will cruise the roots very tightly against them as they search for food. You have to get your lure extremely close to those roots to get the redfish's attention. You have to rig your lures weed less to really get up into the roots.
BERKELEY GULP SHRIMP- You will want to rig your Gulp shrimp weed less instead of using the normal jig head set up. A 3/0 weed less hook is the best size for a 3" lure like a Gulp shrimp.
Cast your lure into the roots or as close as you can possibly get it to them and slowly drag or bounce it back to you. If you can get a parallel cast down a straight line of them, then you can cover more water more quickly.
It is very hard to fish the mangrove roots. You have to slowly and methodically hit them all as you work the entire line of trees. BUT you can catch some very nice fish using this technique. You will also catch lots of snook and flounder fishing the mangroves too.
DOA CAL 3" SHAD- You will want to rig your DOA CAL weed less just like you did the Gulp Shrimp. You want to fish your DOA CAL exactly the same way that you did with the Gulp Shrimp too.
The roots of the Red Mangrove Tree are another great place to catch redfish during the higher parts of the tide. The roots of the mangrove tree is an ecosystem within a larger ecosystem. Those tangles of roots have oyster and barnacles living on them.
Small shrimp, crabs and small fish live and hide among them. Larger predators like redfish, snook and flounder love to hunt amongst them during the high water times of the day.
The problem with fishing around the roots of the mangrove trees you getting your lures hung up on the roots and branches. To effectively fish the mangrove roots you will need to get your lure within a foot or so of the roots.
The redfish will cruise the roots very tightly against them as they search for food. You have to get your lure extremely close to those roots to get the redfish's attention. You have to rig your lures weed less to really get up into the roots.
BERKELEY GULP SHRIMP- You will want to rig your Gulp shrimp weed less instead of using the normal jig head set up. A 3/0 weed less hook is the best size for a 3" lure like a Gulp shrimp.
Cast your lure into the roots or as close as you can possibly get it to them and slowly drag or bounce it back to you. If you can get a parallel cast down a straight line of them, then you can cover more water more quickly.
It is very hard to fish the mangrove roots. You have to slowly and methodically hit them all as you work the entire line of trees. BUT you can catch some very nice fish using this technique. You will also catch lots of snook and flounder fishing the mangroves too.
DOA CAL 3" SHAD- You will want to rig your DOA CAL weed less just like you did the Gulp Shrimp. You want to fish your DOA CAL exactly the same way that you did with the Gulp Shrimp too.
Conclusion:
Redfish are one of the inshore fish that are targeted by fishermen all over the state of Florida. You can find them in freshwater, brackish water and saltwater bodies of water. This access makes them very popular with hardcore fishermen and weekend warriors.
I love to catch redfish using artificial lures. There is nothing like stalking a redfish on the flats and convincing him to eat your lure. That is such a rush to accomplish.
If you are ever in the Treasure Coast area of Florida, then book a trip with me for some kayak redfishing action. Redfish, tarpon, snook, speckled trout and flounder are the fabulous five species that I target most often. Learn more here kayak fishing charters.
I hope that this article helps you catch more redfish or at the very least have more fun trying.
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