What is the best tide for catching redfish?
The best tide for redfish fishing is the incoming low tide. The redfish are the first fish to move onto the flats when the tide changes from dead low to incoming. Redfish like to have first choice for the shrimp, crabs, snails and fish that got trapped in pot holes and small tidal creek channels.
They will belly crawl with more than half of their bodies out of the water to find food as the tide starts to come in.
Many anglers like this tide because it is easier to find the redfish because there is not much water for them to hide in. Once the tide fills in the redfish can disperse in the marsh and tidal creek grasses. This makes it harder to find them as they forage for food.
The key to figuring out where the redfish will be based on tides is the current of the tides. The more current that comes with the tide the better. Some places like Texas and Louisiana may only have a tidal change of a few inches so the wind might be the only element causing the water to move.
Conversely, northern Florida or the Carolinas might have a 4 to 6 foot tide so there is plenty of current to get the redfish on the move to find food and avoid predators.
The author of this article is a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN. He has been fishing the grass flats, oyster bars and mangroves for redfish all over Florida for more than 40 years.
In the article below, we will talk about the the best tides for redfish fishing and the best baits, lures and techniques.
Let's get started.
Watch the video below to see live action high tide top water redfish catching.
The best tide for redfish fishing is the incoming low tide. The redfish are the first fish to move onto the flats when the tide changes from dead low to incoming. Redfish like to have first choice for the shrimp, crabs, snails and fish that got trapped in pot holes and small tidal creek channels.
They will belly crawl with more than half of their bodies out of the water to find food as the tide starts to come in.
Many anglers like this tide because it is easier to find the redfish because there is not much water for them to hide in. Once the tide fills in the redfish can disperse in the marsh and tidal creek grasses. This makes it harder to find them as they forage for food.
The key to figuring out where the redfish will be based on tides is the current of the tides. The more current that comes with the tide the better. Some places like Texas and Louisiana may only have a tidal change of a few inches so the wind might be the only element causing the water to move.
Conversely, northern Florida or the Carolinas might have a 4 to 6 foot tide so there is plenty of current to get the redfish on the move to find food and avoid predators.
The author of this article is a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN. He has been fishing the grass flats, oyster bars and mangroves for redfish all over Florida for more than 40 years.
In the article below, we will talk about the the best tides for redfish fishing and the best baits, lures and techniques.
Let's get started.
Watch the video below to see live action high tide top water redfish catching.
What tide is best for redfish in the inlets?
Redfish move into and out of the inlets with the incoming and outgoing tides. It is really all about current for them at the inlets. The outgoing tide brings with it more dirty water which makes it easier to catch redfish with lures and other artificial baits because they can't see it as well.
The best baits for redfish in the inlets are ones that are scented. Of course a natural live bait or cut bait has the the smell for hungry redfish but there are many artificial lures that are scented and catch a ton of redfish too.
The key is to get your stinky baits down to the bottom and let the redfish smell their way over to them. Berkeley Gulp shrimp and swimming mullet are great baits with a ton of smell to attract redfish as the incoming and outgoing tides bring great scent trails for the redfish to follow.
So the answer to what is the best tide for redfish in the inlets is a moving one with lots of current. It doesn't really matter too much if it is incoming or outgoing as long as there is plenty of current to get those redfish on the move.
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What tide is best for redfish around bridges?
Bridges are another great place to catch redfish. The tides with the greatest current are the biggest factor for bridge fishing but so is water temperature. Quite often the redfish will hit the shallows near the bridges in the early mornings during the summer months to forage for food.
As the sun's energy heats up the shallows the redfish will move to deeper channels and around bridge piling where the water temperatures are cooler. They still have plenty of prey items to eat around those bridge pilings and the temperatures are better too.
Those redfish may wait until night falls along with the water temperatures to move back to the shallows to feed again. Tides, currents and water temperatures are important factors when anglers are searching for redfish.
Bridges are also great places to find redfish in the winter months too. The bridges near inlets will get much warmer water coming in from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean with the incoming tide. The shallows are much more affected by cold weather than the deep waters of the Gulf and the Atlantic. Sometimes just a couple of degrees is enough to get the redfish to feed.
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Bridge pilings are a great place for redfish to ambush their prey items. Those bridge pilings have sponges, barnacles, oysters, mussels and marine plants that attract shrimp, crabs and small fish for the redfish to feed upon.
What tide is best for redfish around oyster bars, docks, mangroves and grass flats?
Oyster Bars
Redfish just love to root around the oyster clumps in the oyster bars. There are shrimp, multiple species of crabs, small fish and snails for them to feast upon. Oyster bars and redfish go together like college football and chicken wings; like bowling and beer; like peanut butter and jelly...... I think that you get my point.
If you find oyster bars there are probably redfish in the vicinity. When you are fishing around oyster bars in the shallows you will find the redfish in different spots depending upon the tidal direction.
When the tide is changing from dead low to incoming the redfish will be in the deep potholes and deeper channels waiting to get at all of the delicious prey items on the mud flats. If you can find a big hole near some oysters during the first part of the incoming tide, you might find a school of 30 redfish waiting to invade the shallows.
This is the best tide to catch redfish in shallow tidal creeks with oysters everywhere. The incoming tide from a dead low is the best tide for catching tons of redfish, in my opinion. I have found areas like this and caught 100 redfish in a day.
BUT once the tide moves in the redfish are more mobile and will spread out into the marsh grasses along the sides of the tidal creeks making them almost impossible to catch. It is so frustrating to see the grasses being pushed aside by huge redfish and not being able to get a bait to them without getting tangled in the grass.
Watch the video below to see kayak fishing for redfish around oyster bars.
Docks
Docks are an excellent place to target redfish. The older docks are especially good because they will have barnacles, oysters, mussels, sponges, marine plants and all sorts of other things growing on there pilings. Those in turn attract shrimp, crabs and small fish that the redfish will come and devour.
Try to choose the docks with bigger boats tied to them because those boats need more water to launch. That means that there is usually a depth change or drop off of some sort where the boat is.
Redfish like to use those drop offs to hunt for food and those are good spots to target when the tide is low.
Just about any part of the tide is good when you are fishing around docks as long as the water is moving. The stronger tides around the new moon and the full moon bring the strongest tides. I like the week of the full moon and the week of the new moon the best.
PRO TIP-The morning fishing during the week of the new moon is usually slow because the redfish have been up all night feeding in the moon light. They usually don't get hungry again until the afternoon on those nights. So if you only have a half day to fish focus on the later half of the day because the bite is usually better.
When you are fishing those docks with lures or natural baits the key is to approach them quietly without spooking them. A good way to do this with live bait with a popping cork is to anchor up current of the dock and let the tide take your shrimp, crab or fish offering under the docks that you think might hold redfish.
There is no splash to spook the redfish and as long as your bait is within a foot or two of the bottom, then the redfish will usually eat it.
Mangroves
Mangroves are another great place to target redfish during the higher parts of the tide. The roots of the red mangrove tree are usually covered in oysters, barnacles and snails. Many residents of the mangroves will be hiding and feeding amongst the mangrove roots.
There will be crabs, shrimp and small fish feeding and hiding in the roots. Predators like redfish, speckled trout, snook, flounders and mangrove snapper will also be in those roots looking for a meal.
Redfish in particular like to cruise in and out of the mangroves in their search for food so your lure or natural bait presentation has to be close to the roots. Mangrove fishing will cost you a lot of lures and baits because you have to get within 18 inches or so of the mangrove roots to maximize your redfish catching.
The best way to fish the high tide around the mangroves for redfish is to use a live or dead bait on a knocker rig and wait. If there are redfish in the vicinity they will smell your bait and come to eat it.
If you are fishing with lures, then the best way to target redfish in the roots is to silently cruise the mangrove tree line and sight fish for them. The key is stealth. You have to see them before they see you and then get your lure in front of them as they cruise the shore line.
Grass Flats
Redfish love to root around in the grass for shrimp, crabs and small fish. One of the hard parts is getting their attention because they will be face down in the sand and mud of the grass flat.
My favorite part of the grass flat to target redfish is the sandy pot holes that are in every grass flat that I have ever seen. Those sandy pot holes are great places for predators to ambush prey items that the tide brings to them.
The tide doesn't seem to matter too much on the grass flats as long as it is moving. The one good thing about low tide on the grass flats is the concentration of redfish in deeper pot holes. They will tend to congregate in a deep pot hole during low tide but they are easily spooked.
This is another time when you have to see them before they see you and your natural bait or lure presentation has to be subtle. A free lined live shrimp is an excellent way to get those redfish to eat if you can get it to them without too much splash.
Conclusion:
Redfish are one of those fish that like different tides depending upon where they are hunting. When they are up on the mud flats and oyster bars they will be in the deep holes and channels during the lower parts of the tides.
This is especially true in the winter months when they are one of the main menu items for dolphin. Redfish like to run up creeks that are 2 feet or less so they can feed in peace without fear of being eaten.
They will leave those holes and move into the grasses on the shores of those mud flats as the water allows them to disperse. Many fishermen who like to fish mud flats prefer the low parts of the tide because it is easier to find the fish.
BUT those extreme high tides will sometimes get the redfish tailing like crazy so you can sight fish them even at high tide. When you are fishing around docks often the higher tides are your best option. You have to fish the higher tides when you are targeting redfish in the mangroves too.
The bottom line when it comes to the best tide to catch redfish is: it depends what environment you are fishing in. You have to be ready for whatever curve balls nature throws your way.
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