Redfish are the kings of inshore fishing. Because of their vast range and fighting prowess, they remain a favorite of anglers from South Texas almost to New Jersey. Where you find redfish and how you fish them are two very interrelated attributes.
The process of targeting big bull redfish begins with your rod and reel, which we outline for you in our blog – “What Is the Best Rod and Reel for Redfish and Speckled Trout”. However, this blog focuses on lure selection for the successful fishing of redfish wherever you find them.
The Trick to Catching Redfish
Redfish are creatures of habit, and they range from deep water to crawling across muddy weed beds with hardly any water at all. Habit is a good thing to think about when targeting redfish. It is true that they will eat whatever they can find, even snakes. But to successfully fish them, you need to pay attention to what is available where you are fishing. In fly-fishing, we call this “matching the hatch”, and to do that, you pair your fly with patterns of insects that are available (hatched.) With redfish (and most others) you do the same thing. The redfish are dialed into what is available and so you need to be also.
Pay attention to what is available in the water where you fish. In the shallows, you might be looking at blue crabs on the sandy bottom near a marsh or inlet or sardines that are schooling in deep water. Redfish fishing in the in-shore can mean targeting them with crabs, shrimp, and shads. So all of these options are variables that change based on where you fish. That little factoid is important because you want to match your lure selection to what is physically available in the water where you are fishing. Thankfully, redfish lures come in a huge variety of sizes and patterns.
Our Top Saltwater Lures For Redfish
Inshore fishing
Inshore fishing you want to have a few varieties of soft plastic shrimp and crabs – these can be lures or jigs the head standers work well for bottom targets. Head standers mimic feeding shrimp and in terms of redfish lures, they are a hit. Another hot item is the shad patterns. You can find these in metal lures or soft plastics, and they work well on a variety of fish. Eel patterns are also a good option.
What you are looking for in a good inshore lure is a mimic of the life that exists in the sandy flats, rocky crevices, smaller reef structures, etc. These are the food items that redfish are dialed into and what they will strike at first and fast. You can also pay attention to seasonal changes, such as when the baitfish come inshore to spawn or when bigger fish, such as cobia are chasing baitfish into the shallows.
When you fish inshore, you would usually grab a shrimp pattern first. If you notice, there are a lot of crabs around switch to crab patterns. If you are not seeing a lot of native wildlife – shrimp, crabs, eels, then you can try a gold-tone spoon and see what that does. The best tip is to be prepared to change it up often.
Our Choice for Topwater Lures
Get ready to start speaking gibberish – As in the Skitter Walk, which is a hot topwater option for targeting redfish. The Skitter Walk by Rapala is one of the best and most versatile red drum lures, but it is not alone. The Heddon Super Spook is another option that will do an excellent job. One of the best reasons to opt for topwater lures for redfish is that red drum can present an explosive strike that launches them out of the water. THKFISH GT Popper is a third option, and they are available in many color patterns – go for the gold tones though the blue can be a hit in spring or fall.
Any of the above lures will do well in deeper water or inshore fishing, but for tidal marshes, inlets, and brackish water, you want to go a complete 360. If you are fishing along the weedy beds, you will find shrimp and crabs and those are good bets, but a perfect topwater lure is something in a mouse pattern. Think fluffy and bright like a dry fly. Small rodents are not uncommon food for big red drum fish. One of the best artificial lures for redfish is the Redfish Mariboo #10 in purple and black. The fluffy bit of flotsam is a redfish magnet.
A good tip for fishing the weedy spots is to use a weed guard. They allow you to pull your lures through the weeds with far fewer snags. Redfish love the weeds, and you can find big bull redfish in shallow water in weedy spots.
Our Choice for Best Versatile Lures for Redfish
Often when you are targeting redfish you also have the option to target speckled trout and snook too. Twitchbait options are a good choice because they will allow you to target red drum, speckled trout, and snook. The slow sinking twichbait by Yo-Zuri 3D in the mullet patterns are good options. In fact, many of the slow sinking lures, such as mullets are ideal. You can target redfish all day and increase the fishing by also enticing snook and speckled trout to pop the hook.
Again, the takeaway here is not so much the specific lure as the fact that it mimics something that is native to the environment. When you dial that in, the fishing becomes better.
When you set up for redfish, the lures you use are close mimics. If you are fishing inshore, the water can be murky as the tide changes. If you are fishing inlets, bays, or estuaries and marshes, you want to pay attention to the clarity of the water. Brighter tones work well in murky water and redfish seem to love the color gold. Gold and green, gold and purple, and gold and red are three options. If you want to fish with spoons, gold and green are hard to beat. The best tip to give is to be prepared to switch up your lure option often. Stock and rig your leader with swivels, so you can switch your lure with ease. In shallow water, you will often sight-fish for redfish, speckled trout, and snook. To make that process better, standard equipment should include polarized glasses.