Redfish

[Beau23]

What are some of y?alls go to baits/lures for redfish. Went fishing for reds for the first time back in November down in Empire, Louisiana and had a blast. We are heading back down the end of February. Hammered them using a redfish magic spinner bait last trip and was just curious to hear some of y?alls go to baits.

[Uncle Ruckus]

Lot of different ways to answer this depending on current, winds, and clarity. I use a cork when it’s windy and I’ll typically use a root beer or pearl white gulp shrimp. I almost exclusively use gulp under a cork. I like matrix shad shrimp creole and ultra violet when it’s clear and midnight mullet and green hornet when it’s murky. When it’s murky I like to put spinners on my plastics if I’m targeting reds, or when the current is ripping because it gives a little weight. My other favorite is gulp chartreuse mullet and slow bump it for flounder and a pearl white gulp mullet with a pink jig head for trout. However, I’ve probably caught more red fish in empire off a plain old gold spoon. We had a camp before Katrina and the gold spoon was killer. Not so much luck in MS with it.

[SpeckleDawg]

Lot of different ways to answer this depending on current, winds, and clarity. I use a cork when it’s windy and I’ll typically use a root beer or pearl white gulp shrimp. I almost exclusively use gulp under a cork. I like matrix shad shrimp creole and ultra violet when it’s clear and midnight mullet and green hornet when it’s murky. When it’s murky I like to put spinners on my plastics if I’m targeting reds, or when the current is ripping because it gives a little weight. My other favorite is gulp chartreuse mullet and slow bump it for flounder and a pearl white gulp mullet with a pink jig head for trout. However, I’ve probably caught more red fish in empire off a plain old gold spoon. We had a camp before Katrina and the gold spoon was killer. Not so much luck in MS with it.

This is all good. I bet more reds have been caught on a gold spoon than all other artificials combined. I really like the gulp swimming mullet in chartreuse. If I'm fishing somewhere that I have to keep it off the bottom, I prefer the gold spoon or a soft plastic with a spinner.

Redfish will eat pretty much anything you put in front of them. If you want the closest to a sure thing, fresh dead shrimp under a cork is hard for them to resist. It can be a little boring though.

[Beau23]

Thanks guys. Strictly freshwater till last year now I’m hooked. We only used plastics with and without spinners last trip. Was looking to branch out from there so wanted some ideas. Really would like to see one hammer a top water.

[Uncle Ruckus]

I’ve had my share of trout on top water, reds not so much.

[BeastMan]

The 2 most guranteed ways to catch redfish in MS or LA is fresh market shrimp or live minnows under a cork. It's like redfish crack. Also love the lsu vudu under a cork with a little vudu sauce. If I'm moving around covering water I like to throw a spinner bait or a chatter bait. If the water conditions are good and I'm pitching at wakes or sight fishing I like matrix green hornet on a jig head or slayer brand plastics. Slayer plastics have some really cool colors and they go heavy on the shiny flake and glitter. Most times I carry the shrimp for insurance. If I'm strictly targeting reds I'll throw plastic and if I'm not putting anything together I'll switch to market bait under a cork. Or if I'm fishing for reds in a short window I'll throw market bait under a cork.

[SpeckleDawg]

Thanks guys. Strictly freshwater till last year now I’m hooked. We only used plastics with and without spinners last trip. Was looking to branch out from there so wanted some ideas. Really would like to see one hammer a top water.

If there's anywhere to fish topwater for reds, you'll be there. There's a ridiculous amount of redfish down there. I fish a spot down HWY1 that is always filled with grass, but is a great kayak spot. We can pretty much only throw topwater in there. It can be frustrating watching them miss several times (mouth is meant for bottom feeding), but they will crush a topwater and it's a blast.

[Beau23]

Yea we caught limits everyday, probably triple that in rat reds we threw back, and a few bulls we put back as well. Also ended up coming home with about 42 trout.