Best Baits for Redfish & How to Catch Redfish
Redfish, also known as Red Drum fish or Channel Bass, are red colored saltwater fish that are native to the Atlantic ocean, and can be found from the Northern Atlantic off the coast of Massachusetts all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico. Using the right type of baits which we’ll explain will help you increase your odds of catching one.
Once you find a place where these fish are, it’s not difficult to find them. They tend to stick to shallow regions, such as bays and estuaries, which is what gives them the name channel bass. The fish can be spooked rather easily, so red drum fishing needs to be a quiet and slow method of fishing, but it is not that hard once you locate the fish. Often times you can find them just off the shore of a flooded shallow region and wading for them is often possible in the right conditions. The season and time of year is another important factor as to where they may be. Many people associate spring and fall with redfish catching, but they can be found in the summer typically in marshes and bayous and other shallow regions. Think about where you would go if you were to wade in for fishing, and that likely would be a good candidate for a location they are in!
The good news also is that many redfish will travel in schools together, so often times once you catch one, you’ll likely be able to catch another! These are typically younger fish, but still of decent size. Red fish can be as big as 40 pounds or more, with the world record being 94 pounds, though most the average person will catch are typically not quite that big. Be sure you check with your state’s regulations – some areas may have rules on what sizes can be kept and which cannot.
So what type of bait is best for redfish? Red Drum fish feed on mainly crustaceans and mollusks naturally, and so this makes a very good bait. Using shrimp, small crabs, mud minnows and finger mullet fish all work well. Others that have been used as good live bait rigs include Menhaden, Emerita (also called sand fleas and/or mole crabs) and just about anything else similar to them.
You can also opt for artificial fishing lures, though this can be sometimes more difficult. In our experience, we’ve found that live bait almost always performs the best, but some people do use and have some success with fishing lures for redfish. If you do wish to use artificial baits, they should be the type that mimic real fish.
Now that you know some secrets for finding channel bass and the best bait for redfish, you’re ready to find them and catch them! What do you use for redfish bait? Share it in the comments section below.
Category: Bait