i am new to this area and am looking to catch redfish. i am from houston texas and i grew up fishing the jetties on the gulf coast. i have been out fishing for the stripers. had a good time, but i'd rather find the reds. please help.

Do you want Puppys or Bulls ?

Are you fishing from boat or shore? If boat, I like fishing bridge pilings in 15 to 40 ft of water with live bait in med. to light outbound current. Someplace that sees a lot of bait swimming through. I use a 1/0 live bait hook if I am not expecting a bull. You should be able to use small baitfish/shrimp, or redfish soft plastics and lures. Also, I enjoy fishing for school reds at night, just like trout at dock lights. The reds aren't as prominent as the trout, but you will see them and they'll eat the same live bait setup you have out for the trout, they are just a little spookier. I would suggest docks near mudflats in shallow water 2 to 10ft. Lastly, if on a boat, you can sight cast to reds much like cobia along the gulf. (I am from there also) Just locate a school of reds and put your bait a little in front of where they are headed. While fighting the fish, keep an eye on the school so you can pick off a few more before they swim off into obscurity. I have not sight casted to reds, but I hear it is becoming phenominally popular. I prefer reds over striper also, but I am happy catching anything that will pull on the other end of my line. Good luck! Let me know how it goes.

I guess since the other guy gave hints on puppies i will cover a little on Bulls. We actually have an awesome run of bulls in about a month and a half from now. Good size fish often exceed 50 inches.

* Where/When - Set up at anchor on the 9foot shoals (you can find it on any map or by the number of boats sitting on it). You want movement in the water, I like incoming tides. Some people use chum or menhaden drips, I think it draws sharks.
* Tackle - Set up a spread of 20# setups (or more, so you arent killing the fish) I usually put two TLDs and two Baitrunners with the baitrunners fed out further from the boat. Use larger circle hooks (I like Owner) on a 3 foot mono leader attached to a fishfinder rig. On your short baits put diamond weights so your baits wont roll in the current, on your back rods use bank sinkers to the current can roll them away from the boat. Try to keep your baits on the bottom because that is where the reds will usually feed.
* Bait - I usually use peeler crabs and fresh cut bluefish. Often I will top the peelers with clam for any blacks that are around. You can use any cut bait but bluefish, menhaden and spanish makeral have always done best for me. Some people use live Menhaden but im not a fan. My biggest fish have always hit bluefish.
* Caution - Be careful out on the shoals if you are coming out of Lynnhaven. Usually you are running back in the dark and often in the spring the weather tends to kick up in the early evening. The weather will often kick up quick and its no fun running back in 4-5 footers in the dark. Plus, I have been out there when 4 foot waves were breaking across the shoal and joked about having my surfboard. I have a 22 footer and a couple of times I have gotten greedy and paid for it on the ride in (its usually not a 2 hour run). When it starts to get ugly pack it in, there will always be tommorrow.

Nice to see a fellow Houstonian....welcome to some great fishing and people here.

Fish them like you did in Texas. The water is bigger and deeper here but they're still just reds and hang in the same kind of places reds do most anywhere. Get a map and you'll be able to figure it out pretty quick.

Good fishing to you.

Good info, you are hooked up now. Very soon you will start seeing more info on Reds and Black drum as May gets near.

I use homemade fish finder rigs instaed of the store bought ones. I had about 4 store ones cut my line and backlash me like crazy last year. Enough is enough, for now own its swivels and beads.

Eric

caught about 45 reds yesterday ranging from 16-25inches in the elizabeth river.

Welcome to the board 22ftlynn and Cantgetenough. Sounds like your fellow Texicans hooked you up on the redfish. And sounds like cantgetenough had a real good day on the Elizabeth River. Was that down near the hot ditch? Tight lines.

Jus' watchin'

Would you mind elaborating on where you caught those reds along with gear, tackle, and bait? That is a lot of reds. I would love to hook into that many in a day. Shoot, I would love to hook into 15 to 20 in one day. Congrats on the great sucess. -JBone

bring some chicken necks down to the hot ditch and catch a few crabs(dont forget to bring a crab net). then quarter the crabs and toss them on the rip lines and wait. the best two rigs to catch them is a carolina rig and a small jig head baited with crab nuckles. The next best bait is strips of fresh mullet, I usually just cast net them.

thanks for all your help guys. i look forward to catching some redfish soon! it's been too long!