
While you can enjoy clear skies and calm conditions this time of year, much of the time you'll battle the elements. It's like the Pamplona Running of the Bulls except in this case, you do want to make contact.ĭuring the winter, redfish feed on a variety of foods like shrimp, mullet, menhaden, shad, and glass minnows. When you see these large groups or a beefy solo redfish moving toward you, your hands begin to sweat and tremble, and your heart pounds with anticipation. In the fall and winter, decreasing water levels and temperatures cause shoals of big redfish to concentrate in deeper water like channels and canals instead of hard-to-fish estuary ponds and grassy backwaters. Redfish disperse into the reedy shallows during the summer when water levels are high. While fishing in Louisiana can be productive year-round, the big bull season is during the late fall and winter months of November through February. Redfish are native to the southern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal waters in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida, but the Delta region is the epicenter of their habitat, and widely considered the best fishing for numbers of big bulls in the country. When in distress or during spring spawning season, red drum make a deep croaking or thrumming sound. Some scientists believe the tail spots are a defense against predators which encourages an attack on the tail instead of the head and vital organs. Also called red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus get their names from the dark red on their back that fades into a white/silver belly. Redfish are typically found in inlets, channels, canals, and shallow estuaries. Bush by executive order made redfish a federally protected gamefish, and populations have since then been continuously increasing. Like any other fishing trip you go on, make sure to take plenty of saltwater flies for redfish as you never know what type of fishing situation you will get yourself into when you arrive at your destination.Redfish stocks were at one time seriously depleted due to their unprecedented appearance on restaurant menus across the country, but on October 20, 2007, President George W. You will see this happen quite often during the fall. These saltwater flies for redfish are a great fly to fish when redfish are crashing thru schools of bait. Redfish fly patterns like clouser minnows and redfish minnows will always get the job done. These are among the best redfish flies for sale as they pack a lot of protein. It is also to have a good selection of baitfish patterns as well when fly fishing for redfish. These redfish fly patterns usually have a barred appearance to them, mimicking how a natural shrimp looks. It’s an ideal fly to fish over oyster beds and on ocean side flats and estuaries. When saltwater fly fishing redfish, this allows the fly to sink slowly and be very durable. Typically, these redfish flies will be tied out of a synthetic material like supreme hair and will be coated with epoxy. Saltwater shrimp flies are also among the best redfish flies. Having a good selection of these will help you to fish in these different depths which is imperative when saltwater fly fishing redfish. Dressing these flies up with rubber legs and krystal flash is a smart idea as well, as it adds extra fish attracting power to them. Some redfish flies have bead chain eyes that will land softly and sink slowly, while ones with lead eyes will land a little harder but sink much faster. The deeper the fish are, the faster you will want your fly to sink. They will also be tied with different eyes depending on how deep the fish you are casting too are located in. The best redfish flies in this category will be tied in a variety of different sizes, shapes, and colors. Crabs are a major food source for these fish. The first of these, and probably the most popular, are crab flies. Redfish flies, like lots of other saltwater species, are composed of three main food groups that these fish like to eat. They are not super spooky, and usually allow anglers to get in to close casting range without being alarmed. They will usually eat a well-placed fly with reckless abandon and can even be caught on topwater flies for redfish. Saltwater fly fishing for redfish is a lot of fun! Redfish are strong, hearty, and fight really good.
