How-To Catch Redfish - Florida Sportsman

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The Red Drum (Redfish), Sciaenops ocellatus

Usually bronze or reddish with white underside, but sometimes quite pale all over. Prominent ringed spot or several spots at base of tail fin; occasionally, without the spot. Silhouette is similar to black drum and colors can sometimes be confusing in very large fish, but the redfish has no chin barbels and the black drum never has the tail spot.

SIZE: Caught from less than a pound to 10 or 12 pounds; 30-pounders are not rare, and the potential in Florida is about 60. World record 94 pounds, 2 ounces; Florida record 52 pounds, 5 ounces.

FOOD VALUE: Redfish up to around 10 pounds rank among the favorite fish of most anglers. Red portions of flesh do not have objectionable taste when fresh. Large Redfish are protected at this writing, and not the best of fare anyway.

GAME QUALITIES: Fine gamester. Strength, stamina and fairly long, bullish runs are its trademarks.

TACKLE AND BAITS: All kinds of casting tackle, including fly, are successfully used on Redfish of all sizes. Surf rods and light-to-medium saltwater outfits are good for beach, bridge, pier and offshore fishing. Redfish are ravenous feeders that will take live baitfish, crabs and shrimp, and also dead or cut baits from the same sources. Live shrimp and minnows make the very best baits for shallow coastal fishing; live Pinfish, small Mullet or similar baitfish for angling in deeper water. Most productive artificials are weedless spoons, plastic-tail jigs and topwater plugs, but many swimming plugs also work. Large streamers and poppers do the job for fly fishermen.

FISHING SYSTEMS: Still Fishing; Drifting; Casting.

OTHER NAMES:

Rat Red (small specimen)

Bull Red (large)

Channel Bass

Drum

RANGE: All Florida coasts.

HABITAT: Most popular fishing areas are along shell bars and rocky or grassy shorelines and on shallow flats, where they are usually fished by sight. Reds also forage in the surf of outside beaches nearly everywhere on the Gulf Coast and along the upper half of the East Coast, especially in the fall. Adults move offshore to spawn and are sometimes encountered in open water in large schools.They roam into coastal rivers and creeks at any time of year, and in winter swarm into them, seeking warmer water.

GALLERY: Inshore

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<h2>Fort Pierce Red</h2>
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<h2>Ten Thousand Islands Red</h2>
<h2>Chad's Red</h2>
<h2>Breaking In the New Boat</h2>
<h2>LA Red</h2>
<h2>Double Reds</h2>
<h2>Afternoon Red</h2>
<h2>Sebastian Slam</h2>
<h2>Anna Maria Island Red</h2>
<h2>Tampa Bay Red</h2>
<h2>Northeast Bull</h2>
<h2>Tampa Bay Double</h2>
<h2>Tampa Bay Red</h2>
<h2>First Redfish</h2>
<h2>East Wall Red</h2>
<h2>Sight Fished Red</h2>
<h2>Homosassa Red</h2>
<h2>Big Bend Bruiser</h2>
<h2>Treasure Coast Red</h2>
<h2>Birthday Red</h2>
<h2>Red Face</h2>
<h2>Mosquito Lagoon Red</h2>
<h2>Mosquito Lagoon Red</h2>
<h2>North Brevard Red</h2>
<h2>Choko Double</h2>
<h2>Jetty Red</h2>
<h2>Sebastian Bull</h2>
<h2>Vero Beach Red</h2>
<h2>Northeast Bull</h2>
<h2>Erin's Red</h2>
<h2>38 Inch Red</h2>
<h2>Canoe Red</h2>
<h2>Bull Red</h2>
<h2>Sight Fishing Reds</h2>
<h2>Big Bend Redfish</h2>
<h2>St. Augustine Red</h2>
<h2>Ali's Red</h2>
<h2>First of Many</h2>
<h2>Creek Crawlin' Red</h2>
<h2>Personal Best for Mom</h2>
<h2>South Shore Red</h2>
<h2>Waccasassa Red</h2>
<h2>Fishing with the Girls</h2>
<h2>Northeast Red</h2>
<h2>Biggest Red</h2>
<h2>Yankeetown Red</h2>
<h2>Tampa Bay Double</h2>
<h2>Mosquito Lagoon Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>East Central Red</h2>
<h2>Buckman Redfish</h2>
<h2>Mosquito Lagoon Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Bridge Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish for a tourney</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish for Both</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish on Fly</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Reds</h2>
<h2>North Florida Redfish</h2>
<h2>Overslot Redfish</h2>
<h2>Homosassa Fishing Tournament</h2>
<h2>Flamingle with Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Pine Island Redfish</h2>
<h2>Red in the grass</h2>
<h2>Redfish tail</h2>
<h2>Kent's Bull Red</h2>
<h2>Reel Time redfish</h2>
<h2>Spot Remover Catching Spots</h2>
<h2>Redzilla of the New Year</h2>
<h2>Reel Time Florida Sportsman</h2>
<h2>Florida Sportsman in the making</h2>
<h2>32 inch Redfish</h2>
<h2>Andrew's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Jonathans Reds</h2>
<h2>Big Bend redfish</h2>
<h2>reds</h2>
<h2>Pass Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Tom and Lou's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Denises Red!</h2>
<h2>Tampa Bay Redfish</h2>
<h2>Maddox's Red</h2>
<h2>Girls redfish</h2>
<h2>Gradys Big Red</h2>
<h2>Jacks Redfish</h2>
<h2>Tournament Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish Double Header</h2>
<h2>April's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Fishing</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Fishing</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Fishing</h2>
<h2>Night Redfish</h2>
<h2>Haulover Canal Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Red and Trout!</h2>
<h2>Back- to- Back Red and trout</h2>
<h2>Carly's Multi Spot Red</h2>
<h2>Megan's Slot Red</h2>
<h2>Terence's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Marco Island Reds</h2>
<h2>Gold Get's Em'</h2>
<h2>St. Aug Redfish</h2>
<h2>Mosquito Lagoon Red by Yak</h2>
<h2>Haulover Red</h2>
<h2>Gary's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Gary's Red</h2>
<h2>Reese Van Gemert's First Redfish</h2>
<h2>Kristi's Red</h2>
<h2>Moster redfish released</h2>
<h2>Indian River Reds</h2>
<h2>Pine Island Red</h2>
<h2>Nice IRL Red</h2>
<h2>IRL Red</h2>
<h2>Redfish Ringer</h2>
<h2>Jacksonville Red</h2>
<h2>Jacksonville Red</h2>
<h2>Redfeesh</h2>
<h2>First Red</h2>
<h2>Early Morning Reds</h2>
<h2>Joey's First Red</h2>
<h2>Devil's Elbow Red</h2>
<h2>Redfish!</h2>
<h2>Tampa Bay Red</h2>
<h2>Ft. Myers Redfish</h2>
<h2>Hold it Higher!</h2>
<h2>Indian River Lagoon Red</h2>
<h2>Tampa Bay Reds</h2>
<h2>Running of the Bulls</h2>
<h2>Coby Redfish</h2>
<h2>Captain Redfish</h2>
<h2>Tamps Bay Red</h2>
<h2>Cedar Key Red</h2>
<h2>Redfish Rocket</h2>
<h2>Redfish Rainbow</h2>
<h2>Boca Ciega Bay Red</h2>
<h2>Boca Ciega Bay Red</h2>
<h2>Night Redfishing</h2>
<h2>Cockroach Bay Redfish</h2>
<h2>Donnie Short's Kayak Red</h2>
<h2>Redfish Winner</h2>
<h2>Julie's First Redfish</h2>
<h2>Family Redfish</h2>
<h2>Plenty of Redfish to Go Around</h2>
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<h2>Redfish on a Dock</h2>
<h2>Redfish on a Boston Whaler</h2>
<h2>Tampa Bay Redfish</h2>
<h2>Boca Grande Redfish</h2>
<h2>Deep Sea Redfish</h2>
<h2>First Time Redfish</h2>
<h2>Yak Red</h2>
<h2>Tampa Redfish</h2>
<h2>Tournament Redfish</h2>
<h2>Big Bend Redfish</h2>
<h2>Sunset Redfish</h2>
<h2>My Brother and his Fish</h2>
<h2>Huge Redfish</h2>
<h2>Ten Thousand Islands Redfish </h2>
<h2>Indian Outlaw Redfish</h2>
<h2>Sarasota Redfish </h2>
<h2>James's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Chassahowitzka Redfish</h2>
<h2>Indian River Red</h2>
<h2>Big Mayport Red</h2>
<h2>Catwalk Redfish</h2>
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<h2>Mr. Mystery</h2>
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<h2>Suwannee Redfish</h2>
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<h2>Sherry's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Golden Red</h2>
<h2>Homosassa Redfish</h2>
<h2>Grass Flats Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flounder and Reds</h2>
<h2>Kim's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Mandy's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Ray's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Sara's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Ashley's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Giant Redfish</h2>
<h2>Winter Redfish</h2>
<h2>Suwannee Red</h2>
<h2>Redfish Duo</h2>
<h2>Mosquito Lagoon Redfish</h2>
<h2>Panama City Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish Release</h2>
<h2>Indian River Lagoon Redfish</h2>
<h2>Oak Hill Redfish</h2>
<h2>Mr. Redfish</h2>
<h2>Nice Redfish!</h2>
<h2>Topwater Red</h2>
<h2>Redfish, Gold Spoon</h2>
<h2>Cheri's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Panama City Beach Redfish</h2>
<h2>Pensacola Trout and Reds</h2>
<h2>Pier Redfish</h2>
<h2>Keaton Beach Redfish</h2>
<h2>St. George Red</h2>
<h2>Rock Harbor Redfish</h2>
<h2>St. George Redfish</h2>
<h2>St. George Red</h2>
<h2>St. Augustine Jetty Red</h2>
<h2>Oyster Bed Red</h2>
<h2>Yankeetown Redfish</h2>
<h2>Waccasassa Red</h2>
<h2>Big Bend Red</h2>
<h2>Dunellon Redfish</h2>
<h2>Dunellon Redfish</h2>
<h2>Homosassa Red</h2>
<h2>Homosassa Redfish</h2>
<h2>Homosassa Redfish</h2>
<h2>Fort Desoto Redfish</h2>
<h2>Tampa Bay Sunset Redfish</h2>
<h2>Tampa Bay Sunset Redfish</h2>
<h2>Sebastian Inlet Red</h2>
<h2>Banana River Redfish</h2>
<h2>Mosquito Lagoon Redfish</h2>
<h2>Indian River Lagoon Red</h2>
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<h2>Yankeetown Redfish</h2>
<h2>Mosquito Lagoon Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish Doubleheader</h2>
<h2>Spotted Redfish</h2>
<h2>Southside Redfish</h2>
<h2>Banana River Red</h2>
<h2>Palm Coast Mixed Bag</h2>
<h2>Mosquito Lagoon Redfish</h2>
<h2>10000 Islands Red</h2>
<h2>Tomoka River Redfish</h2>
<h2>A Calm Day Fishin'</h2>
<h2>Estero Bat Redfish</h2>
<h2>SRQ Bay Doubleheader</h2>
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<h2>Backbit Redfish</h2>
<h2>Sarasota Redfish</h2>
<h2>Pice Island Redfish</h2>
<h2>First Redfish</h2>
<h2>Sarasota Bay Redfish</h2>
<h2>Snake Bight Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Middle Bank Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfishin'</h2>
<h2>Midday Redfish</h2>
<h2>Sarasota Bay Redfish</h2>
<h2>Pine Island Sound Redfish</h2>
<h2>Pine Island Sound Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfishin'</h2>
<h2>Pine Island Sound Redfish</h2>
<h2>First Redfish</h2>
<h2>Islamorada Redfish</h2>
<h2>Chokoloskee Red</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish Duo</h2>
<h2>Huge Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Ryan's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Jacksonville Bull Red</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Red</h2>
<h2>Chokoloskee Redfish</h2>
<h2>Suwanee Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish for Dad</h2>
<h2>Everglades Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfish</h2>
<h2>RedFly Tournement</h2>
<h2>St. Marks Redfish</h2>
<h2>First Catch</h2>
<h2>Whitewater Bay Redfish</h2>
<h2>Indian River Red</h2>
<h2>Mitchell's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Little Red </h2>
<h2>Jacksonville Reds </h2>
<h2>Pine Island Reds </h2>
<h2>A Redfish Sunset</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>St. Marks Redfish</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfishin'</h2>
<h2>Flamingo Redfishin'</h2>
<h2>Jared with Flamingo Red</h2>
<h2>Osprey Redfish </h2>
<h2>Pine Island Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Cedar Key Redfish</h2>
<h2>Aucilla River Redfish</h2>
<h2>Clearwater Redfish</h2>
<h2>Backyard Redfish</h2>
<h2>Bouncin' for Bulls </h2>
<h2>Redfish while Trolling</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Crystal River Redfish</h2>
<h2>Cape Coral Redfish</h2>
<h2>Devyn's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Tori the 'Redfish Princess'</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>redpuntarass7</h2>
<h2>Great Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Monster Red</h2>
<h2>Bigred6</h2>
<h2>Emily's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Big Bull Red </h2>
<h2>Redfish</h2>
<h2>Team Effort</h2>
<h2>Chris Johnson's Red</h2>
<h2>Jack's Redfish</h2>
<h2>First Redfish </h2>
<h2>Ralph's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Kevin's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Scott's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Charlotte Harbor Redfish</h2>
<h2>Amanda's Redfish</h2>
<h2>carriebuddyfagan</h2>
<h2>Donna's Redfish</h2>
<h2>What A Day</h2>
<h2>Amanda's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Winter Redfish</h2>
<h2>Everglades Redfish</h2>
<h2>Geary's Redfish</h2>
<h2>Happy Red</h2>
<h2>Angling for Redfish</h2>
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<h2>Matlacha Pass Redfish</h2>
<h2>Golden Redfish</h2>
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