With the water growing colder saltwater anglers are increasingly targeting schooled-up redfish. Redfish stay inshore all winter and can be found around structure, creek mouths, and on shallow banks during sunny days.
Redfish hit several types of lures well during the winter, but soft baits are among the top choices. You can often sight-cast to them in the clear, cold water. One thing to remember is to keep the noise down, and many redfish experts ‘pole’ their boats with long poles rather than using trolling motors and anchors that will spook red drum schools.
The other big thing to remember in winter red drum fishing is to retrieve whatever lure you are using very slowly. Redfish will not chase baits a long way this time of the year and you will often have to drop it near a redfish's nose and use frequent sluggish pauses to entice them to hit. That is one reason sight and scent baits work so well in the winter.
The 3 and 4-inch versions of the Gulp shrimp and peeler crab are powerful scent-releasing lures deadly on redfish. Fish them on a jig head and work the baits slowly, crawling or hopping it along the bottom. The scent of the bait will attract redfish to the lure. You can also fish them under a popping cork like real shrimp. Just remember to go slow and only pop the lure once every 30 seconds or so.
The Gulp Alive peeler crab is the perfect snack for the hungry winter redfish who likes to root the bottom looking for crabs. The crab scent will draw the redfish in, you just need to present the lure on a jig or Carolina rig during a point where the tide is moving pretty well. Fish it around structure, marsh grass and creeks—anywhere blue crabs and fiddler crabs frequent. Redfish will respond enthusiastically.
Another terrific line is the Fishbites brand of soft baits. Fishbites Xtreme baits come in shrimp, jerkbait, and paddle tail molds and are powerfully scented lures.
Many other soft baits will also works, and DOA or Bass Assassin plastics will draw redfish as well, especially on clear days.
For many more tips on catching and cooking redfish and all Carolina inshore species check out my new book Surf and Saltwater Fishing in the Carolinas.
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