Ride by the grillage on any given Saturday and you will quickly realize that catching big Red Drum (aka Spotail Bass, Channel Bass, and Redfish) has become quite popular with local anglers. There are so many boats and they are all anchored so close together you could probably walk from the grillage to the jetties. Once you have caught one of these big strong fish you will certainly understand the interest. Strong steady runs and brute strength make them a challenge for just about any angler. Their overall size (regularly 25-40 pounds) combined with a beautiful shape and color also make them quite impressive to look at when you get them to the boat. Most anglers that target these big fish are really in it for the sport because not only are these big fish not any good to eat, it is also illegal to keep any Red Drum more than 24” in length. Years of study have shown that these fish are sexually mature and are the future of the fishery. Not only should we release any fish larger than 24”, but we should also try our best to release these fish in good condition to assure the building of a healthy, sexually mature, population of adult Red Drum.
Over the years it has become sporting to give the fish we catch every advantage we can by using very light tackle to catch them. Many anglers feel that this gives the fish a chance to escape and takes more skill to land the fish. This was true for many years, but with technology on our side the reels we use have much better drags and the quality of our tackle has taken much of this advantage away from the fish. While light tackle creates longer fights and more excitement, it also creates more stress on a big Red Fish. Many years ago my brother Tim caught a 20lb red on 8lb test while fishing the jetties for Spanish Mackerel. When we finally got the fish to the boat it was so tired we were not sure it was going to live. We spent a long time reviving the fish until it was finally strong enough to swim off by itself. The ultralight outfit Tim was using allowed the fish to fig