I have no problem finding redfish at lowtide this time of year. The last several weeks have produced numerous fish with a few days of 60+ fish. I have been catching them around structure and finding schools in super shallow water. My one question is about high tide. Where do these reds go when the tide gets higher. During the warmer months I dont have much of a problem finding them at a higher tide as well as the low tide but during the winter i struggle to find redfish during a higher tide. Any help would be appreciated!
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close by to where you found them on the low tide
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irregular grass and structure features close by
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don’t believe a word I say. Ever
having the same issue, maybe back in the grass?
The reds don’t venture nearly as far back in the grass as they do the warmer months because they are not foraging on fiddlers. PeaPod is spot on. They will pull behind the first grass patches or grass islands directly adjacent to where they were at low tide for protection from Flipper. The best places have live shell bottom underneath. The reason you don’t see them as often is that they will sit in pockets or stay in the thick grass that can be as deep as 3-4 feet. The only clue you will have that they are around is to pole or run your trolling motor through the grass and look for the grass stalks to move. They can be particularly difficult to target when they are sitting deep in this thick grass.
I think you are right on, I remember two years ago in December I caught some nice reds throwing a mud minnow under a cork up in the grass, the grass had little pockets in it and I had to wiggle the line to get the minnow to fall down in it.It was a hoot pulling them out of the grass.Will have to see if they will eat a gulp shrimp in there.
Great info here --Thank you , Thank you----I have also been banging my head trying to figure out where they are hiding on high tide----l only have about a 1 1/2 years experience as I travel down from the upstate about once a month and only get 2 days of fishing in per trip. Last couple of trips I was on a mission to find them during high tide back behind where I had been catching them on the falling tide but never seemed to track them down. After reading this I now realize that I was going way too far back into the grass looking for them. Be back down next week to try and gain another tid bit of knowledge hopefully.
The Blind Squirrel in a Flats Boat
Am I understanding that the reds hold in the grass edge in winter even on the higher stages of big tides? I am used to fishing Reds in the grass edge in October & November, but usually limit my search to high middle outgoing or high middle incoming, when the water is only a foot or two deep in the grass edge. I caught Reds in the grass edge on high tide on my last trip, but the tide was very neap, and the water did not go way back in the grass.
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
I’ve been finding them schooled in deeper side creeks over live shell bottom in @ 3-5 ft of water on the rising tide. Best luck fishing with the current vs across it. Usually wind up with a few flounder too.
I had a similar discussion on the HHI forum. Seems like we all have similar problems and solutions. Is Gulp working at high tides for you guys that are finding them, or do you need live shrimp/mud minnows?
All things being equal, I would rather be on the water.
Good info here, thanks.
Artificials (plastics, spoons, etc.) work great in the deeper sparse grass. It is just difficult to get a bait in front of the fish. Sometimes they are holding in grass that is too thick to fish effectively.
Thanks Raddaddy. I guess targeting the high middle outgoing & high middle incoming tide stages for Reds in the grass is still the best Winter strategy if you don’t have a flats boat for the LT Redflats fishery. Then, I guess go back to the deep holes/treefalls/main river ledges for trout when the tide begins to slow??
spec
1980 Skandia 21 w/ '93 JohnRude 150 gas drinker
I start out looking along the banks where the wind is blowing or water pushing against it.I like a bank that has steep sides and water rushing along it.The wind will blow bait along that area.I fish the ICW so I pull out and cut the motor and drift up the middle looking for the push.Once i locate a fish area I move in slow and quiet.I also rig a cork float and drift shallow maybe 5 feet and drop the PP.I let the the cork float maybe 100 feet before i move on down the bank.You cover a lot of potential area that way.In thick grass i throw the bubble gum colored worm rigged in the middle.Reds and trout like it.Weedless gold spoon works also.I do all the fancy grass stuff when i am alone or with a real good grass fisherman.Working the docks requires good casting techniques.I love to top water but the guys i take will hang up on every dock or whistle a plug past my head.SO as soon as I find a great casting partner i will fish the docks.
Stonoman