Got to beach around 630am. Freezing cold and windy when i first got there. Started the long walk ahead of me into the wind ready to turn around thinking i was crazy to be out here in this weather. Little did i know i would catch this monster redfish. Caught it on a steel double drop rig from walmart. 2 lazer sharp 4/0 circles with 8oz weight. Bait was bluefish chunk the size of a nickle. I just casted all my baits out and heard my rod start screaming. At first i thought it was a shark or stingray. Usually i can get the reds in in about 2 or 4mins. This guy faught me for about 15 mins. I didny even know it was a red till 10mins into the fight he surfaced saw the rocks and bolted off again. So i finally get him near the edge of the sea wall and i had to climb down on the rocks about knee deep water to get him over. Got a hook stuck in my finger and my shoes socks hoodie pants soaked in water and freezing to death but was worth it. Measured in at 47 inches without the tail pinched. Caught it about 8am.
That tail mark looks really familiar. Need to check pics but believe that fish was caught last year at the nearshore. Wasn’t 47 inches but about 42 then.
Great season Stevo and just so you know how special your catch was I’m going to pass a story to you. I have a buddy who is a non CF member. He and his father are avid surf fisherman that have been surf fishing all of their lives. His father taught him and he passed it on to his son. Several generations of surf fishermen. Salty dogs to say the least. They are incredible fisherman. His father is getting older and they are concerned about how many more opportunities they will be able to get out together and target Bulls together. One of the last things his father wants to accomplish on his bucket list is to catch a 50 inch red. They have caught an incredible amount of fish throughout their lives including the only tarpon I have heard about being landed from the surf about 10 years ago. Your 47 inch fish is just 3 inches shy of what some of the best surf fisherman that I know have been trying to catch for decades. Pretty phenomenal fish you caught. I’m still getting reports as recent as of Monday of them landing fish. A 40, 42, and 44. You’ve had mind boggling success. Take care Sir.
