| If you like sport fishing, you surely will | | | | could end up doing a lot of casting before |
| like to fish for redfish. This feisty species | | | | you finally lure your trophy specimen onto |
| is one of the best fighters in the inshore | | | | the hook, and use the lightest line you feel |
| spectrum and, cooked correctly, a great | | | | comfortable with. Just remember to set the |
| addition to the barbeque menu. Even some | | | | drag accurately (the pro's will actually use |
| restaurants have adopted the fish as a | | | | a scale and set it to sixty percent of |
| specialty. For example, at the famous Redfish | | | | nominal breaking strain). |
| Seafood Grill and Bar on Bourbon Street, New | | | | |
| Orleans, they headline, "At Redfish, we serve | | | | The right time is easy, fish the feeding |
| up a parade of award-winning French Quarter | | | | grounds on the flats and oyster bars on the |
| specialties, including classics like | | | | rising tide and till just after the tide |
| Blackened Redfish, Crawfish Etouffee and | | | | turns and fish the hiding places in the |
| Jambalaya." | | | | troughs and sloughs on the ebb. The most |
| | | | reliable spots are on the edge of the |
| Young redfish, or red drum as they are often | | | | mangroves close to deep water. This gives the |
| called, feed in the shallows on clams, crabs, | | | | combination of a great feeding spot with an |
| mussels and shrimp. When the fish are about | | | | easy escape route when threatened. |
| four years old and about 30 inches in length, | | | | |
| they leave the shallows to join the near | | | | As far as bait is concerned, if you are |
| offshore populations. A 30 inch specimen will | | | | fishing for the pan, use live bait. |
| weigh around ten pounds. They can live for | | | | Greenbacks, pinfish, or even a succulent |
| twenty years and have attained weights up to | | | | shrimp will certainly catch more fish than |
| sixty pounds (Florida record fifty one pounds | | | | any lure, but for sport and satisfaction |
| eight ounces). | | | | nothing can beat the feeling of hooking that |
| | | | twenty five inch express train on a little |
| The fish gets its common name from the copper | | | | gold spoon or shiny plug. Toss your bait or |
| bronze large scales on their bodies which are | | | | lure as close to the mangroves as you dare, |
| darker in cloudy water and lighter in clear | | | | let it sink for a few seconds, then retrieve |
| waters but the most distinguishing feature is | | | | slowly. When the strike comes, you will know |
| a dark spot at the top of the base of the | | | | all about it, and the fish will do all the |
| tail. For the fisherman, however, the most | | | | work of setting the hook. Your job will be to |
| recognizable feature is the tail disturbing | | | | get the fish away from the mangroves and then |
| the water in the calm shallows and frequently | | | | to enjoy the fight of your life. This is when |
| breaking the surface. The sight of a dozen or | | | | the challenge of light tackle fishing will |
| more redfish "tailing" as this foraging | | | | tax your skill and fill your psyche with |
| behavior is called is enough to set the | | | | pride. |
| adrenaline coursing through the veins of the | | | | |
| most hardened sportsman. | | | | Happy fishing, and look out for the recipe |
| | | | coming soon! Just remember, if you are not |
| Catching redfish is like all fishing. You | | | | going to eat the fish, release it unharmed. |
| just have to be in the right place at the | | | | Always respect your local fishing |
| right time with the right bait and tackle. | | | | regulations. |
| Use a light medium action rod because you | | | | |