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